Dear Customer,
A blogger recently posted test results of his independent test of RAW Protein. These products are safe for your continued use. We are proud of the safety of these and all Garden of Life products.
Garden of Life fully supports accredited third party independent testing in the Natural Products Industry. We regularly request our products be tested by ConsumerLab.com, the leading third party testing entity that is entirely independent from industry and commerce.
Lead
All protein sources contain some lead present in the source’s surroundings. Natural plant proteins will absorb higher levels of lead, as well as all other minerals, vitamins and co-nutrients, than animal sources, through their heightened exposure to soil, air and water.
The real question is, are the lead levels in RAW Protein safe? The answer is yes, absolutely! The levels of lead do not exceed the standards set by the following health organizations:
World Health Organization (“WHO”)
the European Union
the Canadian Natural Health Products Directorate
the US FDA (tolerable daily intake)
the US Pharmacopeia
the US EPA (drinking water standards)
theStateofCalifornia(Proposition65safeharborlevels )

ConsumerLab.com testing found 5.06 micrograms (mcg) of lead or 0.23 parts per million (ppm) or 230 parts per billion (ppb) in a daily serving of RAW Protein. A microgram is one millionth of a gram, or one part per million (ppm). To help visualize what a microgram is consider that a sugar cube weighs about 1 gram. If you cut it into one thousand pieces, and then cut one of those tiny pieces into another thousand pieces, that would be a microgram. So 5.06 mcg of lead is a small quantity indeed. But how does 5.06 mcg compare to the allowable lead amounts from the world's leading regulators? The Provisional Daily Intake Level allowed by the FDA is 75 mcg per day for adults, and the safe amount allowed by the WHO for a 150-pound person is 243 mcg per day.* The WHO safety standard has been adopted by the European Union giving it further credence.
Lead is not only found in all soils, but also in rivers, lakes, and
seawater. Despite its weight, lead is also a normal part of the air, a component of dust and of sea spray. Lead is present in the proportion of 16 parts per million (ppm) in igneous rocks, the most common ancient rock. Natural soils usually have less than 50 ppm of lead. The adult human body contains lead equivalent to about 2 ppm (range: 1.4 - 5.7 ppm). There is less than 0.23 ppm in RAW Protein.
5.06 mcg of lead in RAW Protein is just like taking a daily serving of other typical plant foods according to the maximum amounts found in the FDA's publication, Total Diet Study Statistics on Elements Results (December 11, 2007):
Amounts of Lead found in a 4 Ounce Serving of Food
Collard greens, fresh 15.3 mcg
Mixed nuts, roasted 10.2 mcg
Brussels sprouts, fresh, boiled 7.9 mcg
Sweet potato, fresh, baked 7.2 mcg
Spinach, boiled 7.0 mcg
Avocado, raw 4.5 mcg

Giving further perspective, the US Government’s Centers for Disease Control publication Inorganic Lead Exposure, Metabolism and Intoxication states that, “...typical intakes of lead from food, beverages and inhaled air are in the order of 300 - 500 mcg per day.”
It must be understood that every element on the periodic chart can be detrimental depending on the intake level. For example, selenium is classified as an essential nutrient when taken in small quantities, but take too much and it may become toxic. Even life-giving oxygen may have a deadly effect when taken in excess.
Lead is no different. It’s found in virtually everything we consume, but lead is only a concern when the levels are unnaturally high as a result of industrial contamination. The lead found in RAW Protein is naturally occurring in the plant material and not due to any industrial process.
Cadmium
ConsumerLab.com testing found 29.48 micrograms (mcg) of cadmium or 1.34 parts per million (ppm) or 1,340 parts per billion (ppb) in a daily serving of RAW Protein. As with lead there are many sources of cadmium in nature such as coffee, tea, chocolate, fish, shellfish and in the growth of grains such as wheat and rice. During the growth of grains such as wheat and rice, cadmium (from the soil) is concentrated in the core of the kernel.
29.48 mcg of cadmium in RAW Protein is just like taking a daily serving of other typical plant foods according to the maximum amounts found in the FDA's publication, Total Diet Study Statistics on Elements Results (December 11, 2007):
Amount of Cadmium found in a 4 Ounce Serving of Food
Sunflower seed, shelled roasted 74.2 mcg
Spinach, boiled 59.2 mcg
Iceberg lettuce 36.4 mcg
Lettuce leaf, raw 30.3 mcg

Tungsten
Tungsten is not a well-studied mineral. Tungsten is a naturally occurring mineral, present in air, water and soil. It is rarely tested. In fact, it’s almost impossible to find a lab certified for tungsten testing. We note that there are no regulations for tungsten content in food, water or other common products in the US, Canada or Europe. Tungsten’s safety has never been a concern of any government or scientific body. Our Ph.D’s have considered these trace amounts of tungsten are safe for human health.
It is well established in science that the human body eliminates metals via defecation, urination, perspiration and respiration. Except at times of unusually high metal exposure, the total taken into the body each day is eliminated each day.
RAW Protein is:
safelymanufacturedbycGMPthird-partyauditedfacilities.
tested to be safe, conforming to FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices and food standards in FDA regulated labs.
additionally tested and safety-validated by the leading third party independent testing agency.
USDA Certified Organic, safe from toxic pesticides and fertilizers.
verified NON-GMO, safe from genetically modified ingredients.
vegan, safe for all consumers’ lifestyles.
Certified for Sport by Informed-Choice, safe for competitive use and free of banned substances.
RAW Protein is safe. Garden of Life conforms in every respect to the highest quality standards with this, and all of our products. Our full concern and attention are on your safety.
To better understand the issues at hand, it’s important to note that lead and cadmium are commonly tested in all foods and food supplements manufactured and sold in the United States. These metals are classified as

minerals. Minerals, vitamins and other nutrients are commonly found in our environment, including air, water and soil. As a result, people who consume plant products as the majority of their diet consume more soil based nutrients including minerals (and metals) when compared to people who consume primarily animal based diets.
The challenge most of us have is interpreting test results. After all, unless you work in a lab or are a chemist, the methods applied to perform tests and the produce the final report are complicated. Metals, for example, are typically reported in PPB (parts per billion) or PPM (parts per million). A test report of 1000 PPB could also accurately be reported as 1 PPM. Of course the number 1000 looks higher, and potentially more concerning when reported in PPB.
Regardless of the way the tests are reported, we assure you that RAW Protein products are safe, nutritious, meaningful alternatives to animal protein powders and conventional plant proteins that are common in the marketplace. These products are tested to be safe and comply with, or exceed the US Food and Drug Administration Food Standards. They are USDA Certified Organic, and free from toxic pesticides and fertilizers. They are third party verified to be free from genetically modified organisms commonly found in conventional products. They are vegan, and free from animal hormones like rBste. In addition, they have been verified as “Clean” for all sport by Informed-Choice.
We hope you are reassured that the products you’ve come to love for their efficacy, value, taste and cleanliness remain SAFE for you and your family.
NOTES ON SOURCES:
* The WHO's Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for ingestion of lead from all sources is 25 mcg per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of bodyweight. The PTWI is a dosage that is known to be safe over time, because it is well- known by scientists that the body is both exposed to and excretes lead easily and on a daily basis. The PTWI safe weekly intake of lead for a 150- pound person (150 pounds = 68.18 kilograms) times 25 mcg is 1704 mcg of lead per week or 243 mcg of lead per day.
Originally Posted by GoldenBrain
Awesome morning. Wet feet all freakin day! It was warm and sunny all day and tonight is clear. Man... the morning is gonna be a nightmare. The thing about Vancouver is that it snows so little that people just get all seasons. But it does snow pretty much every year a few times for a few days at a time. With all due respect, a good 3/4 of the city I call home is retarded.
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I thought it was more about the raw protein products, but now I see it's the same company that makes the green powder. The good news for us is that we haven't used much of it since we have a regular supply of fresh greens. It was mainly just to get us started. I just walked over to the pantry and there is at least 75 percent left in the can, and that can just hit the trash. Many thanks for bringing this to my attention!
. That looks delightfully orange lol. Gene flipped the photo I bet, he is a sneaky snake. Looks yummy, I need to get some smoothie supplies and pick up some more chia seeds.
Normally my carrot based smoothies are much more orange, but I added 3 big handfuls of spinach to this one so it really changed the color. It was good though. While I was taking that photo my wife and son were happily chugging theirs. 
I heard a few days ago that 49 states had snow. As much as I'd like a foot or two of the fluffy stuff it's nice to be back into the 70's. I think you're right that the flooding is going to be bad when all this stuff melts, but at least it will help out the drought zones.
. I won't, don't worry I don't live in a cabin anyway 