Meal Replacement

I will continue to use this outstanding product until Jesus’ assured return. I drink one a day on average, 2 if I’m busy or trying to cut weight. Never has my stomach felt as good or balanced and healthy as it has not very long after researching, deciding, and purchasing it about a year-and-a-half ago. It tastes good enough besides itself, but you can augment it like I do with fruit, peanut butter (or powdered pb for less fat), or what ever you like to add. The texture is refined and mix-ability ranks as good as any quality powder health supplements on market—it doesn’t clump when properly mixed, and I feel satiated after. It truly is an outstanding meal replacement with the highest quality protein, carbs and the increased benefits of the pre and probiotic cultures included. I’m a male in my early 50’s and I’m consistently regular; every morning like clockwork with-in an hour or two of waking-up. My stools are always solid unless I’m two days in, or coming off, a three day fast I do once a month for God (just the first movement immediately after the first meal breaking the fast). Other than that they are like JDAMs(Joint Direct Attack Munitions) ready to destroy a hardened bunker deep under ground. I highly recommend this product to men and women of any age. Gut health is at the top of the list when it comes to taking measures to gain better, and ultimately, good health.

First off -- PLEASE TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING THIS REGIMEN AND MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE AND APPROPRIATE FOR YOU. THIS REVIEW DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MEDICAL ADVICE OR RECOMMENDATION. IT IS MY PERSONAL STORY ONLY. I did not receive ANY renumeration, discount, or free items for this review. I am not an employee or family member or friend of any employee or representative of Garden of Life or any of their parent companies or subsidiaries. Nowthen, it's a vegan protein powder meal replacement. That means it is not a 'sippin whiskey' if you know what I mean. Blend it, chug it, and move on with your day. If you let it sit it will separate and not be pleasant to drink. It's a powdered meal replacement, it's not for savoring and having a conversation over while you sip it. That being said it does what it is intended to do, replace a meal. I originally started using this product because I was diagnosed by my primary care physician with Type II Diabetes Mellitus. My A1c started at 11.7 as of 11/30/2016. My AM fasting blood glucose the morning I started using this product was 266mg/dL (not good, normal is 70-100 for non-diabetics and <140 is the goal for diabetics). After 20 days my AM fasting blood glucose came down to 80mg/dL. To say the least I was happy. What method(s) did I use??? No exercise. I made three shakes a day (2 scoops per shake with 16 oz of tap water). I spaced them out with about 4 hours in between each. Then I ate a small bowl of soup or salad at the end of the day (no meat, no dairy, no legumes, no pasta, no bread, no alcohol, no fun). I did have a few days with cheat meals here and there so I wasn't completely a food monk. The basic rule is to keep your daily caloric intake <1,000 calories. I followed the general rules devised by Dr. Roy Alton a professor at Newcastle University in the UK. ( DOI 10.1186/s12875-016-0406-2 ) copy/paste that into google and you'll find his research and study protocol. They used a product called Optifast which is only available in the US with prescription from a hospital or other medical center. I think this one for the price and availability is just as good in my personal opinion (although I have not tried any of the optifast products). I did also try the Chocolate and Chai flavored items. The chocolate wasn't awesome, I'd say in order of flavor preference for me was #1 Vanilla, #2 Chai, and #3 Chocolate. The Chai was okay as far as flavor goes, it was the Chai extras that made it a little gritty, kinda like sand in your mouth. I personally will stick with Chocolate.

A few years ago, I tried ordering Shakeology, and actually loved the convenience of a healthy powder blend that I could use to whip up a healthy smoothie. The only problem? The price. It costs more than $130 for a 30 serving bag of the stuff! Also, I recently discovered that I have a sensitivity to dairy, so any products with whey protein are out. So, I stopped ordering it, and there weren't any comparable products on the market at that time for me to order. I recently wanted to find an alternative to Shakeology and found a couple of products that have the same idea in mind but at about a quarter of the price. I stuck with vegan products because I can't have whey protein. Also, I needed a product that was gluten free because of my gluten sensitivity. The two products are the Garden of Life RAW Organic meal replacement shake (in Slightly Sweet because I don't like stevia), and the Nutiva Organic Plant Protein Superfood 30 Shake (Vanilla). Here is my comprehensive review of the two. Price: Buying a jar of both of these powders will run you at about $40. The only difference is that the Nutiva shake has 18 servings per jar and GoL has 30 servings per jar. GoL also tends to be a little bit cheaper, depending on which flavor you get. Winner: GoL - 30 servings for less than $40 is a BARGAIN compared to Shakeology! Nutrient Macros: A scoop of either of these blends is going to be about 125 calories. The only difference is that the GoL has a little more fiber, and Nutiva has a little more healthy fat. Both brands have 20g of vegan protein, are still fairly high in fiber, and are low sugar. Winner: Tie. Ingredients: Here's where I am really impressed with the Garden of Life version. There are just dozens of health foods crammed into this powder that it is really reminiscent of Shakeology. Every ingredient comes from a pronounceable food, with the exception being the addition of digestive enzymes and probiotics (1.5 billion CFUs or colony forming units per scoop). I am a bit of a health nut, and seeing all of these healthy ingredients just makes me jazzed! In nearly every category here, GoL beats Nutiva. With two exceptions: flax seed meal and proteins from grains. I have to be really careful about what I eat because I have a mild form of crohn's disease that flares when I eat something I'm sensitive to. Something in the GoL powder causes me to react, and though I think it is the flax seed meal, it could also be the protein from rice, which can also cause celiac sufferers to flare. That being said, I am a rare case, and I am truly impressed with GoL here. Nutiva is also a great shake, with lots of grain free protein, digestive enzymes, and probiotics as well, though the ingredient list is about half as diverse as GoL. Winner: GoL by a landslide. Taste: Here is the kicker. I want to make this abundantly clear: these are HEALTH drinks, not a vanilla milkshake. Anything you make with these products is not going to taste like a milkshake. There are tons of reviews for both products about how bad it tastes. To be honest with you, I enjoy the taste of healthy things. And if you blend it up with some fruit for natural sweetness, they become downright delicious! Here's another thing: yes, I have been eating healthy for a long time, and I have a high tolerance for bitterness and grittiness when it comes to these powders. But as you put more healthy foods in your body, it begins to heal, and your brain will actually start to crave things that you used to hate. A perfect example for me is avocados. I couldn't stand avocados, but I ate them in whatever way I could stomach them because I knew they were good for you. In about a month, I got to the point where I craved them regularly! Sometimes you have to just push through the initial dislike before reaching nirvana. I think it is worth it! Okay, now that we have that aside, I'll compare the tastes one by one. I went with the Slightly Sweet flavor of RAW Meal, and I genuinely loved it! But I also blended it with other things! A typical smoothie for me consisted of unsweetened almond milk, RAW meal, some pumpkin seeds, some greens, and about a cup and a half of dark berries. This usually resulted in the perfect amount of sweetness for me, which is about the sweetness of 70% dark chocolate (slightly sweet but also bitter). Yum! The best part about blending it with other ingredients is that it also covers up the slight grittiness of the powder. Vegan proteins are never going to be as smooth as whey. The only downside to the RAW Meal powders is that you only have two options for sweetness: sweetened with stevia, and sweetened with sugar. There isn't a sweetener free option. The Nutiva shake powder smells better than the RAW meal powder - almost like a healthy cake batter. But Nutiva is sweetener free (except for a small amount of monk fruit extract, which you do NOT taste). This means that you can add in natural sugars, like from fruit, and have your smoothie sweetened that way. I actually like this option, because I prefer to sweeten my smoothies with bananas, which would make the RAW meal smoothie too sweet. Nutiva is also a little bit gritty, about the same level as RAW Meal. However, I did always notice that I enjoyed the RAW Meal smoothies more than the Nutiva ones. Winner: GoL - though if you want a sweetener free option, Nutiva still tastes pretty good! Drinkability: This category is similar to the 'Taste' category, but here is where I want to mention that both are a little gritty. Also, some other reviews mentioned that the powders congealed when left too long. I never had this problem, but I have a high power blender and always drank my smoothies fresh. Winner: Tie - with slight edge toward GoL. Final Thoughts: I really really wanted RAW Meal to be my new go to drink. It tastes better, has more flavors, is more cost effective, and has an incredible ingredient profile despite still being organic. However, I personally can't drink it. The flax meal in it causes my crohn's disease to flare up. I also know people who can't eat rice, and they would also react to RAW Meal (though Nutiva does have a little bit of 'rice extract' in it, the people I know don't react to the rice extract in Nutiva). Both are great alternatives to add a little extra dose of healthy to your morning shake, and, even though I can't drink the one I really like, I am grateful that Nutiva created a product that someone with my disease can drink!

Okay, I have no wheat or milk allergies etc. I'm not vegan, nor a vegetarian. What I DO have problems with is eating enough. I don't eat the amount of calories I should a day. My nutritionist has always said that my being overweight had to do with not eating enough, and that my body was constantly in starvation mode, so every bit of calorie just sticks to my frame instead of helping me out so to speak. I do eat healthy things, and always have. I've kept a food journal religiously for years, and it's pretty certain that that three ounce brownie on Sunday isn't what makes me so hefty. Nor is it my lack of movement, I walk about three kilometers a day. Yes, I know, this probably sounds farfetched, but it's not quite as outre as it seems. I just have no appetite. It used to be I'd forget to eat until I got dizzy or whatever, just because I've got no hunger sensation. Funny, because I do like food, I just don't like to have much of it. So, to make myself eat more than once a day, I'm going back to my old standby: drinking a meal. Now, way back when, I used to just mix up some fruit, yogurt, honey, milk, and ice. That is still something I like, however, it doesn't pack enough of a caloric and nutrient punch to help me out. I've looked at various protein shakes and whatnot, but again, they're not whole meal replacements. They don't pack the nutrients I need. And to make sure they do have what I need, it required lots of extra song and dance and additives. Plus, I've just not come across one I like very much. I stumbled upon RAW Meal, and my expectations weren't too high, but that at least it had what my body needed. Here's how I make mine to get the most flavour for me and my tastebuds (along with some extra live cultures and whatnot): About half a cup of whole milk from my local dairy Black tea powder that I've made from using a mill on my favourite black tea, then mixing in masala chai spices (cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, allspice, anise, ginger, nutmeg) OR coffee powder, a few tablespoons, just for flavour A few spoonfuls of homemade yogurt (yes, see, I told you, I like food, I make food, I just don't eat it) A big handful of ice And a few tablespoons of raw honey What this has yielded for me the last few weeks is either a coffee drink or a chai drink, both of which I like a great deal. I might throw in some matcha next time for some more variety. It IS gritty. But it's not UNPLEASANTLY gritty. I haven't noticed the 'grass' taste that's been mentioned by others, but when I open the jar, I do smell a bit of a 'green/hay' smell. Perhaps how I doctor mine just covers the taste enough for me to not notice. Is this stuff delicious? No. But it's pretty far from bad when you give it a little help. As an experiment, I DID try it with just water, and yes, oh my, that was filthy disgusting nasty cardboard and raw ground up dried black bean nasty. Now of course some people can do that and think it tastes great, for me, there's no way I could ever choke that down. Overall I would recommend this to someone who is having issues with getting enough of the right stuff in their diet, those who are trying to cut out excess icky stuff but still need something nutritious and filling and EASY. This isn't the sort of 'bulk you up power protein explosion in a cannister workout body builder muscle milk' stuff. This is 'food' stuff. It's good, it's decent, and for the price, I'm very happy. I'll post an update in a few months to see how I'm doing on using this to help retrain my body on how to eat more regularly and be off of the starvation mode. So, thanks for reading all of this, hopefully it was helpful, and have a good day. P.S. Why didn't I give this a five star? Because while it does what I require of it, it's not the perfect ideal either. More flavour options would be nice. And no, I don't mean strawberry or banana bleck, but something like coffee or green tea or chai. Something that would actually mix well with the texture and whatnot. UPDATE: (5 week update and I'm on my third order, I've ordered a fourth as backup in case my husband starts getting into the RAW meal too) Okay, funnest thing the last few days. I wake up starving. My evening meals have been no different than usual (whole grain, protein, two servings of veggies, and then a small pudding or yogurt pop for dessert, or a Greek yogurt). The only thing that's different is that I've been having a shake for breakfast or lunch, and a sandwich or oatmeal. Also, sometimes I feel like I'd just rather have another shake than eat solids. That's not bad exactly, it's just kind of odd. What makes it so odd however, is that I haven't had true hunger sensation in over a decade - I just eat because I'm supposed to, or if I remember, or, if I've forgotten - once I start feeling weak. My nutritionist says it's the fact that my metabolism is starting up and finally putting on its training wheels to start working once again. When I first started the RAW Meal, I had to fight to remind myself to eat dinner, and lunch? What was that? Couldn't bear the thought of it. Now, I want lunch. I want breakfast. I want dinner. But at the same time I don't want to eat-eat-eat. I just want a portion that's normal and natural. I'm slowly getting my caloric intake up to 1800 a day, and once I start exercising, I'll probably manage somehow to eat 2,000-2,200 (which my nutritionist said would be best for my hypoglycemia, so my body doesn't think it's in starvation mode anymore.) I don't feel bloated, in fact, I've noticed my edema has gone down. Haven't weighed myself, but my pants feel a little looser, which has to do with the edema going down of course, and I'll take a look at my weight in another month. (My nutritionist weighs me, but Amanda doesn't want me to focus on the weight itself yet, not until we've got my metabolism ready and rearing to go. So she records it, but I don't look. It's just part of how we've figured out it works for me best. Everyone's a little different when it comes to motivation, I'm doing this more for my health, than to lose weight specifically.)

I was looking for something comparable to Ka’Chava since it’s gotten pretty pricey, and I’ve been really happy with this. The consistency is similar—it’s not too chalky, mixes well, and doesn’t clump. I usually blend it with spinach, berries, and water, and it comes out great. I also don’t mind the taste at all. Reading some of the reviews, I think people sometimes expect a nutritious protein powder to taste like ice cream, and personally, I’ve never found one that does! For something that packs in this much nutrition, I think the taste is really good. Definitely a great alternative if you like Ka’Chava but want something more affordable.

Got it today and it is amazing. Just as good or better than Ka'Chava, and at a much better price. I’m really impressed with the Garden of Life Raw Organic Meal Replacement Shakes. I bought these looking for something clean, convenient, and actually satisfying — and they delivered. The ingredient list is exactly what I want in a daily shake: organic, whole‑food based, no weird additives, and packed with nutrients. It feels good knowing I’m putting something genuinely healthy into my body.The texture blends smoothly (I use a shaker bottle or blender), and the flavor is surprisingly good for a plant‑based formula. It’s not overly sweet or artificial — just a clean, natural taste that works great on its own or mixed with fruit or nut butter.What really stands out is how filling it is. One scoop keeps me satisfied for hours, which makes it perfect for busy mornings or a quick lunch. I’ve also noticed better digestion and more consistent energy throughout the day.If you’re looking for a nutrient‑dense, organic meal replacement that actually tastes good and keeps you full, this is absolutely worth it. I’ll definitely be reordering.

First off, the short version: This is the worst tasting stuff I've ever actually put in my mouth, and I just ordered another tub. It's amazing what the human body can get used to. Seriously. The taste is bad. Like ground up elephant dung mixed with sand. A little about me: 38, used to be in shape, then got kinda fat and decided to do something about it which entailed T-25 and an improved diet. I also waited to write this review until after I had finished my first tub of Raw Meal and went to regular protein powder instead so that I could compare the results. Let it be known that I am not a raw foods, vegan, vegetarian, health or excersize nut or anything like that. Just a regular guy trying to correct years of eating and drinking whatever it occoured to me at the time to consume. Part of my diet is a breakfast smoothie, which is where this product came in. I read the reviews (just like you) and decided to give it a go because I had no intention of drinking it straight, but instead was planning to mix it as an ingredient in my smoothie. The other things I blend in my smoothie include ice, juice, almondmilk, frozen berries, ground flax, and chia seeds. The first day I added this to my smoothie, I thought someone must have mixed up at the Raw Meal factory and put ground up latex paint in a tub and sent it over. Awful. Really bad. Anyway, I got that choked down, and decided to try it again the next day...and the day after that...and so on. Every day it got slightly less bad and eventually became something I got used to like paying taxes, going to the dentist, or spending time with my in-laws. The problem started one day when I made my wife's smoothie too thick (Did I mention that I make a smoothie for both of us in the morning? The only difference between them is that she refuses to drink the Raw Meal and instead gets regular vanilla protein powder.) and had to drink it down a little to put more liquid in. OMG. It tasted like licking angel tears off a unicorn's horn. I couldn't believe it. So good. Then I mixed up my Raw Meal smoothie and cried. I finished my Raw Meal about 2 weeks ago, and went back to regular protein powder. There really is no compairison when it comes to taste. The only way they could make the Raw Meal taste worse would be if they somehow added durian fruit to it. New problem is that taste isn't the only thing to consider here. With the protein powder, I'm HUNGRY in an hour. With the Raw Meal, I wasn't hungry for lunch until early afternoon. Now whether this is because it keeps you from feeling hungry because it's so great, or because it makes you a little nauseous for several hours is up for debate. All I can say is that I'm eating a bunch more food now than I was when Raw Meal was part of my diet. Now lets do some Pros and Cons: Cons: Absolutely everything that has to do with sensory percetion of Raw Meal. Taste, smell, sight, texture, etc. They are all really bad. Have I made that clear? Only some vegan who'd given up on life would think this stuff tastes good. Pros: Everything else. Feel better. Full for longer. Eat less. Poop better. Etc. It's really a good product, it just tastes like the south end of a north bound rhino. A couple of things I've found to make it tollerable: Mix it with more liquid than it reccommends. This stuff is THICK and gets thicker the longer it sits. If you were to let it sit for an hour, you could probably lay bricks with it. Never mix a banana with it. Bananas make it WAY thicker than it already is. You'd have to eat it with a spoon. Drink it kinda quickly. No need to sit around and sip this stuff. I never even tried it without mixing it in a smoothie, and I never will. Do yourself the same favor, and at least put some juice or something with it. In conclusion, if taste is important to you, look elsewhere. If you can deal with putting this in your mouth and are more interested in the nutritional benefits, you can't beat this product. Understand that your body will get used to it if you force it to. You'll probably be glad you did.

I have the vanilla. It's versatile. I'm not that picky when it comes to flavor. I figure.. just take a look at ALL of which is in here, and it is really impressive that they can pull together a decent tasting product. It isn't all that sweet, has a low key vanilla flavor, but overall pleasing enough of a flavor. Works just fine as a base for adding other foods and flavors. I like it as is, as cold as I can get it. I also like it blended with any type of berry, sometimes I like to blend a banana and some peanut butter powder. Mmmm. Or I will add cacao powder for an added flavor and nutrition boost. I have yet to try it in baking-- will likely add some to pancakes sometime. Main thing for me is that this is a well rounded nutrition drink. I dont want just protein. I want nutrients that can nourish me. This is loaded with a wide assortment of foods, and so I find it valuable as part of my healthy eating pursuit. I like this brand, it is a trusted brand, and I would consider this again. Downside: only 14 servings (which I can see in the product description) Ingredients Organic Sprouted Protein Blend: Organic Pea Protein, Organic Sprouted Brown Rice Protein, Organic Amaranth (sprout), Organic Buckwheat (sprout), Organic Millet (pearl & sprout), Organic Quinoa (sprout), Organic Chia Seed (sprout), Organic Adzuki Bean (sprout), Organic Flax Seed (sprout), Organic Garbanzo Bean (sprout), Organic Lentil (sprout), Organic Pumpkin Seed (sprout), Organic Sesame Seed (sprout), Organic Sunflower Seed (sprout), Organic Flavor Blend: Organic Vanilla Flavor with Other Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Erythritol, Organic Stevia Extract (leaf), Sea Salt, Organic Fiber Blend: Organic Tapioca Fiber, Organic Guar Gum, Organic Flax Meal, Organic Fruit & Vegetable Blend: Organic Spinach (leaf), Organic Baobab (fruit), Organic Apple (fruit), Organic Beet (root), Organic Broccoli (stalk & flower), Organic Carrot (root), Organic Tomato (fruit), Organic Green Bell Pepper (fruit), Organic Brussels Sprout (leaf), Organic Ginger (root), Organic Garlic (bulb), Organic Onion (bulb), Organic Strawberry (fruit), Organic Cherry (fruit), Organic Parsley (leaf), Organic Cauliflower (flower & stem), Organic Blackberry (fruit), Organic Cabbage (leaf), Organic Blueberry (fruit), Organic Raspberry (fruit), Organic Kale (leaf), Organic Cucumber (gourd), Organic Celery (stalk), Organic Asparagus (flower & stem), Organic Greens Blend: Organic Alfalfa Grass Juice, Organic Spirulina, Organic Barley Grass Juice, Organic Oat Grass Juice, Organic Wheat Grass Juice, Whole Food Vitamin & Mineral Blend: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Niacin, Zinc, Pantothenic Acid, Folate, Vitamin A (beta-carotene), Biotin, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin), Vitamin K, Chromium, Probiotic & Enzyme Blend: Lipase, Protease, Aspergillopepsin, beta-Glucanase, Cellulase, Bromelain, Phytase, Lactase, Papain, Peptidase, Pectinase, Hemicellulase, Xylanase, Bacillus subtilis DE111® (250 million CFU at time of expiration). Contains: Sesame. Made without dairy or soy ingredients, tree nuts, added sugars nor filler ingredients. Manufactured in a facility that also processes egg, milk, soy, wheat, fish, tree nuts and sesame. May contain traces of soy due to agricultural practices. Directions Mix 1 level scoop (scoop included) with 8oz of cold water. Delicious with unsweetened almond milk.

This vegan protein is good quality and tastes pleasant. The price is premium but I indulge every now and then.

جدا سيئه وائحتها مخلص تاريخها خربانه هذه رابع علبه اشتريها واتورط ولا حول ولا قوة الا بالله لا انصح بشرائها سعرها غالي ومنتهيه صلاحيتها

I normally by the Cacao/Chocolate version of this but as Amazon had it listed for an extortionate price for a number of weeks, I opted for the Vanilla. Having tried both, with the same measurements, I would definitely recommend the cacao/chocolate over this. This doesn't taste bad (to me), perhaps as I am used to and fond of the chocolate. It certainly isn't revolting, it doesn't have a strong smell either. The flavour is much more subtle than the cacao - it has just a hint of vanilla to it. The texture remains grainy and bitty and clumps together so requires a thorough mix (I highly recommend the blender bottle for this as the ball provided mixes it well). It can become gloopy if left to sit, and so I advise drinking it straight away and if you do happen to leave it for a while just add some water to dilute it and mix well. I do recommend this as a healthy meal replacement, it is not a milkshake and if that's what you are after, you should probably look elsewhere. If you are used to the highly flavoured protein shakes then this will come as an unwelcome shock to your tastebuds, as it isn't particularly sweet or flavoursome.

I love all flavors they have to offer and am glad I can get RAW Meal when in Germany. The price is rather high but well worth it. I use less water when mixing my meal and eat it as a pudding.

Was so disgusted to find a bug living inside AFTER having one portion. And I’m pregnant too which made me extra worrried. Would really appreciate a replacement or at least a refund for this one