Fitness Tips

Vega One vs Orgain – Which One is Better? Which is Best For Who? Our Review

As the war for meal replacement supremacy reaches epic proportions in the United States, customers are spoilt for choice.

Suddenly, there’s a deluge of brands offering plant-based, whole meals that they can just gulp down without worrying about meal preps or fussing over macros.

Two such brands that have gained a lot of popularity recently are Orgain and Vega One.

Quick Summary: Which is Best For Who

Here is a quick summary for those of us that do not like to read

Orgain

Better suited for those who are not athletes and instead are just looking for a meal replacement, nutrient shake, or protein powder that is designed to do just that... replace a meal and give you the nutrients that you need to get through your day with ease.

Low sugar, low carb, nutrient dense.

Busy and on the-go? This is going to be the better option for you. In my opinion it is quite a bit better tasting too. Both their protein shakes and meal replacements. Cheaper too.

Lucky for you, if you are a first time customer you can get 30% off your first order from Orgain. Yes, 30% off. They were nice enough to finally give me coupon code for my readers that you can use at check out. 

Use this link here and use the coupon code FITLIFEFANATICS at check out and you will get 30% your entire order.

Again, first time customers only

Other than Ka'chava's meal replacement this is the other one that I use. I actually just placed an order a few hours ago. I would have ordered from the site using the code above but I have already done this so I don't get the discount anymore. I get the one with superfoods mixed in. You can check out the one I get here

buying orgain over vega one

Vega

While Orgain claims that they are here to make meal replacements better by weeding out synthetics and fillers, Vega’s target audience are athletes looking for the competitive advantage in the field. If you are weight lifter, sports players, or looking to achieve a goal with your physique, Vega will be the better option to go for.

I mean just look at the reviews here, they speak for themselves.

High in protein and carries the nutrient package designed for muscle repair. 

You can check Vega out on amazon by clicking here


What’s surprising is that despite both brands being meal replacement shakes, their primary products are protein powders.

The question is, which one is worth your money? If you are an athlete, which protein powder offers better bang for your buck?

If you are a working professional looking for a healthy, wholesome meal, which one do you pick?


Vega One vs Orgain

Here’s the lowdown on Orgain vs. Vega


Orgain, Who Are They? What Are They?

orgain protein meal replacement shake

If you are a vegan, your options for a post workout shake or a meal replacement powder that you can gulp at breakfast, or any time of the day, are surprisingly limited.

Most protein powders use dairy or meat, or both.

That’s the void that Orgain aims to fill.

It is a vegan, certified organic protein powder that boasts of a complete amino acid profile. No meat, no dairy, no GMO, no allergens.

Just pure, clean protein. Making it the perfect protein powder for people with sensitive stomachs.

In fact, the term Orgain is a portmanteau of the words ‘Organic’ and ‘Gain’.

Today, Orgain has an extensive range of products including Protein powders, meal replacement shakes, collagen powders, keto protein powders, ready to drink meals, protein bars, bars and shakes for kids and MCT oil.


What Is Their Mission?

orgains mission

Orgain was founded by Dr. Andrew Abraham, the winner of 2016’s ‘Entrepreneur of the year’ award, and a cancer survivor.

Andrew was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 17.

During this phase, he was advised by doctors to gulp down meal replacement shakes to battle cachexia (muscle wasting) and meet his daily calorie intake, which would be impossible to do with regular meals.

Much to his dismay, all the shakes that he found in the market were filled with sugar, synthetics, flavoring and all types of junk that would make a sick person feel worse.

It was then that he decided that there was a need to create a clean, healthy, plant-based wholesome meal powder that could cater to situations like the one he experienced himself.

Ta-da!

A few years later, he formed Orgain.

Orgain’s mission is simple.

They want to help individuals lead better, healthier lives.

As part of their CSR, Orgain’s products are provided for free to individuals who are battling an illness or experiencing financial struggle. All that you’ve got to do is to keep them updated about your health and you will continue to receive the products for free until you get better.


What is Vega One?

Vega one vs orgain review

Vega One is a plant-based nutritional products brand that offers athletes with a clean, vegan source of protein for their everyday needs.

They offer products in two categories.

There’s sports nutrition aimed at athletes and there’s daily nutrition, which is more like meal replacement shakes that you and me can use.

Unlike run-of-the-mill protein powders that primarily use ingredients from the dairy industry, Vega’ One’s protein is completely sourced from botanical ingredients.

Along with the protein, Vega One also throws in a bunch of super greens, herbs, Vitamins, Minerals and BCAAS, allowing you to select a product that suits your nutritional goals or fitness needs. Considering that protein powders are quite expensive, this makes for a cool way to get the best of both worlds.


What is Their Mission?

vega one mission

Vega One was founded by Brendan Brazier, a former Ironman triathlete and endurance athlete, and entrepreneur Charles Chang in the year 2004.

After building the brand from ground up, Charles exited the company in 2016 after it was sold for a whopping $550 million to Danone. Brendan continues to oversee operations.

Vega’s mission is to change the way athletes look at fitness nutrition.

The entire ‘Athletes need meat’ theory which is now being refuted widely, formed the crux of the brand’s origin.

To give them their due credit, they are one of the oldest brands that switched to and vocally advocated plant-based nutrition.

Today, Vega’s product range has expanded. While sports nutrition continues to be one of their key areas of interest, they are also foraying into supplements, herbs, energy drinks and snacks.


Vega One vs Orgain – Which Is Better?

So between the two which is better? Which should you choose? Read below to see which of the two is going to be best for your needs.


Which Brand has Higher Reviews? What are Customers Saying? 

You’ll find it extremely difficult to choose one of these two brands based purely on the customer reviews.

Both are top rated brands and their customer reviews are mostly positive.

However, their target audience might be different.

Most users who opt for Vega One are athletes looking for plant-based, organic post-workout nutrition and with its BCAA profile in addition to quality, vegan protein, Vega One fits the bill perfectly.

While it has been around for longer and has an advantage that way, Orgain’s marketing has been aggressive.

Their products are now available on almost all online shopping portals, which have led to a massive surge in their popularity.

Also, they have a wider and more diverse product catalog that also caters to kids, working moms and the average guy looking for a quick but healthy meal.


Orgain vs Vega One One

What are the Differences?

If we were to compare the two, we’d have to do it from the perspective of a potential customer, which in this case can either be an average working guy or an athlete.

You know, these two remind me of a comparison I did a while ago between Kachava and Huel. Why? Because just like Orgain,  Kachava is cut out for the average Joe, while Huel cuts it for athletes who need higher protein content.

If you're more on the fence, then Lyfe Fuel Essential shake offers more of a middle ground. I am fond of this one too, I just can't help it. And it turns out I'm not the only one, seriously, just look at the reviews.

Back to Orgain and Vega One... here are some of the similarities and the key differences from both these perspectives.


Orgain’s & Vega One’s Range is Extensive

vega ones flavors compared to orgain

Vega’s approach has always been sports nutrition centric, which works fine for athletes. But may not be that great for regular users.

That's not to say that anything will happen if you take this protein shake without working out, it's just that you might not need all the protein and other nutrients that an athlete would need.

They do have a wide range of protein powders mind you.

There’s the Protein and Energy, All-in-one shake, protein and greens, gut health smoothie protein powder, Vega One essentials and botanical blends, all with identical protein content, extremely low to no sugar at all, ample fiber and diverse blends of herbs, probiotics, greens and even caffeine, depending on the version you pick.

That said, the very term ‘Protein Powder’ on the product label doesn’t sound too reassuring for someone looking for meal replacement powders, does it?

While the brand is trying hard to position itself as a meal replacement powder that you can use every day, Orgain is miles ahead.

orgains meal replacement flavors

Their protein powder for example, gives you 21 grams of protein, 6-grams of fiber and 0 grams of sugar in just 150 calories. That works just great irrespective of whether you are an athlete or a regular joe.

If you are looking for something greener, they have a formula which comes fortified with over 50 super foods like Buckwheat, Quinoa, organic sprouts, grains, veggies and fruits.

By the way, their products are child-friendly.

So if you want to whip up a nutritious smoothie for your kid, Orgain has you covered.

They also have vegan protein, a collagen powder for healthier joints, skin and nails (seniors), a vegan protein powder and a meal powder, which has lesser protein, but more fiber and a dash of carbs.

In addition to the powders, they have energy bars, ready-to-drink beverages and MCT-oil.


Which one tastes better?

Plant-based protein powders cater to a very niche audience that’s looking for a healthier alternative to regular protein powders, which often contain artificial flavoring. 

Without flavors and sugar, a lot of them taste horrible though.

Many brands have powders that don’t dissolve easily in water. At times, the consistency is too thick.

Organic stevia which is normally used as a sweetener in these powders has a strong aftertaste that a lot of people dislike.

Thankfully, both Orgain and Vega One seem to have ironed out the crevices.


Vega One & Orgain Comparison

Here is how the two meal replacement shakes compare


Dissolvability

All the powders from both brands are extremely easy to mix. You can throw in some water and give it a couple of shakes with the shaker and have a smooth, rich beverage that you can gulp down easily.

Want some pick-me-up to get you through the day? All you need is a water bottle, a sachet of your protein powder. 

In fact, one customer mentioned on Orgain’s Organic Protein powder that they could mix it by just looking at it...

The only difficulty that some people seem to have is with Vega’s Sport Premium Protein range that tends to leave a few chunks of dissolved powder. That’s if you are using a shaker that is. If you have a blender, you’ll face no such problem with either of these brands.


Consistency

Orgain’s the winner here as well. Their shakes taste delicious, creamy and have tons of natural flavor.

There are customers who mix it with water, almond milk, juice and even coffee and get the same, creamy texture to their beverage. Vega’s powders result in a shake that’s a little thicker than Orgain’s. 

That said, some people prefer a thicker beverage. If you do so, you may like Vega’s shakes more. But if you have a tough time gulping down thick shakes, you should go for Orgain.


Flavors

Orgain offers 6-flavors for their Organic Protein Powder. There’s creamy chocolate fudge which is their bestseller, Chocolate coconut, Chocolate Peanut butter, Peanut butter, a natural unsweetened option and Vanilla bean.

The natural unsweetened option is quite popular. 

So are the chocolate blends. Vega One offers plain chocolate, plain unsweetened, French vanilla, Berry, Coconut almond, Mocha and chocolate mint for their protein powder.

The other shake that comes with such a wide variety of options is Kachava. You not only get to choose from Vanila and chocolate flavor, you can also enjoy a variety of Kachava recipes as well. The recipes particularly  give Kachava an edge over its alternatives,0 least for me.

Hey, you don't get such flexibility every day.

Their energy blend is available in a cold brew coffee flavor that’s quite popular too. Very little to choose between the two brands when it comes to flavor.


Aftertaste

The reviews are mixed when it comes to a strong aftertaste for both Orgain and Vega. A lot of customers found the Stevia sweetness overwhelming in Orgain’s shakes. But that might be just because they dislike stevia.

Thankfully, there’s no synthetic aftertaste that you normally find in regular protein powders.

Ditto with Vega, which seems to have a very strong flavoring after they apparently updated their formula in 2018. This only seems to be with selected flavors though. The Vanilla flavor is one of them.


Cost (Info comes from each brand's website)

Since both brands have products that are unique to them, it would be impossible to do a price comparison for each and every product.

So we took their Protein powder and Meal replacement powder to compare which one’s cheaper.

Vega One’s Pricing

Vega’s meal replacement powder, which is called ‘The All-in-one’ shake is priced at $59.99 for the large tub that contains 20 servings. So, the price for each meal is $2.99.

Not too expensive. But not cheap either. Well heck, when you consider that this is a meal and you get all the nutrition you need from a meal this is like 1/3rd of what I typically pay for a cooked meal.

Vega’s Protein Powder has an average price of $29.99 for a 26 oz bottle which contains 25 servings. This means that each serving is priced at just $1.19, which is amongst the lowest pricing that we’ve come across.

Orgain’s Pricing

Orgain’s Organic Meal Powder is priced at $44.99 for a 2.0 lbs. container that contains approximately 16-servings, if you use two scoops that is. That brings the price to $2.87.

That’s approximately the same price as Vega although slightly cheaper. The Protein powder on the other hand is priced at $29.99, which means that each serving is priced at $1.49, which is still a great value.

The bottom line is that the pricing for both brands is very competitive. While Vega One might be slightly cheaper, Orgain beats it in taste.


Orgain vs Vega One One – Which is Better For What?

While Vega One has always been a go-to brand for athletes, Orgain is recently making inroads into this space.

It makes one wonder, which would be a better option for a specific fitness goal, like losing weight or muscle growth.

Here are some answers.


Nutritional Values

Orgain's Nutritional Values

orgain nutritional values are better than vega one

Vega One's Nutritional Values

vega one nutritional values are not as good as orgain

Which is better for weight loss?

The Vega One ‘All-in-one’ Meal replacement shakes are just 150 calories a shake in the organic version and 170 in the regular version.

Each shake gives you just 50% of your Daily recommended value of 12 Vitamins and Minerals.

The essential vitamins and minerals list has 27 of them. So it’s clearly not nutritionally dense to provide you with all the micronutrients you need.

However, if you are looking to lose weight by cutting down your calorie intake, then you can easily swap one or two meals with this shake. You’d get around 40 grams of quality protein at just 300 calories which is a no-brainer choice for weight watchers.

Orgain’s Organic Meal shakes are slightly more calorie-dense with 240 calories in each serving. That’s not too high for a meal replacement shake mind you.

But from a weight watcher’s perspective, Vega One is a better choice. Although both are so close it does not really matter.

Orgain does have a Keto Powder for those who are following a Ketogenic or LCHF diet.


Which is better for people who weight train?

Most people prefer low sodium protein powders, some go for powders without whey, and others love creatine-free powders. But if you are new to this space, figuring out which one is best for you can be a tad too tricky.

Sure, you can turn to protein pills any day, but you also need an all-rounded serving that gives you other macros as well. And that's where such protein-rich meal replacement shakes (as Huel and other alternatives - the likes of Soylent, Ensure, Shakeology, Herbalife, Kachava and Athletic Greens) come in. 

With 21 grams of Protein in each serving with 6 grams of fiber and a complete Amino acid profile, Orgain’s protein shake ticks all the basics.

But it does not offer anything special for fitness buffs. No BCAAs for example.

Neither does it have an option for athletes who seek more protein from their shakes.

Vega’s has two options.

There’s the Standard Protein shake which has 20 grams of Protein in each serving. However, their sports nutrition protein shakes come with 30 grams of protein in each serving along with 5 grams of BCAAs.

To be honest, most fitness buffs would just top up their protein shakes with a scoop of any unflavored BCAA powder. But with more protein per serving, Vega One is clearly a better choice if you weight lift.

P.S. Vega One has recently been mired in some controversy after their products were found contaminated by heavy metals by ‘The Clean Label Project’. The brand has refuted the claims. Just thought that we should put this out here.


Which is better for people who travel or are on-the-go?

Both brands offer ready-to-drink shakes in travel-friendly bottles.

Orgain’s shake which is called Organic Nutrition contains 16 grams of protein in a shake, 21 vitamins and minerals, 10 fruits and veggies and 2 grams of fiber.

While that’s not ideally a complete meal replacement, it’s pretty close nutrition-wise. Each shake is 220 calories.

Vega One One’s Protein Nutrition shake on the other hand contains 20 grams of protein, 3-4 grams of fiber, 11 Vitamins and minerals, veggies and greens and 1 gram of ALA sourced from Flaxseed. Each shake is 170 calories.

So, they have pretty identical nutritional profiles.


Which one has lesser sugar?

None of the products from both brands have any added sugar. Any sugar in the powders is the remnants of the natural fruits and veggies that are added to them.

Vega’s Meal replacement shake lists the sugar content as 1 gram.

So does Orgain’s meal replacement powder.

There’s little difference in the sugar content. The sweeteners used in each one may differ though.

Orgain uses Erythritol while Vega One uses Stevia.


Which is a better choice for men?

For the average working man who seeks a healthy, plant-based meal but just doesn't have enough time to cook those healthy foods for men that any dietician would recommend, both Orgain and Vega One are equally good options.

Vega One is a little lower in calories for those who are weight conscious. Otherwise there’s little to choose between the two.

If you are an athlete who needs more protein from each meal, then you might find Vega’s Sports Nutrition range to be a better option.


Which is best for women?

With more options to choose from, including Nutritional powders, collagen powders and one for the Ketogenic diet, Orgain is clearly, the better choice for women.

Irrespective of this, you should analyze the individual product labels to know the exact amount of vitamins and minerals that you get with each shake so that your RDV is met.


My Concluding Thoughts

It’s a really close battle folks, without a clear verdict.

Both Orgain and Vega One are terrific options for both, athletic use as well as a meal replacement.

There are a few things better with Orgain. You have more choices and their shakes taste much better. They are child-friendly too.

On the other hand if you are looking to use this for a fitness goal, like losing weight or gaining muscle, you’ll love Vega’s premium sports range.

What do you think about Orgain vs. Vega? Which of these two did you like?

Related Readings:

Ben Mayz

Hi there! I'm Ben, main author and chief editor at Fitlifefanatics.com. I have been obsessed with Strength Training and Fitness for 18 years now.
My passion for living a happy fit lifestyle is what made me realize that fitness is what I wanted for my future.
I went on to earn my Masters in Sports Training & Biomechanics.
My passion for Strength training & fitness and my love of helping others is what made me start Fitlifefanatics.
Here, myself, and a team of specialist aim to provide the most accurate, and actionable information possible in hopes to help foster the fitness community forward.
You can learn more about Fitlifefanatics on our About Page

Ben Mayz

Hi there! I'm Ben, main author and chief editor at Fitlifefanatics.com. I have been obsessed with Strength Training and Fitness for 18 years now. My passion for living a happy fit lifestyle is what made me realize that fitness is what I wanted for my future. I went on to earn my Masters in Sports Training & Biomechanics. My passion for Strength training & fitness and my love of helping others is what made me start Fitlifefanatics. Here, myself, and a team of specialist aim to provide the most accurate, and actionable information possible in hopes to help foster the fitness community forward. You can learn more about Fitlifefanatics on our About Page

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