Garden of Life
Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein
8.1Good
A 30 g vegan protein built for athletes: organic pea and bean proteins, NSF Certified for Sport, plus recovery botanicals and a probiotic.
NSF SportOrganic+2
3 videosProtein Powder
Performance Protein + Recovery (formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein)
Vega's sport protein, formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein: 30 g plant protein, tart cherry and a probiotic per scoop, NSF Certified for Sport.
8.1
Good
Nutrition Reviews score
Weighted across efficacy, quality, value, experience & transparency. See breakdown
- Form
- Powder
- Serving
- 1 scoop (41 g)
- Servings
- 20
- Videos
- 3
NSF Certified for Sport
VeganDairy-freeGluten-free
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Last reviewed September 29, 2026 by the Nutrition Reviews Editorial Team · How we review
Our verdict
Vega Performance Protein + Recovery is a strong, sport-certified plant protein with a whey-like 30 g dose and solid leucine content. Texture and price hold it back, but for vegan athletes who need NSF certification it remains one of the best options, especially when bought at a discount.
Best for
- Vegan athletes in drug-tested sports
- Dairy- and gluten-free diets
- Lifters who want 30 g of plant protein per scoop
Skip it if
- People sensitive to stevia
- Anyone limiting sodium
- Shoppers who want certified organic
How it scored
Our five-factor score out of 10. Factors are weighted by how much they matter to the outcome you’re paying for. Methodology
8.1
Goodout of 10
- Efficacy30%8.6
Key ingredients at clinically studied doses, and how strong the evidence is.
- Quality & Purity25%8.9
Third-party testing and certifications, manufacturing standards, contaminant testing, recall history.
- Value20%7.0
Cost per effective serving compared with category peers.
- Experience15%7.2
Taste, mixability, texture and tolerability from aggregated buyer and creator feedback.
- Transparency10%8.0
Full label disclosure (no proprietary blends), available COAs, honest marketing.
Our review
Vega's performance protein was sold for years as Vega Sport Premium Protein and is now labeled Performance Protein + Recovery. One 41 g scoop delivers 30 g of protein from pea, pumpkin seed and organic sunflower seed protein, with 170 calories, 4 g of carbohydrate and 1 g of sugar. The listed amino acid profile shows 2.6 g of leucine per serving, comparable to a standard scoop of whey.
Two extras target recovery: 480 mg of CherryPURE Montmorency tart cherry and 2 billion CFU of the probiotic Bacillus subtilis DE111, both disclosed with amounts on the Supplement Facts panel. Tart cherry has been studied for exercise-induced muscle soreness with mixed results, so treat it as a bonus rather than a reason to buy.
The powder is NSF Certified for Sport, vegan and gluten-free, which makes it one of the few plant proteins suited to athletes in tested sports. It is not certified organic, and sodium is high at 490 mg per scoop.
buyers give the Vanilla tub 4.3 stars. Praise centers on the ingredients and recovery support; the common complaints are grainy or clumpy texture, sweetness from stevia, a thicker consistency than whey and value. At $44.99 for 20 servings it costs about $2.25 per serving, while the brand site charges $64.99 for its 19-serving tub, so shopping around matters.
What’s inside
| Key ingredient | Per serving | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Plant protein blend (pea, pumpkin seed and organic sunflower seed protein) Provides 2.6 g of leucine per serving according to the listed amino acid profile. | 30 g protein | Provides 2.6 g of leucine per serving according to the listed amino acid profile. |
| Montmorency tart cherry (CherryPURE) Studied for exercise-induced muscle soreness; results across studies are mixed. | 480 mg | Studied for exercise-induced muscle soreness; results across studies are mixed. |
| Bacillus subtilis DE111 (probiotic) Spore-forming probiotic strain included for digestive support. | 2 billion CFU | Spore-forming probiotic strain included for digestive support. |
Supplement Facts
Serving Size 1 Pack (41 g)
Servings Per Container 12
Amount Per Serving% Daily Value
Calories 170
Total Fat 3 g4%*
Saturated Fat 1 g5%*
Total Carbohydrate 4 g1%*
Dietary Fiber 1 g4%*
Total Sugars 1 g†
Includes 0 g Added Sugars 0 g0%*
Protein 30 g42%*
Calcium 40 mg3%
Iron 7 mg39%
Sodium 490 mg21%
Potassium 160 mg3%
Montmorency Tart Cherry (Prunus cerasus) (skin, pulp) CherryPURE® 480 mg†
Probiotics (Bacillus subtilis DE 111®) 2 Billion CFU†
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. † Daily Value not established.
Other ingredients: Plant Protein Blend (Pea Protein, Pumpkin Seed Protein, Organic Sunflower Seed Protein) Natural Flavors, Stevia Leaf Extract, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum.
Flavors & variants
VanillaChocolateMochaBerryPeanut Butter
Testing & quality
Its performance protein line is listed in NSF's Certified for Sport database.
Goals it supports
Creator video reviews
Independent creators reviewing Performance Protein + Recovery (formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein) on TikTok and YouTube.
3 positive0 mixed0 critical
Pros & cons
What we like
- 30 g of protein and 2.6 g of leucine per scoop
- NSF Certified for Sport
- Tart cherry and probiotic amounts are fully disclosed on the label
- Vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free
Watch-outs
- Grainy or clumpy texture and a thicker consistency are common complaints
- 490 mg of sodium per scoop
- About $2.25 per serving, and considerably more on the brand site
- Not certified organic
Questions buyers ask
Is this the same product as Vega Sport Premium Protein?
Yes. Vega's own product page describes Performance Protein + Recovery as formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein. The current label lists 30 g of protein from pea, pumpkin seed and sunflower seed protein, plus tart cherry and a probiotic. Some retailer listings still show older ingredient lists, so check the label on the tub you receive.
Is it certified for drug-tested athletes?
Yes. NSF's Certified for Sport database lists both Vega Sport Premium Protein and Vega Performance Protein + Recovery in several flavors. Certification is tracked by lot, so confirm your flavor on nsfsport.com and keep the lot number from your tub.
Why is the sodium so high?
Each scoop lists 490 mg of sodium, about 21% of the Daily Value, and sea salt appears among the ingredients. That is manageable for most active people, especially those who sweat heavily, but anyone following a sodium-restricted diet should account for it or choose a lower-sodium powder.
Alternatives worth a look
Similar products, ranked by our score.
Best Overall
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8.8Excellent
A grass-fed whey isolate with 28 g of protein per scoop, stevia instead of artificial sweeteners, and NSF Certified for Sport status.
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Optimum Nutrition
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8.7Excellent
The benchmark whey blend: 24 g of protein per 120-calorie scoop, Informed Choice certified, and a flavor lineup few rivals can match.
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8.7Excellent
An all-isolate whey with a hydrolyzed fraction: 25 g protein and about 2.7 g leucine per 120-calorie scoop, with Informed Choice testing.
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Head-to-head comparisons
Performance Protein + Recovery (formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein) vs Sport Organic Plant-Based ProteinPerformance Protein + Recovery (formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein) vs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein IsolatePerformance Protein + Recovery (formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein) vs Gold Standard 100% WheyPerformance Protein + Recovery (formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein) vs ISO100 Hydrolyzed Whey Protein IsolatePerformance Protein + Recovery (formerly Vega Sport Premium Protein) vs Whey+ Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
Read the research
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