Supplements Reviewed Jul 5, 2026

Garden of Life

"Organic" plant protein — owned by Nestlé, and flagged by Consumer Reports for lead.

Safety Finding · 2025

Consumer Reports lead finding (organic plant protein)

In Consumer Reports' October 2025 test, Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based (Vanilla) measured ~564% of CR's daily lead level of concern; CR advised limiting it to once a week. (CR's "level of concern" is stricter than FDA limits.)

Source →

Our take

Why It’s on Our Radar

We don't recommend it as a clean pick. It's Nestlé-owned, and its organic plant protein tested well over Consumer Reports' lead level of concern. It's here as a cautionary reference, with founder-owned, tested alternatives above.

What's inside

Ingredients & Safety

Certified organic and plant-based, but Consumer Reports (Oct 2025) measured its Sport Organic Plant-Based (Vanilla) at ~564% of its lead level of concern — organic branding is not a heavy-metal guarantee.

No listed ingredient is currently on our watch or caution list. This finding applies only to the ingredient list shown below and may not cover every product, variant, market, or reformulation.

Ingredient List Reviewed

Safe Watch Caution
  • Organic Pea Protein
  • Organic Sprout Blend

Formula scope: the disclosed ingredient list captured for this review. Formulas can differ by product, scent, country, and date; compare the current package with this list before deciding.

Want another top-tier option? Nordic Naturals in Supplements & Protein currently meets our top criteria. Review its formula scope and cited records before deciding.

Who owns it

Ownership & Independence

Nestlé Health Science acquired parent Atrium Innovations in December 2017 (~$2.3B); Garden of Life is no longer independent.

Where to buy

Key Products

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