Optimum Nutrition Organic Plant Based Protein Powder, Vanilla

Excelente sabor, fácil digestión y se disuelve fácil.

I’ve tried numerous brands of plant based protein and typically default back to Orgain and Vega Sport as my regular supplemental source of the macro nutrient. That was until now. Optimum Nutrition got it right with their first attempt at plant protein powder.

First of all, its a straight forward protein powder, unlike Vega Sport, which has a few extras like probiotics and turmeric. This helps to keep the price down and more competitive as Vega Sport is more than $2 per serving. I bought a bottle at $21 from GNC via Amazon, which is just over a $1 per serving (19 servings in the bottle). For a $1 a serving, Optimum Nutritions plant protein is a bargain at 24g of protein per serving and providing a complete amino acid profile.

Where ON’s plant protein shines is taste and texture. Orgain has always been my favorite protein (plant or otherwise) as its creamy and the right balance of flavor and sweetness (the creamy chocolate flavor is my go to flavor). ON’s isn’t as creamy nor is the chocolate flavor as strong, but ON did a great job masking the earthy taste typically associated with plant protein and having a lighter weight on the tongue (similar to coconut milk) making it easy to drink when mixed with water alone.

This will be my main plant protein going forward because its a good value (~$1 per serving for 24g protein/complete amino acid profile/organic), the taste is delicious and well balanced, and the texture makes it easily drinkable.

Compared ingredients and macros to similar brands and this one came out on top for me. I tried this brand because it was on sale at the time and loved that it was plant based although I have mixed it with milk which kinda defeats the whole purpose. Anyway, after I used it I went with another brand that was on sale since this one was back to its regular price. I soon realized that I missed this one because the other brand didn’t have the same value when compared since I needed two scoops of it for a little more protein than I was getting from just one scoop of this brand. So although it was almost double the size it was also double the servings making it a wash. The other brand was also frothy sometimes which I didn’t like. Until they mess with the ingredients or taste in this one or raise the price to something ridiculous I’m willing to pay a little extra for a quality product. Only complaint is there are only two flavors. Would love a chocolate peanut butter flavor but I’ve just been adding my own peanut butter which works. Cookies and cream or a caramel flavor would also be delicious.

This stuff is good, but after a few uses, I have two issues with it:

1) It’s a lot sweeter than I thought it would be based on other reviews and the product description – frankly a bit cloying, which too much Stevia can be if it’s not tempered with something else. I’ve tried it a few ways now and have found that it’s best when you mix with some tarter frozen fruit in the blender to balance out the flavor, like berries and a little mango with unsweetened almond milk or adding a squeeze of lemon into your green version. I definitely wouldn’t add banana to it again though, as it was almost inedible. That said, I tend to like things less sweet, so if you’re a person that enjoys higher sugar content and you don’t mind Stevia, which can have a mildly bitter aftertaste and can take some trial and error/getting used to if you’re new to the world of plant-sourced non-sugar sweeteners, you’ll probably be fine with this.

2) The other thing about it is the consistency. After you first blend it, it acts like a smoothie, albeit a chalkier than average one. However, if you’re a slow drinker (which I am, especially when there’s this much protein involved), the mixture needs to be stirred every 5-10 minutes, otherwise the water content starts to separate and you’re left with a gelatinous mound staring back at you from the bottom of your glass like a balled up banana slug, likely due to the chia content of the powder. It’s palatable, but not the most eh… how you say… inviting?

Ultimately this stuff is really good quality. I am not vegan but I’ve been working harder lately to make changes to avoid animal products where possible. This stuff makes you full without feeling heavy and is a solid animal-product-free option for people trying to work more protein into their regimens without contributing to, you know, the ecological demise of human civilization as we know it. That is to say, I’d recommend getting some reusable straws to help even it all out.