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Ora Organic is widely known as a vegan-friendly supplement brand that relies purely on organic ingredients to create its highly transparent and clean formulas.
So Lean & So Clean is a protein powder Ora Organic devised to act as a contrast to mainstream protein powders that tend to be riddled with fillers, chalky tastes, and questionable ingredients.
It is a vegan-friendly protein powder that comes in four different flavors (chocolate, vanilla, vanilla chai, and unflavored) but I will be specifically covering the chocolate-flavored product.
Keep in mind that nutrients may be slightly different depending on the flavor you choose.
Main Takeaways
- Ora Organic’s protein powder offers 22 grams of protein per 130-calorie scoop and includes superfoods and greens. It has a protein content of 69% per scoop, which falls under the “reasonable” category. The powder also contains digestive enzymes that are aimed at aiding nutrient absorption, which might be beneficial for those who have difficulty digesting protein powders.
- The product is USDA-certified, signifying adherence to organic standards. It combines legumes and grains such as peas, rice, quinoa, and amaranth. This is appealing to anyone seeking organic and diverse sources of protein for a broader amino acid intake.
- At approximately $2 per serving ($39.99 for 20 servings), this is a steeply-priced protein powder that isn’t ideal for budget-conscious individuals, albeit it is understandable given the use of organic ingredients and certifications. A subscription service is available to reduce the cost per serving.
Ora Organic Protein Powder Overview
One scoop of Ora Organic’s chocolate-flavored protein powder contains 130 calories, 22 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbohydrates (of which 1.8 grams are fiber and 0 grams are added sugars), and 3 grams of fat.
You can also find micronutrients such as calcium, iron, and sodium, which is not only thanks to the type of protein this formula contains but also the unique fruits and vegetables.
Ora Organic’s protein powder comes with two blends: a Protein, Superfoods, and Greens blend that includes a variety of organic legumes, grains, fruits, and vegetables. The other blend is an Enzyme Blend with a variety of enzymes such as amylase, neutral protease, lactase, lipase, and cellulase.
The first blend provides this formula with its different nutrients, namely protein, carbohydrates, and fat, but it also delivers vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants, which are essential for our overall well-being.
The second blend contains five different enzymes that effectively allow your body to absorb the nutrients in this formula, preventing any bloating sensation that you might feel from consuming a very nutrient-dense food. Digestive enzymes bind themselves to nutrients and break them down more efficiently.
Most vegan protein powders don’t have digestive enzymes, which means they might be tougher to digest, so it’s definitely good to have them in this supplement, given it contains a variety of ingredients.
Does It Contain Enough Protein?
In terms of overall protein content, Ora Organic has to be one of the most protein-dense vegan formulas. It comes with 22 grams of protein, which is not that common to see in vegan protein powders.
With that being said, the amount of protein that exists in proportion to the total number of calories is relatively low, as we’ll explain below.
If a product is labeled as a protein powder, it means it must contain as much protein per scoop as possible; otherwise, it’s not considered a ‘pure’ protein powder.
To determine whether a protein powder is pure, one has to calculate how much protein it contains per scoop, and the criteria used to evaluate the quality of a protein powder fall under the following:
- 65-75% protein per scoop = reasonable
- 75-85% protein per scoop = good
- More than 85% protein per scoop = excellent
Ora Organic’s protein powder contains 69% protein, which means that 69% of the total calories in this supplement are derived from protein, whilst the other 31% correspond to carbs and fat. Proportion-wise, this protein powder could contain more protein, but here it’s not necessarily bad.
Normally, when I’m looking to buy a protein powder, I want one with the maximum amount of protein and the lowest amount of carbs and fat, but that isn’t always possible, especially when companies use blends to boost the nutrient density of their formulas (like how Ora Organic does).
From an overall health standpoint, it’s great to have a variety of nutrients in your diet, but for the purpose of building a lean, muscular build, you might want to minimize carb and fat intake, which is what I do if I’m cutting. However, if you’re bulking and don’t mind the extra carbs and fat, then this is not as relevant.
It would be an issue if the protein content of this protein powder was very low, but each serving comes with 22 grams of protein, which is pretty high for a vegan protein powder.
What I Like About Ora Organic’s Protein Powder
Organic Ingredients
If you’re like me and would rather avoid processed ingredients that may be detrimental to your health, it is always a good decision to opt for foods derived from organic agriculture.
The ingredients in Ora Organic’s protein powder are entirely derived from organic agriculture, which means that the ingredient quality of this formula is superior to most.
Another noteworthy detail is that this formula is certified by the USDA, which means every ingredient has met strict organic standards.
22 Grams Of Protein
Although it’s not impossible to find a vegan protein powder with such a high protein content, those with more than 20 grams of protein per serving are certainly not the norm.
Fortunately, Ora Organic has managed to achieve this by combining a variety of legumes and grains such as peas, rice, quinoa, and amaranth, which also means it combines different sources of foods that provide you with both non-essential and essential amino acids.
Generally, combining diverse sources of proteins is a good way for a brand to ensure they give consumers a more complete amino acid intake. This is one such case.
Digestive Enzymes
it’s not unusual for people to feel bloated when they start taking a protein powder, and most of the time it’s because the body finds it challenging to suddenly absorb such high amounts of protein in one go.
Because Ora Organic has included a blend with various digestive enzymes, they’ve made it so your body has the tools to more efficiently absorb the protein, as well as any other nutrients, which should help you not feel (as) bloated when consuming a protein powder.
What I Don’t Like About Ora Organic’s Protein Powder
Only 20 Servings
Although I do appreciate the use of organic ingredients and the high protein content, one of the things that truly bothers me is when one canister or bottle is not enough for an entire month.
Ora Organic’s protein powder costs $39.99 and comes in 20 servings, which means that each serving costs $2, making it an expensive protein powder. You can bring the price per serving down to $1.60 but you would have to subscribe to their recurring delivery service.
I do understand the appeal of this supplement and the brand behind it (more vegan-friendly is hard to find), but it’s quite expensive.
Is Ora Organic Protein Powder Worth It?
Frankly, Ora Organic’s protein powder is definitely worth it, but that’s only if you have money to spend.
I mean, the price is understandable given that it’s entirely organic; contains a lot of protein, as well as many other ingredients that make it quite nutrient-dense and digestible, but not everyone can afford the $2 per serving.
If you’re someone that still finds this protein powder affordable, then feel free to get it here, but if the price is a bit too steep, consider different options such as these clean plant-based protein powders.
Editor’s note: The content on this website is meant to be informative, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
