Promising all the nutritional value of vegetables without actually eating them, supplement your daily vegetable intake with the revolutionary super green powders. At least, that’s what the green powder industry proclaims. Alas, it’s only a fanciful wish.
But there is a good reason why this health trend has only grown in traction over the past few years. The convenience of it all certainly helps to up your veggie and nutrient intake. You can treat it like a topping and sprinkle it over your smoothie bowl, yogurt, or desserts. Or have it mixed with water, juice, or simply blend it in a smoothie. Disguising the bitter taste of vegetables with fruits is an easy way to make vegetables tasty.
Of course, Super Green Powder supplements can boost overall health and be suited for everyone. From the toughest gym buff to the organic-obsessed, from the passionate vegan to the gluten-free lovers, green powders are the new wave of health supplements that bring a whole lot of benefits.
But the question remains: Can green powders really live up to their name? Or are they just the latest hype in the health food craze? That’s what we are here to find out.
SuperGreen Tonik
Best super greens powders to boost body and mind health.
Full disclosure ingredients with cognitive enhancing formula to aid focus and productivity.
NO RISK – One-year money-back guarantee!
Athletic Greens AG1
One of the best all round super greens powders favored by many consumers for its taste and nutrient-dense formula.
Green Vibrance
Green Vibrance has an impressive 70 ingredients with very much a focus on digestive health.
Amazing Grass
Amazing Grass has lots of flavors to satisfy anyones taste and one of the budget greens around.
What is a Super Green Powder?
Marketed to be a one-stop road to health, green powders are certainly packed with the nutrients and goodness of all the best fruits and veggies. If you’re constantly on the go, it’s also just so much easier simply gulp down a drink rather than constantly being mindful of your diet to ensure you have consumed your required daily intake.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), depending on your age, gender, level of physical activity, and overall health, adults are recommended to eat between 5 to 13 servings of vegetables a day. And with so many sub-categories of vegetables, it’s really difficult to incorporate them all in your diet.
So why not have your daily greens in an all-in-one drink?
The base of a super green powder would often consist of grasses such as wheatgrass and barley grass, and algae like spirulina and chlorella. Other ingredients such as fruits, mushrooms, herbs, leaves, stems, probiotic bacteria, digestive enzymes are also added in, to create the ultimate blend.
However, you have to keep in mind, it’s a supplement, not a substitute. According to dietitian Jemma O’Hanlon, super green powders gives us a false sense of security. People truly think it can substitute vegetables when in reality, it can’t.
So to all my fellow comrades, our war against vegetables continues. I’m afraid we still have to eat veggies.
But Super Green Powders are still a convenient way to increase your veggie intake and to ensure you get all the nutrients you need. With a wide array of vitamins and minerals, rest assured these green powders are not a hoax.
What are the Benefits of Green Powders?
Boasting an impressive display of ingredients from veggies and herbs to probiotics, Super green powders are a powerhouse of nutrients.
People certainly don’t eat enough vegetables; that’s no secret. It is no wonder that green powders can improve your overall health. This dietary supplement is full of vitamins and minerals from boosted immunity and heightened energy levels to increased fat loss and diabetes management.
Green powders are, after all, a supplement, and you might be doubtful about their effectiveness. Not to worry, green powders come highly recommended, especially with the increasing research on them.
According to the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, a study conducted on 40 men and women who took a fruit and veggie powder blend daily for 90 days did show a significant reduction in blood pressure.
Another study has also found that the antioxidant properties of green powders can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Over a period of four weeks, 10 healthy people consumed two tablespoons of green powder daily. According to the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, they were found to have lower blood levels of oxidatively damaged proteins and lipids due to the natural antioxidants from the plant-based ingredients. By preventing damage to blood proteins like enzymes, protects you from cancer and chronic diseases.
Perhaps their greatest selling point is the fact that its nutrients are harvested from whole foods. There are usually no singular vitamins that have been intentionally inserted into the supplement; all the nutritional value of the supplement is derived solely from the whole food ingredients used to make the powder. It is much better to obtain micronutrients from whole foods than synthetic vitamins.
Not only do whole foods have higher bioavailability, but they also have a synergistic effect. Nutrients from different whole food sources work together, complementing each other to enhance the body’s effectiveness in absorption and utilizing the nutrients.
After all, you get a robust combination of minerals and vitamins from plants, unlike other supplements that might only boost a single nutrient. Vegetables contain fiber and chlorophyll, which can aid in the areas of digestion and improved blood-health respectively. Other minerals include phytonutrients such as indole-3-carbinol which reduces estrogen imbalance; isothiocyanates which reduce inflammation; and glucosinolates that can lower the risk of heart disease.
Take a look at the nutritional label and you’ll face a long list of ingredients that might befuddle you. But not to worry, we’re here to explain some of this nutritional jargon so you know exactly what these green powder companies are selling you.
One of the main basic ingredients in super green powders, chlorella is a blue-green alga that is an excellent source of carotenoids. Studies have shown that daily chlorella supplements have potential health benefits of reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Another type of blue-green algae, spirulina is one of the most nutrient-dense food, containing vitamin B, iron, and zinc, and is also high in chlorophyll.
Spirulina has stunning effects on the human body. This alga has led to a “significant increase in exercise performance, fat oxidation, and GSH concentration and attenuated the exercise-induced increase in lipid peroxidation”, according to a 2010 study conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine.
This means that people who have taken spirulina show increased physical prowess, burn fats at a faster rate, and produce more antioxidants when they exercised. Other studies have also shown the potential of spirulina as a natural way for diabetes management.
Ingesting a bunch of live bacteria and yeasts might make you feel queasy. But don’t panic just yet, probiotics aren’t “germs”; these live microorganisms can provide health benefits, especially in regards to digestive health.
Your gut contains as many as 1,000 different microorganisms, which include bacteria, yeasts, and viruses that make up your gut flora. Probiotics help to keep it balanced, enabling your gut flora to perform optimally. Studies have found that probiotics can improve poor digestive health, including constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and even combat irritable bowel syndrome.
What Should You Look Out For in Your Greens?
There are a huge number of green powders on the market now, each making claims that are more miraculous than the next, along with promises they might not be able to deliver on. Quality is key in selecting the best green powder for you. Here, we’ve included the most important things you should take careful note of.
Remember first to look at the label and pay extra attention if there is any mention of “proprietary blend”. Although manufacturers must list all the ingredients in a given product under FDA regulations, they fail to mention the amount and proportion of each ingredient. Many companies have taken advantage of this legal escape route to be vague and unclear – you might have an idea as to what you’ve consumed, but you have no idea as to how much.
Another hint is the order of ingredients on the nutrition label. According to the FDA, ingredients must be ordered from the largest to the smallest amount. A ridiculously long list of superfoods, vitamins, and herbs might not be the best green powder on the market. The proportion of each ingredient might be insufficient to fulfill your daily nutrient intake.
Of course, give a wide berth to any companies that include any artificial sweeteners, added sugars, emulsifiers such as lecithin or other additives in their products. Green powders don’t taste all that pleasant on their own, and some companies choose to add preservatives to improve the taste. This reduces the effectiveness of the green powders, inadvertently affecting nutrient bioavailability – the proportion of the ingested nutrients being absorbed and utilized has been reduced.
Be really careful because the Food and Drug Administration does not have the authority to regulate and test for the safety and effectiveness of supplements before they are marketed. So the onus is on you to ensure you’re buying the best quality supplements.
Top-Rated Super Greens Powders 2023
Now you know what to look out for when selecting a green powder, we’ve rounded up the five best ones on the market. Each has its merits, but if you’re looking for the premium greens powder that fuels both your body and mind, then it’s a no-brainer, no pun intended – SuperGreen Tonik.
SuperGreen Tonik – Best Premium Super Greens Nootropic
This premium super greens brand focuses more on quality than quantity and has 15 proven ingredients and all the vitamins and minerals you need to boost your body and mental health.
Although the ingredients are split into greens, nootropic, and immune blend, we love the fact that every ingredient amount is disclosed. So, you get full transparency without the proprietary blends seen in many other brands.
This greens powder differentiates itself from other brands with its powerful nootropic ingredients that aim to boost cognitive ability.
The founder was keen to create a super greens formula with effective ingredients in the right dosages. This means each ingredient is present in the right amount to have an effect – backed up with scientific data!
Each serving size is 12g to be taken once per day and each tub contains a 30-days supply. This is a premium grade supplement and so the cost per serving works out to be $2.97 if buying one tub. Discounts are available when buying 3-tubs at a time, making the daily serving cost just $2.40.
A relative newcomer to the super greens market, SuperGreen Tonik is proving to be a popular choice for men and women looking for the ultimate fuel for body and mind.
Athletic Greens – Best All Round Greens Powder
This green powder is one of the best green powders on the market, probably because it’s surprisingly tasty. While most green powders taste rather earthy and bitter, they are disguised by the flavor of natural vanilla and fruit extracts such as papaya, carrot, and cherry. Made with no artificial sweeteners, this green powder has less than 1g of sugar.
Athletic Greens has created a formula that is suitable for everyone. This low-allergen blend is also gluten and dairy-free and vegan-friendly, making it perfect for all types of diets, from paleo to plant-based.
But of course, the most important thing to look at is the list of ingredients. Athletic Greens went out to create their blend, with 75 ingredients. Claiming to give you the antioxidant equivalent of 12 servings of vegetables in one scoop, this green powder is packed with nutrients. Athletic Greens provides 700 percent of your daily Vitamin C, more than 100 percent of your Vitamin Bs, and more than 300 percent of Vitamin E.
Digestive enzymes such as bromelain, 7 billion dairy-free probiotics, and adaptogens such as ashwagandha have also been added to enhance the effectiveness of Athletic Greens.
But considering the long list of ingredients, it is highly likely that the proportion of each ingredient might be insufficient. Hiding under a “proprietary blend,” only an overall weight is given for each category. The volume of each ingredient might be too low even to affect your body.
Also, quality is well-monitored and up to standard. Not only is Athletic Greens Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified, products are also manufactured in a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) facility, strictly regulated by the government.
The only downside is that Athletic Green is pretty expensive, with each serving of 12g priced at US$3.23. You can get some savings if you get a monthly subscription, where each serving would cost US$2.57, but overall, it still ranks as one of the pricier green powders on the market.
Green Vibrance – Best for Digestive Health
Another green powder that boasts a long list of ingredients, Green Vibrance has 70 ingredients and clearly states it on their label, along with the amount. What makes Green Vibrance an attractive choice for many is the transparency they have with consumers. There is no “proprietary blend”, which means you’ll know exactly what you’re putting in your body, and exactly how much of it.
Green Vibrance has had a longer history than most, entering the market way back in 1992. Vegan-friendly and gluten-free, this supplement is available in both powder and capsule form. It’s not really palatable, so it’s probably not the best idea to drink it plain with water. Blend into a smoothie or take the capsule instead if you can’t stand the grassy taste.
This super green powder is one of the best supplements on the market to improve digestive health. Containing an astounding 25 billion of probiotic bacteria, Green Vibrance includes 12 different strains in their blend. Offering ten times more probiotics than their competitors, their formula also includes six different types of digestive enzymes. With diverse effects ranging from supporting tissue growth and repair in the gut, and helping to maintain healthy cholesterol, each of these probiotics plays a significant role in enhancing beneficial bacteria to assure a healthy gut flora.
However, due to a large number of ingredients, it is inevitable that the proportion of nutrients in each serving might not be enough. Customers would require more than one serving to obtain daily sufficient nutrients. Indeed, Green Vibrance can be taken up to three times daily. But you would have to buy 2-3 tubs per month to fulfill your nutrient requirements. Even though Green Vibrance has a lower price point – about US$1.50 per serving – it might not be cost-effective.
Green Vibrance does offer tubs of varying sizes, the largest is for 83 days, the smallest is for 15 days. Of course, the larger the tub, the cheaper the price for each serving. You can also get an additional 20 percent off if you apply for subscription deliveries, it’s certainly worth consideration.
Amazing Grass – Best for Variety
Our Amazing Grass Green Superfood Review
Boasting the widest variety, Amazing Grass Green Superfood product line has over ten different flavors. If you’re surprised to see flavors like Berry, Orange Dream, and even Chocolate popping out on their website, you’ll be absolutely amazed that they’ve managed to make Holiday Cookie and Pumpkin Spice flavored green powders. These flavors all look a little intimidating, and some consumers love them and others don’t. Using only concentrates and extracts from organic natural foods to make green powders tastier and more palatable, Amazing Grass contains no artificial sweeteners. Sadly, the response doesn’t seem great and customers aren’t very receptive to these peculiar flavors.
Specially formulated, the company has also created products to promote specific areas of health, such as the Immunity Tangerine, the Detox & Digest Clean Greens, and the Energy Lemon Lime.
Rest assured, all ingredients are non-GMO (genetically modified organisms), vegan and gluten-free. Ingredients such as spirulina and chlorella are certified organic and also BMAA and pesticide-free. People on gluten-free diets might be worried that the base of their Green Superfood powder consists of Wheatgrass. However, Amazing Grass follows a strict testing process to test for gluten. Besides internal testing, products are also sent to a third party to confirm that gluten is below the detectable limit.
Amazing Grass is one of the few companies that have used the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) to measure the level of antioxidant capacities in their products. Their current ORAC score for the Green Superfood is 15,000 per 7g serving. That’s still much more than consuming selected greens. According to the USDA, half a cup of carrots contains only 446 units and broccoli only 529 units. In the spirit of full disclosure, their ORAC score has fallen from its initial 40,000 although they claim that their formula has not changed.
This is certainly one of the cheaper brands on the market, at only US$1 per serving, with each serving size at 8g. The portions are a little smaller than others and the ingredients label also isn’t the most specific, only stating the ingredients in order of largest to smallest amount.
Nested Naturals Super Greens – Best for Budget
One of the few brands on the market that has been certified organic, Nested Natural Super Green is also non-GMO, vegan-friendly, and best of all, they have a chocolate flavor too!
A comprehensive all-in-one blend, Super Greens claims to boost immunity, detoxification, and energize you, with just a single scoop. But this brand is also clear in stating that Super Greens are meant to be a supplement to a healthy intake of vegetables, not a supplement. This refreshing breath of honesty certainly adds to its reputation for transparency. Nested Naturals is not only GMP certified, but it has also allowed for third-party testing. However, they do not include the exact amount of each ingredient, although they do state the weight of the overall ingredients in six different categories.
These six categories are Alkalizing Blend, Fiber Blend, Antioxidant Blend, Immunity Blend, Probiotic Blend, and Enzyme Blend.
Once again, you have to rely on the order of the ingredients to deduce whether you would be obtaining sufficient nutrients from a single serving. The numbers don’t add up for milk thistle, a natural remedy for liver problems. Research suggests 100mg three times a day, however, in Super Greens, it is the smallest component in the 200mg in the Immunity Blend.
One of the downsides is that Nested Naturals has a shorter ingredient list. With only 32 ingredients, Super Green doesn’t quite match up to competitors like Athletic Greens and Green Vibrance. What they lack in diversity, they make up with the quality and quantity of each individual ingredient. Among the usual nutrient-dense ingredients such as Spirulina and Chlorella along with probiotics such as Lactobacillus gasseri and digestive enzymes such as Amylase, you’ll find a peculiar ingredient: Truebroc.
Specially formulated to have the nutrients of broccoli, it includes vitamins A and C, and it also contains the antioxidant glucoraphanin. When glucoraphanin enters the gut flora, it is converted into sulforaphane, an extremely strong natural inducer of detoxification.
Some people might be put off by the strong grassy taste that Nested Naturals advertise as a “fresh, natural taste”. But its low price point might draw you in. Each serving is actually less than US$1, which makes it one of the most affordable brands on the market. If you’re a health nut on a budget, or just starting out with green powders and don’t feel like dishing out $80 a tub, this is a good choice. Also, all customers have a Lifetime Guarantee; if you’re displeased with their green powder, simply send it back to get a refund or a replacement.
Kylea Health & Energy – Best Greens-Protein Hybrid
Carrying a heftier price tag of US$3.33 per serving, you certainly get what you paid for as each serving is 40g. Each enormous serving of the Total Living Drink Greens consists of 11g of vegan protein, along with 29g of nutrient-dense greens. Kylea boasts a nine-products-in-one formula, with a single serving that contains the nutrients of 7-10 servings of raw fruits and vegetables.
These are the nine categories: Protein (11g), Superfoods (15.3g), Antioxidants (3g), Amino Acids (2g), Probiotics (300mg), Herbal Blend (1.3g), Enzymes (450g), Multivitamins and Multi-Minerals.
Both a green powder and a protein shake, Kylea is able to formulate a blend with a plethora of ingredients in good amounts that are sufficient for your daily nutrients. They have been able to add both volume and variety that is certainly rare among competing brands.
Isolated vitamins have also been added, to ensure that your daily nutritional needs are met. Some people might consider it negative; they prefer the nutrients derived solely from whole foods. But the added vitamins and minerals can enhance the effectiveness of green powders.
Vitamins A, B1, B2, D3, E, K, and important minerals like Calcium, Zinc, Manganese are included in large amounts, well above the required daily intake. Kylea can even be considered overly nutritious. With Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) 1,166 percent of Vitamin C and 8,334 percent of daily B12, Kylea has definitely gone above and beyond. But in excess, these water-soluble Vitamin C and B-complex will simply wash out of your body. In other words, you can take half a serving a day, and still exceed your RDI for most of these nutrients.
If you’re using it as just a supplement to your diet, half a scoop is perfect for you, and you’ll be able to save cost. If you’re on a diet, you can also choose to take a full scoop of Kylea as a meal replacement. Many consumers have proclaimed the effectiveness of the Total Living Drink in losing weight. Perhaps it might work for you too.
With an ingredient list comparable to Athletic Greens, it’s worth its US$100 price tag. Try out Kylea’s unique blend – blueberry flavored, yet with a strong taste of green tea – it’s certainly one of the best-tasting green powders on the market.
Remember…
Remember, these superfood powders are no substitute for your daily veggies, however, they can supplement a diet. The best way of consuming vegetables is still, well, by eating them. But this is certainly a good way to increase your nutrient intake and ensure you get the nutrients you need.
Make sure you do your research, and please keep in mind that brands aren’t always 100% transparent. Always double-check with a healthcare provider if the green powder you’re considering would be safe and beneficial for you.
Remember, safety comes first!
Sources
- https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/DietaryGuidelines2010.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20010119
- https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/10/30/we-found-out-if-green-powders-can-really-take-the-place-of-veg_a_21595011/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2732245/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/super-greens
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21954333
- https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/2017-11-17/what-are-greens-powders-and-do-you-need-them