The best part about being a commercial editor is the opportunity to test a wide variety of products and equipment. I’ve crushed dozens of cloves of garlic to test garlic presses, put nonstick frying pans through the dishwasher (and shuddered every time), and made dozens of dishes from different delivery services. My job also allows me to compare popular products with long-time favorites. The most important question I always try to answer, both for myself and for my readers, is whether it’s worth it. Recently, I was asked to compare my favorite chocolate whey protein powder, Aldi’s Chocolate Whey Protein Powder. Elevation by Millville Chocolate Protein Powder, eat well A Test Kitchen Favorite Garden of Life Sports Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powder.
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As I’ve written before, protein is probably a nutrient I think about more than the average person. I’ve been powerlifting for several years, and a crucial component of muscle growth is, you guessed it, protein. The average person needs about 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, since building muscle is one of my goals, I strive to get 100 grams every day. Like most nutrients, protein is better obtained from whole foods like chicken, eggs, and lentils. But having a scoop of protein powder is often a quick and easy way to get closer to your goal (plus, there’s only so much chicken breast one person can eat).
To see how my bargain whey protein pick (Elevation can usually be found at Aldi for under $25 a can) stacks up against some of my more expensive favorites, I compared the two based on taste, texture, and nutritional value. Here are my final thoughts:
Nutrition in numbers
Naturally, nutrition is at the top of the list when comparing whey protein powders, so I decided to put together a quick nutrition comparison between the two.
As you can see, Elevation Whey Protein Powder has more protein per gram than the Garden of Life version. In exchange, it also has more fat and sugar. However, Elevation Protein Powder has the added benefit of containing 2g of creatine monohydrate per serving (at the low end of the recommended dosage range). Creatine has many health benefits, but is best known for helping you build muscle during strength training. Being able to get this extra boost alongside my protein powder is a big plus for me (though if you do want to take a creatine supplement, here are some supplements I recommend):
But the biggest difference is that Garden of Life is third-party tested and Elevation is not. Why is this important? Third-party testing is one way to ensure that the ingredients and amounts listed on a supplement’s ingredient label are accurate. Millville’s owner, Aldi, says it has strict quality and safety standards, but doesn’t list any third-party certifications on its company site or on the supplement’s ingredient labels.
texture
As you can see from the pictures, Garden of Life protein powder (top) has a finer, baby powder-like texture, while Elevation protein powder (bottom) has a more granular texture. I mixed both with almond milk in a shaker bottle and shook each for 30 seconds. Garden of Life protein powder mixed more smoothly with the liquid and left fewer lumps after shaking than Elevation protein powder. When it came to mixability, Garden of Life was the clear winner.
EATINGWELL / Katie Tuttle
taste
Both have a strong chocolatey flavor thanks to the cocoa powder, and no one would mistake either for a milkshake. However, the sweeteners in each are what set them apart. Elevation’s whey protein powder is sweetened with sucralose, while Garden of Life uses organic stevia extract. I’m personally very sensitive to the flavor of stevia and find it to be surprisingly sweet with an artificial flavor. However, if you prefer natural sweeteners, you might not like Elevation’s use of sucralose.
EATINGWELL / Katie Tuttle
Conclusion
The choice between these two protein powders was not easy. The Garden of Life version has many advantages in terms of ingredients and texture, and I appreciate the role of third-party testing when it comes to dietary supplements of any kind. However, when I take something nearly every day, taste and value are important considerations. Therefore, Elevation by Millville Chocolate Protein Powder (View on Amazon) is my favorite. It has more protein per gram than Garden of Life, a slight boost in creatine, and best of all, it tastes great. This is why I continue to rely on it because it fits better into my routine and makes me look forward to drinking my shakes.
Expertise you can trust
Katie Tuttle is a trade editor and contributor to publications such as: Food and Wine And then there’s The Spruce Eats. She’s been powerlifting for six years and testing food and kitchen products for two years.
This article was edited and reviewed by Brierley Horton, MS, RD, a senior trade editor with 15 years of experience reporting, writing, and editing nutrition and health content.
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