If you’re here, you already know that daily fruits and vegetables are vital to maintaining a healthy diet. But with a busy lifestyle, that’s not always possible. Many health gurus suggest greens powders are the answer, but are they really worth the price?
As a registered dietitian, I would say, “Yes, they absolutely can be if you choose the right one!” In this article, I’ll lay out the facts about greens powders so you can choose the best product for your individual needs. Read on to learn about their health benefits, essential ingredients to look for, and a cost analysis of the top brands.
The Bottom Line
- What are greens powders? Greens powders are scoopable, powdered superfoods, fruits, and vegetables that you can mix into a morning beverage to help meet your daily vegetable intake and gain potential health benefits.
- How much do greens powders cost? Greens powders cost anywhere from $20 to $90 per 30-day supply, often depending on ingredient quality and quantity.
- Are they worth the price? It’s often cheaper to buy greens powders rather than buying their ingredients separately. Plus, greens powders provide nutrients and superfoods we normally wouldn’t be getting from our diet.
- What are the benefits? Greens powders have many purported benefits, including supporting energy, aiding digestive health, and helping maintain a healthy immune system.
- What is really in them? Every brand varies, but most greens powders contain superfoods like kale and spirulina, plus probiotics and digestive enzymes.
- Which greens powder is the best? Live it Up Super Greens is our top pick for a high-quality, good-value greens powder.
What Are Greens Powders?
Green powders are nutrient-dense dietary supplements often containing superfoods like:
- Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and parsley
- Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, and moringa
- Edible grasses in the form of oat grass, barley grass, or wheatgrass
- Algae like spirulina and chlorella
- Adaptogenic herbs like astragalus, mushrooms, and ashwagandha
- Fruits like strawberries, acai berries, and goji berries
- Dairy-free probiotics
- Digestive enzymes
These greens powders have become a staple of healthy lifestyles over the last decade, claiming various benefits, such as supporting digestive wellness, immunity, and daily energy.
What to look for: When choosing a greens powder, it's critical to look for one that contains high-quality, third-party-tested ingredients to support your wellness goals. Green supplements with between 20 and 30 ingredients may have more effective dosing than those packed with 50 or more.
What to avoid: Consider avoiding green powder supplements containing fillers, artificial ingredients, or additives such as sugars and sweeteners.
| Pros of Greens Powder | Cons of Greens Powder |
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Are Green Powders Worth It?
In our expert opinion, yes! But when it comes to deciding what’s best for your health, start by considering your current lifestyle and health goals. If you struggle to meet your daily fruit and vegetable intake or want to support overall health, the best greens powders could be beneficial to your health goals. They are a simple way to increase your vegetable and fruit intake, and when considering the potential long-term benefits of properly sourced ingredients, some are well worth the cost.
For example, Live it Up Super Greens may help aid your body’s natural defenses, contribute to energy balance, and support optimal gut health with its well-rounded variety of superfoods, probiotics, and micronutrients naturally derived from its whole plant foods. Plus, it tastes great, has only 25 calories per serving, is made with organic vegetables, and has no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
However, not all brands offer the same level of quality and value, so do your research.
When Green Powders Can Be a Waste of Money
As stated earlier, not all greens powders are worth the investment. Here are a few times I tell clients that certain supplements may not be right for them:
- Price per serving is much higher than the actual cost of whole vegetables and fruits
- Contains additives like maltodextrin, silica, artificial sweeteners, or sugar alcohols like erythritol
- The product isn’t third-party tested
- The blend has an overpowering taste or is difficult to dissolve
- It’s difficult to manage subscriptions (you have to call or email them to cancel or pause)
- Powder is mega-dosed in micronutrients that may just be excreted in urine
What Are the Benefits of Green Powders?
Our bodies are complicated machines that require adequate nutrition to maintain overall health. Many greens powders contain essential nutrients that can help support numerous bodily functions and offer a variety of possible benefits.
- Gut Health: Probiotics, digestive enzymes, and fiber are ingredients found in many high-quality greens powders that may support optimum gut health. Probiotics may help regularity and immune response by balancing your gut flora.
- Balanced Energy Levels: Greens powders may also help maintain your energy levels in many ways. For instance, leafy greens like spinach and kale, often found in these powders, may provide iron, which is essential for energy production. A daily boost of superfoods also has antioxidant properties, which aid proper physiological function. Additionally, avoid both caffeine and added sugars that can spike energy but lead to crashes. Instead, opt for products like Live it Up Super Greens, which are made from all-natural ingredients like spirulina and chlorella, alongside micronutrients like iron, riboflavin, and folate that your body needs to stay strong all day.
- Immune Health: When your body is getting what it needs nutritionally, it can function at its best. The right superfood ingredients can provide the body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that you may not be getting in your day-to-day diet.
- Weight Management: Though low in calories, the powdered superfoods and fiber in greens powders may help curb appetite that would support a larger weight management journey.
- Inflammation: Inflammation is not just a key component of everyday discomfort; it's also linked to other health conditions. Greens powders usually contain ingredients like ginger, burdock root, and moringa, which are known to support the body’s inflammatory response.
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Hair, Skin, and Nails: Some vegetable powder mixes contain nutrients that may support skin, hair, and nail health. A healthy dose of free radical-fighting ingredients like spirulina and horsetail may have a positive impact on your complexion, nail strength, and hair shine. The right green supplement will also include certain vitamins known to support hair and nail health, such as folate, B12, iron, and magnesium.
What Ingredients Are in Green Powders?
While many components may be similar, each green supplement will have different ingredients. The following are some of the top ingredients to look for in greens powders.
Superfoods
Greens powders often contain a variety of superfoods, including chlorella, kale, barley grass, ginger root, leafy greens, wheatgrass, seaweed, and others. Superfoods are high in nutritional value and may lend themselves to numerous purported health benefits.
Live it Up Super Greens is made with organic vegetables and uses non-GMO superfoods, making it a natural and convenient way to get your daily greens in a single scoop.
Enzymes and Probiotics
Digestive enzyme complexes and probiotics are found in the best greens supplements and support digestive health. Enzymes like papain and bromelain can aid in the breakdown and absorption of food and nutrients. Many people find that digestive enzymes can also help with their uncomfortable bloating symptoms. Probiotics are known to foster the growth of good gut bacteria.
Super Greens contains three powerful types of digestive enzymes and 5 billion CFUs of dairy-free probiotics.
Natural Sugar Substitutes
Natural flavor enhancers, such as monk fruit or stevia extract, are found in several powdered greens. While both are better choices than artificial sweeteners, monk fruit has a slight leg up as it has less of an aftertaste and less debate about whether it may negatively affect our gut health.
Super Greens contains no added sugars or artificial sweeteners, and uses monk fruit extract for a subtle sweetness that helps bring out the best of its two flavors: Original mint and Wild Berry.
Vitamins and Minerals
As long as a greens powder uses a variety of nutrient-rich ingredients, it will provide a wealth of micronutrients, such as vitamin C and vitamin K.
Super Greens, for example, is high in vitamins K, B2, B12, A, iodine, chromium, molybdenum, and iron, while also containing at least 14 other micronutrients—all derived from the formula's powdered vegetables. These vitamins and minerals can assist your body in feeling and performing at its best throughout the day.
Not all greens powders contain these nutrients, so be sure to compare brands and find the one with the best nutritional components for your needs.
How Much Do Green Powders Really Cost?
Cost is a valid concern when choosing a nutritional supplement to gauge its sustainability. Using a greens powder daily can certainly add up financially, so choosing the one that best meets your individual needs is imperative. Let's look at some of the choices on the market, compare what they offer, and narrow down the best product for your dollar.
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| 30-day one-time cost | $59.99 | $99 | $39.99 | $26.99 |
| 30-day cost with a subscription | $39.99 | $79 | $32.49 | N/A |
| Cost per serving (with subscription) | $1.33 | $2.63 | $1.04 | N/A |
| Shipping | Free on all orders | $9 | Free for orders above $50 | Free for orders above $60 |
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| GMP certified & third-party tested | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Shopping Tips for Greens Powders
Beyond the pricing of the container, other factors can drive up your overall financial investment. Here are some shopping tips to keep the cost within your budget:
- Evaluate the price-per-serving of one-time orders and subscription discounts to get an apples-to-apples comparison.
- Check the serving size. Paying the same price for 3g vs. 8g a serving makes a difference in the long run. With that in mind, you also want to consider the actual weight of green veggies in the blends compared to other ingredients.
- Study the subscription package to understand if it provides valuable savings.
- Understand the shipping policy for everyday orders and special circumstances. For instance, if you need to return the product, who covers the return shipping cost?
- Find out the money-back guarantee; can you get a refund if you don’t like the taste?
How to Pick the Best Green Powder
If you’ve ever looked into trying greens powders, every company promises that their product will transform your health and your life. Unfortunately, those promises can sometimes be empty. The proof is in the ingredients.
Ask yourself if the product you're considering meets the following criteria:
- Has superfoods and organic vegetables
- Has enough probiotics and digestive enzymes
- Has no added sugars, artificial sweeteners, or additives
- Has ingredients that aid energy production without caffeine
- Is allergen-friendly for any of your dietary restrictions
- Is third-party tested and manufactured in cGMP facilities
- Has a delicious taste
- Comes at a sustainable price for regular use
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to add to your daily health routine, a greens powder can be worth the investment. During your search for the best greens powder, consider trying Live it Up Super Greens to boost your day without hurting your wallet.
Live it Up Super Greens is designed to aid your physical and mental well-being. With 20+ all-natural ingredients, organic vegetables, naturally-derived vitamins and minerals, and plenty of antioxidants, this green powder may support digestion and energy, aid in bloating discomfort, and help immune system health.
The formula is non-chalky, easy to blend, and comes in two flavors subtly sweetened with monk fruit. It’s manufactured in the USA in GMP-certified facilities and thoroughly tested to ensure quality. You won't find any sweeteners, artificial colors, or anything synthetic with Live it Up—just a well-rounded greens powder supplement that checks all the boxes.
FAQs About Super Greens Powders
Here are some frequently asked questions about green supplements.
Do green powders even work?
Having a high-quality, nutritionally complete greens powder in your health arsenal can make a positive difference in your life. Most people who start on greens powders begin to see results in about two weeks of daily use and consistent, full results in one or two months. If you're trying a new greens powder, give yourself ample time to judge its effectiveness. Consumers have reported a broad range of positive results from greens powders.
What are the negatives of greens powders?
While most people don’t have any side effects when taking powdered greens, occasionally, people may experience bloating, digestive upset, or even loose stools. This is often due to added prebiotic fibers or the body adjusting to new probiotics. Usually, minor symptoms reduce after a week or two; however, if symptoms are severe or persist, stop the supplement immediately and call your healthcare provider for further assistance.
What's the best greens powder supplement?
The best greens powder is the one that works for your individual needs, as this will help provide the most potential health benefits. For example, AG1 is good for high-performing athletes whose micronutrient needs are often higher than average. Bloom Greens & Superfoods may be a good choice for those who need a sweeter concentrated source of greens with more flavor options. Live it Up Super Greens is an excellent choice for the average person looking to boost their nutrient intake and support their digestive health.
Are greens powders as good as vegetables?
While it’s always best to consume fresh produce and whole foods as part of a well-balanced diet, greens supplements can help get in more vegetables and fruits. These blends have many of the same nutrients as fruits and vegetables, and sometimes more because of the added herbal extracts, blue-green algae, and grasses.
Can greens powders replace meals?
Greens powders are typically low in calories and protein, so they don't make a suitable meal replacement on their own. If you want to turn your greens powder into a meal, you can create a delicious smoothie by adding milk or juice, nut butter, protein powder, and other additions such as fresh leafy greens and fruit.
Are powdered greens good for you?
Greens powders are an excellent way to help boost your nutrient and antioxidant intake with foods you may not be getting in your normal diet. While green supplements should not replace whole foods in your diet, they can be helpful if you are not able to eat the recommended number of whole fruits and vegetables within your healthy diet.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice or individualized nutrition counseling. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to supplements or medications. Any product or brand mentions are for general information and don’t guarantee results.
References
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/greens-powder-are-there-health-benefits
- https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/digestive-health/how-to-balance-your-gut-flora-to-reduce-symptoms/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamins-for-nails
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/superfoods-for-weight-loss
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9654013/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/spirulina-benefits-skin
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323783
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9028423/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/super-greens
- https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/what-are-adaptogens-and-should-you-be-taking-them
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/horsetail
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