I take great care in evaluating popular dietary supplements before recommending them to my nutrition clients. New supplements pop up all the time, but Ancient Nutrition has been on the market for nearly a decade and I’m very familiar with its products.
Ancient Nutrition Organic SuperGreens is positively reviewed, touting many superfood ingredients and health benefits. Looking closely, I’m skeptical of how well it backs up its claims. Ultimately, I don’t think Ancient Nutrition stacks up against a more comprehensive greens powder like Live it Up Super Greens. Let's dig into the details so you can see why.
- Is Ancient Nutrition Worth a Try?
- What Is Ancient Nutrition?
- Purported Health Benefits
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Quality and Safety
- Cost Analysis
- Taste Review
- Why I Recommend Live it Up Super Greens
Ancient Nutrition SuperGreens Powder Quick Facts
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Key ingredients:
- Greens, such as organic spirulina, organic spinach leaf, and organic chlorella
- Organic beet root
- 2 billion CFUs of probiotics
- Organic ashwagandha root
- Organic reishi mycelium
- Organic chia seed and organic flax seed
- Calories: One scoop = 30 calories
- Manufacturer health claims: Supports energy, detoxification, and digestive function
- Possible side effects: Bloating, gas, potential allergic reactions
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Flavors:
- Greens Flavor
- Mint
- Watermelon
- Berry
- Mango
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Cost:
- 25 servings: $44.95 ($38.21 with a subscription)
- 16 servings: $34.95 ($29.71 with a subscription)
- 12 servings: $24.95 ($21.21 with a subscription)
- Shipping: Free on orders over $49 and on subscription orders
Bottom Line: Is Ancient Nutrition Worth a Try?
Ancient Nutrition’s ingredients include organic greens and vegetables, digestive enzymes, and healthy roots and fungi, but it doesn’t share vitamin and mineral content, and many of its blends are underdosed. Contrast that with a product like Live it Up Super Greens, which clearly lists nutrient content with daily values and contains more potent probiotic content for gut support.
What Is Ancient Nutrition?
Based in Tennessee, Ancient Nutrition was co-founded by Dr. Josh Axe, a doctor of natural medicine, and Jordan Rubin, a health and nutrition author. The company claims to combine ancient techniques with modern nutrition science to create easily accessible superfood supplements. It also has a focus on promoting regenerative agriculture.
The brand started producing bone broth protein and collagen, then expanded to offer a variety of products including greens powders, vitamins, adaptogenic herbs, and more. Its Organic SuperGreens contains 30 calories and 4g of total carbohydrates per serving plus 2 billion CFU of probiotics.
Ancient Nutrition Pros
- Relatively low cost
- Includes more than 25 superfoods
- No unnecessary fillers or additives
- Five flavor options
- Uses monk fruit extract as a sweetener
- Contains 2 billion CFUs of probiotics for digestive support
Ancient Nutrition Cons
- Very strong greens taste
- Doesn't fully dissolve in water
- Probiotic content is on the low side
- No vitamins or minerals listed
- Doesn't include a full month's supply of servings in a container
- Customers often complain that containers arrive less than half-full
- Free shipping is only available for subscribers or purchases of more than $49
- The watermelon flavor uses stevia extract as a sweetener
Ancient Nutrition Purported Benefits
Ancient Nutrition claims to provide several health benefits, primarily focusing on helping you “digest, detox, and stay energized.” Let’s examine those claims and see how it backs them up.

Benefit #1: Gut Health
One ingredient I'm happy to see in Ancient Nutrition is Bacillus coagulans, a uniquely resilient probiotic that’s shown to support constipation relief and may help with symptoms of digestive discomfort. However, it only contains 2 billion CFU of probiotics, on the low side if you want significant digestive support (I typically recommend 5-10 billion CFU).
Benefit #2: Detox
The word "detox" in the context of health supplements is usually a red flag for misleading health claims. "Detoxification" is often touted as a way to remove toxins from the body and restore it to its natural state. Currently, no strong evidence proves supplements detoxify the body, as this process happens naturally via the liver and kidneys.
Studies have shown that some foods help balance metabolic pathways that aid the liver with its natural detoxification process. These include cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and kale, which are part of Ancient Nutrition's greens blend. However, these would need to be present in high amounts to significantly impact liver function.
Benefit #3: Energy
One benefit Ancient Nutrition touts is support for healthy energy levels. I’d expect to see certain vitamins and minerals for energy in the formula, such as B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and zinc. However, there are zero vitamins or minerals listed on the packaging.
The claim could be based on the various fruit and vegetable ingredients known to contain these nutrients, or from its inclusion of organic matcha powder, which has some caffeine content. However, it's unclear how much of any particular ingredient is in each serving.
Ancient Nutrition Ingredient Breakdown
Ancient Nutrition attempts to highlight potential benefits by breaking down its ingredients by blend.

Greens, Veggie and Fruit Blend
The Ancient Nutrition greens blend contains various ingredients known for their nutritional value:
- Organic carrot root and organic beet root, shown to support liver health, performance, and digestion
- Organic spirulina and organic chlorella, packed with vital nutrients and chlorophyll, which is why they're also used in Live it Up
- Antioxidant-filled berries, such as organic acai berry, organic elderberry, organic wild blueberry, organic goji berry, and organic pomegranate fruit
- Other antioxidant-rich greens, including organic broccoli stalk, organic spinach leaf, and organic kale leaf
- Real grass juices, such as organic alfalfa grass juice and organic oat grass juice
With all of these great ingredients, I'd expect to see just as many vitamins and minerals listed. Their absence makes it hard to evaluate the real nutritional value of this greens powder.
Digestive Health Blend: Clinically Studied Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes
I already mentioned the relatively low dose of probiotics, but Ancient Nutrition's digestive health blend also includes organic flax seed, apple fiber, organic chia seed, and various digestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes help the body break down food, while dietary fiber can help with constipation and other gut-related symptoms.
However, daily fiber recommendations are between 21 and 38 grams depending on your age, and fiber is only a small part of Ancient Nutrition's 2.8-gram digestive health blend.
Fermented Botanical and Mushroom Blend
Ancient Nutrition includes roots and fungi used in traditional medicine, such as:
- Organic ashwagandha root
- Organic reishi mycelium
- Organic turmeric root
- Organic cordyceps mycelium
- Organic astragalus root extract
- Organic ginger root
- Organic milk thistle seed
However, the blend only makes up 350 mg per serving, so the ingredients are massively underdosed and unlikely to provide benefits in small amounts. For example, ashwagandha is shown to help with sleep and stress, but effective doses tend to be between 300 and 600 mg or more.
It's also questionable whether or not some of these ingredients even have positive health effects. For example, more research is needed on Reishi mushroom to determine if it truly offers immune support and other purported benefits.
Luo Han Guo Extract
Listed under other ingredients, this is simply monk fruit extract by another name. I’m happy to see it here, because it’s the same natural sweetener used by Live it Up. Aside from being a no-calorie, zero-sugar sweetener, monk fruit has antioxidant properties and doesn’t have any weird aftertaste like stevia.
Ancient Nutrition Quality and Safety
Ancient Nutrition Organic SuperGreens is vegan, keto, and paleo-friendly. It’s gluten-free and free from dairy, nuts, soy, and BPAs. However, it's produced on equipment that processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, soybean, wheat, sesame, shellfish, fish, and egg, so it may not be safe for allergen-sensitive individuals.
The brand mentions that its products are made in the USA in GMP-certified facilities. Ancient Nutrition SuperGreens is certified organic and non-GMO and third-party tested for heavy metals.
Ancient Nutrition Cost Analysis
Ancient Nutrition Organic SuperGreens is available in multiple sizes. No matter which of these sizes you choose, it's worth noting that you won't get a full month's supply of the product.
- A one-time purchase of a 25-serving tub costs $44.95 ($1.80 per serving).
- A smaller 12-serving tub costs $24.95 ($2.08 per serving)
- A 16-serving package of Stick Packs costs $34.95 ($2.18 per serving).
Shipping adds $6.95 to the total cost of your order for a one-time purchase, although shipping is free on orders over $49. Another factor is the subscription option, which includes free shipping and a 15% discount. This brings a 25-serving tub to $38.21 ($1.53 per serving). I was pleased to see returns and exchanges are free for 30 days after purchase.
Ancient Nutrition's pricing is better than that of some competitors in the traditional greens powder market. However, even with subscription savings, it doesn't offer the same value as Live it Up Super Greens, which costs just $1.33 per serving, always has free shipping, and includes a full month’s supply of 30 servings per container.
Ancient Nutrition Taste Review
Ancient Nutrition Organic SuperGreens comes in five flavors: greens flavor, mint, watermelon, berry, and mango.
I tried the original flavor, which has a strong grassy flavor I couldn’t see many people loving. Blended in water, it had a slightly gritty texture. I recommend mixing it in a smoothie instead, especially if you want to avoid the flavor of the greens. For a greens powder with a smoother texture that tastes better on its own, I recommend Live it Up Super Greens, which has a lightly sweet and refreshing flavor and dissolves easily in water.
Customers who rated Ancient Nutrition well have mixed opinions on the taste and texture:
"It tastes like greens. If you are not into tasting greens, this is not for you," said one verified reviewer.
"This might be the most flavor-potent greens blend I've tried. I put this in my morning smoothie, which includes a banana, chocolate protein powder, and cashew milk. The greens taste overpowers everything and makes it almost undrinkable," described an Amazon reviewer.
The new fruity flavors seem to have more positive responses from customers, such as Linda H. on Ancient Nutrition’s website. “I love the mango-flavored supergreens & will definitely be ordering more.”
Taste is always subjective, so read a number of reviews and make sure the brand you order from has a generous return policy in case you don’t like the flavor.
Why I Recommend Live it Up Super Greens

At first glance, Ancient Nutrition looks like a great greens powder. Upon closer inspection, however, it falters with a lack of transparency about nutrients, low doses of probiotics and other key ingredients, and questionable claims about detoxification and energy support.
While every client has unique health concerns and goals, Live it Up Super Greens is my most recommended greens supplement because it does better in all these areas.
Live it Up clearly lists vitamins and nutrients in each serving and has a comprehensive formula to help fill nutritional gaps. Its strong blend of probiotics, fiber, and digestive enzymes offers more reliable gut health support than Ancient Nutrition. To top it off, it also tastes great and blends well, making it easy for you to incorporate into your everyday diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about Ancient Nutrition and greens powders through our FAQs below.
What happens when you start taking super greens?
When you start taking a greens powder supplement, the effects you experience as your body adapts will depend on the formula. Live it Up Super Greens, for example, contains probiotics and digestive enzymes that may positively impact your gut health. Certain nutrient content may support immune function, energy levels, and sleep quality.
Common side effects of greens powders may include mild digestive upset, interactions with medications you're taking, and allergic reactions. Talk to your dietitian or doctor about what supplements are right for you.
Is there caffeine in Ancient Nutrition Super Greens?
No, there is no caffeine listed in the normal Ancient Nutrition Organic SuperGreens formula, although it does contain a small amount of organic matcha powder. However, Ancient Nutrition does produce a version called Organic Super Greens Energizer, which contains ingredients that may contain naturally occurring caffeine. These include fermented green tea leaf, fermented yerba mate leaf, and fermented black tea leaf.
Is it better to take greens in the morning or at night?
Most greens supplement producers recommend taking greens in the morning. Live it Up recommends drinking greens before breakfast, as this aids the body in absorbing nutrients and helps maximize the possible benefits of drinking greens.
However, consistency is more important than timing. If it's easier for you to consume your greens at a different time of day, Live it Up simply recommends sticking with your routine.
Do super greens help you lose weight?
Super greens do not directly help you lose weight, but they can be part of your overall weight loss plan. Greens powders like Live it Up Super Greens have fiber content and vital nutrients that help maintain a healthy metabolism and curb cravings. Digestive support from enzymes and probiotics can help break down food and control bloating, which is also a critical part of metabolizing nutrients.
These effects can work in tandem with your other weight management efforts, but greens powders are not a weight loss supplement.
Is Ancient Nutrition FDA-approved?
No, Ancient Nutrition products are not Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any illnesses. Dietary supplements such as Ancient Nutrition Organic SuperGreens are not evaluated before going on the market, and the FDA does not have the authority to approve the safety or effectiveness of any dietary supplement. However, Ancent Nutrition products are produced in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified facilities that help ensure safety and quality.
References
- https://ancientnutrition.com/products/organic-super-greens-25-servings?variant=39317308702790
- https://ancientnutrition.com/pages/about-us
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinatroitino/2018/03/10/ancient-nutrition-raises-103-million-from-100-investors-to-heat-the-bone-broth-market/
- https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/1185.html
- https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/nutrition-misinformation-how-to-identify-fraud-and-misleading-claims-9-350/
- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/detoxes-and-cleanses-what-you-need-to-know
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4488002/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/22650-acidophilus
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7019700/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/reishi-mushroom-benefits
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Ashwagandha-HealthProfessional/
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/digestive-enzymes-and-digestive-enzyme-supplements
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/alfalfa
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/antioxidants
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