The Lowdown:
- Best for convenience: Grüns
- Best for athletes: AG1
- Best for comprehensive nutrition: Live it Up Super Greens
I’m always searching for ways to boost nutritional intake for my clients. Often, that means turning to a supergreens powder. These dietary supplements have exploded on the market, and for good reason. Packed with leafy greens, vitamins, minerals, and more, they offer the missing nutrients your body needs to be healthy and thriving.
But, with so many greens powders to choose from, it can be hard to know which is best for you, especially since many are formulated with specific benefits in mind. To help you navigate the world of greens supplements, I tested three popular options: Grüns Gummies, Athletic Greens (AG1), and Live it Up Super Greens.
And after reviewing each product’s ingredient list and testing them out, I determined that Live it Up Super Greens is the best all-around greens supplement.
Grüns vs. AG1 vs. Live it Up Super Greens at a Glance
100% all natural | |||
Organic ingredients | |||
Wide variety of ingredients | |||
Probiotics | |||
Digestive enzymes | |||
Manufactured in the USA | |||
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) registered facilities | |||
Third-party tested | |||
Sugar-free | |||
Gluten-free | |||
No stevia | |||
Caffeine free | |||
Non GMO | |||
Nut free | |||
Free shipping without any limitations or spend limit | |||
Money-back guarantee | |||
Cost per serving (for the subscription) | $2.14 | $2.64 | $1.33 |
Grüns Superfoods Greens Gummies Overview
Grüns Superfoods Greens Gummies are packed with 60 superfood ingredients to support your body’s overall health. Featuring whole fruits and veggies, vitamins and minerals, adaptogens, herbs, antioxidants, and prebiotics, Grüns packs a major nutritional punch.
According to Grüns, clinical studies found their proprietary blend to support immunity, a healthy gut, cognitive function, and overall wellness. With a 4.9 -star rating, this vegan superfoods option is great for people who don’t like the taste of greens powders but want the nutritional benefits.
What Is Grüns?
Grüns strives to make essential nutrition accessible and enjoyable for everyone. The company got its start after trying one too many unsatisfactory health foods. With a mission to make nutrition “convenient and delicious,” it aims to fill a gap in a marketplace overflowing with supplement powders. The brand has taken off on Tiktok and is gaining popularity for its unique gummies.
Pros of Grüns
- Contains 60 superfood ingredients
- Incorporates whole fruits and veggies, herbs, prebiotics, adaptogens, functional mushrooms, and antioxidants
- Provides 20+ vitamins and minerals
- Plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free
- Portable, mess-free, and easy to pack for travel
Cons of Grüns
- Includes added sugars or natural sweeteners for flavor
- Expensive to use regularly, even with a subscription
- No probiotics or digestive enzymes
- Contains inulin
Price: $79.99 for one-time purchase; save 40% with a subscription.
Bottom line: Grüns Superfoods Greens Gummies are a great option if you need supreme convenience in a nutrition supplement. However, the price tag, lack of gut health support, and eight gummies per serving make this an unsustainable option for many.
AG1 Overview
AG1 is one of the biggest names in the nutritional space because of its celebrity following. Also known as Athletic Greens, this greens powder contains a proprietary blend of more than 75 ingredients, including greens and other superfoods, probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, stress adaptogens, and digestive enzymes.
The product is also gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, added sugar-free, and nut-free. Additionally, you won’t find any GMOs, herbicides, pesticides, artificial colors, preservatives, or sweeteners.
Athletic Greens claims that their superfood blend supports whole-body health, including brain and nervous system functioning, immunity, metabolic support, and digestion. However, as a dietitian, I want to note that AG1 contains significant amounts of some vitamins and minerals. Generally, most people don’t need these high levels. I recommend consulting with your doctor before trying AG1, because overloading your body with supplements meant for athletes could affect your health.
What Is Athletic Greens?
Athletic Greens was founded in 2010 to empower people to “take ownership of their health.” Through their famous AG1 supergreens formula, the company strives to make comprehensive nutrition easy for everyone. Athletic Greens is committed to using high-quality ingredients and ethical manufacturing practices to ensure that their super greens are good for your body and the environment.
Pros of Athletic Greens
- Offers comprehensive nutrition with 75+ non-GMO ingredients including superfoods, vitamins, minerals, pre and probiotics, adaptogens, and antioxidants
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free
- No added sugars, flavors, preservatives, or fillers
- Includes adaptogens and probiotics
- Third-party tested and NSF certified for sport
Cons of Athletic Greens
- Expensive with one of the highest costs per serving on the market
- Contains trace caffeine and soy
- Better suited to the nutritional needs of athletes, as some vitamins and minerals exceed recommended daily value
- Shipping not included
Price: $99 for one-time purchase; save $20 with subscription.
Athletic Greens also offers travel packs, making it convenient to take your greens on the go! A pack of 30 servings costs $109 ($3.63 per serving). You can also opt into a single or double subscription for $89 ($2.97 per serving) or $169 ($2.82), respectively.
Bottom line: AG1 offers a strong blend for digestive health and immunity. It has one of the most comprehensive ingredient lists on the market, which makes me question if each superfood has anywhere near an effective dose. More importantly, the high quantities of vitamins and minerals are likely better suited to professional athletes or those with large nutritional deficits. If you don’t mind the grassy taste and expensive price tag, I think AG1 offers an excellent greens powder.
Live it Up Super Greens Overview
Live it Up Super Greens combines more than 20 natural superfoods, organic vegetables, digestive enzymes, and 5 million CFU of probiotics to support overall wellness. This proprietary supergreens blend relies on ingredients like spirulina, chlorella, whole-leaf barley grass, moringa, kale, and spinach for your daily nutritional boost, while targeting three key areas of your health: digestion, immunity, and energy levels.
With its signature refreshing taste and smooth consistency, Live it Up Super Greens is also free of artificial sweeteners, fillers, and preservatives. Available in the Original flavor (slightly minty) or Wild Berries flavor, Live it Up makes an excellent super greens product that easily blends into water, juices, smoothies, and more.
What Is Live it Up?
Haim Nigri founded Live it Up in 2021 to create a product that makes nutrition accessible to all. Pulling from his Brazilian roots and passion for nature and nutrition, Nigri’s mission has expanded into a company that offers a range of superfood powders to support overall wellness. All products are third-party tested and produced in GMP-certified facilities in the United States.
Pros of Live it Up
- Includes 20+ superfoods, organic vegetables, probiotics, and digestive enzymes
- Free of artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, and added sugars
- Free of gluten, dairy, caffeine, stevia, and nuts
- Certified vegan and non-GMO
- Manufactured in a GMP-certified facility and third-party tested
- Comes with a 30-day refund policy and free delivery
- Naturally sweetened with monk fruit for a pleasant taste
Cons of Live it Up
- Exclusively sold on the Live it Up website
- The fine powder can be a bit messy
Price: $59.99 for one-time purchase; save $20 with subscription making the pouch $39.99
Bottom line: Live it Up Super Greens includes a blend of superfoods, antioxidants, vitamins, pro and prebiotics, and minerals to target your overall health. It’s a vegan- and allergen-friendly blend that can help you bridge nutritional gaps. Though the formula is sold online exclusively, it offers one of the best values and tastes on the market.
Potential Health Benefits of Greens Supplements
All three supergreens products claim to boast a range of health benefits. This section explores the potential benefits of Grüns, AG1, and Live it Up Super Greens.
1. Boost Nutrient Intake
Grüns: With 20 essential vitamins and minerals, this gummy supplement includes much of the total recommended daily intake of numerous micronutrients. For instance, you get 93 mg of vitamin C (103% of daily value), 20 mcg of vitamin D3, and 1.3 mg of vitamin B2. Grüns Superfoods Greens Gummies also include essential minerals, although they only supply 25% of the recommended daily intake.
AG1: This popular greens blend contains 75 nutrient-dense ingredients, though it’s up for debate whether this high ingredient count equates to an effective dose. Given that AG1’s supergreens contain extremely high amounts of added synthetic vitamins—such as 467% of vitamin C, 553% of vitamin E, 917% of B12, and 1100% of biotin—this formula is not suitable for most people. If you’re taking medications, it is best to consult with your doctor. Additionally, AG1 doesn’t include some essential nutrients like vitamin D and iron in their ingredient list.
Live it Up: The company’s flagship product consists of 20+ whole foods, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Unlike competing products, which rely on synthetic vitamins for it’s nutritional value, this Super Greens relies on natural vitamins derived from leafy greens and organic vegetables. In one serving of Live it Up Super Greens, you get more than 20% of your daily value of vitamins A, C, B1, B2, niacin, B6, folate, and B12, making it easy to incorporate Live it Up into your daily diet.
2. Regulate Gut Health
Grüns: With no probiotics or digestive enzymes listed among their ingredients, the Grüns Superfoods Greens Gummies do not offer the potential gut health benefits of other formulas. However, these gummies do contain super mushrooms, which are linked to a healthy gut.
AG1’s supergreens contains digestive enzymes and a mushroom complex to support your gut. Additionally, this greens powder boasts 7.2 billion CFU of dairy-free probiotics, which are essential for supporting gut health. A study published on the company’s website reports that the probiotic blend in AG1 contributed to a 3.7x increase of healthy gut bacteria among participants.
Live it Up: Like AG1, Live it Up Super Greens contains a unique blend of 5 billion CFU of probiotics to support gut health. What’s more, the product contains 74 mg of plant-derived digestive enzymes (including papain, bromelain, and vegetarian pepsin). This digestive enzymes blend helps break down proteins so that they’re more easily digested.
3. Support Immunity
Grüns: Packed with 20+ vitamins and minerals, Grüns claims that immune support is one of the key benefits of their gummies. The website states that 75% of clinical study participants showed a 75% reduction of free radicals, microscopic particles linked to poor immunity and stress. Some of the best immune-supporting vitamins and minerals are found in Grüns Gummies—vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D3, biotin, folate, copper, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc, and iron.
AG1: According to the company’s website, AG1 offers 4.4x more minerals than your standard multivitamin. While many of these minerals and vitamins are linked to immune support—folate, magnesium, biotin, B-complex vitamins, and zinc—it’s questionable whether the powder’s excessive amounts of these ingredients further aid the body’s immune functioning than recommended amounts.
Live it Up: Many of the ingredients found in the formula are linked to a strong and healthy immune system, such as ginger, kale, and spirulina. From antioxidants, which can help the body protect itself from free radicals, to micronutrients like vitamins A, B6, C, zinc, and selenium, this supergreens formula is packed with the ingredients that may help support immune function.
3. Aid Energy
Grüns Gummies include energy-supporting vitamins like vitamin D and B12, both of which are essential for energy production. Also found in the mix is a blend of whole foods like organic alfalfa, apples, leafy greens, lemons, strawberries, and pomegranates that may regulate fatigue and focus.
AG1’s popular greens powder is filled with fruits and veggies that may aid energy levels—spirulina, apple, alfalfa, broccoli leaf, spinach, and kelp. The greens powder contains all six of the energy-generating B vitamins. However, be mindful of the high B vitamin levels found in the product—overdoing it on vitamins B6 and B12 may cause short term problems like neuropathy or acne.
It’s important to know that this product also contains trace amounts of caffeine due to the green tea listed in AG1’s ingredients. Though this may cause an energy spike for some, you may experience a minor caffeine effect even with this low level.
Live it Up uses iron, magnesium B12, and leafy greens to help support energy levels. Since the supergreens powder doesn’t contain caffeine, you won’t experience a caffeine slump. To support your energy even more, Live it Up Super Greens contains a blend of superfoods like blue-green algae, kale, barley grass, and moringa—all of which are foods rich in vitamins B and D.
Formula Breakdown
Below, we’ll take a closer look at the unique formulas for Grüns, AG1, and Live it Up Super Greens so you know what you’re getting in every sip (or bite).
Organic Superfoods
The “Core Nutrients Blend” found in Grüns Gummies use mostly organic fruits and veggies. You’ll also find non-organic ingredients Tapioca Fiber (FiberSMART), shiitake mushrooms, cranberry, goji, and pomegranete. Exact ingredient levels are not disclosed on the nutrition label or website, though the gummies are non-GMO..
AG1: Containing more than 75 superfood ingredients like spirulina, spinach, barley, carrot, apple, beet root, and rose hip, AG1 offers a mostly organic blend. The website states that the product is not certified organic, although they do say that all ingredients are non-GMO. Unfortunately, they do not disclose the amounts contained of each superfood.
Live it Up relies on 20+ superfoods and organic vegetables for a nutritional boost, such as moringa, ginger, nopal cactus, broccoli, parsley, and more. Ingredients are carefully sourced to ensure the product’s high quality. Live it Up Super Greens is also non-GMO, contains no fillers, and doesn’t have any preservatives.
Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes
Grüns Gummies don’t contain any probiotics or digestive enzymes, which are critical if you want support for digestive health in your greens powder.
AG1’s greens powder contains 7.2 billion CFU of the probiotics Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Additionally, you’ll find a blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics, which help feed probiotics and help them naturally grow in your gut.
Live it Up powder contains 5 billion CFU of multiple strains of dairy-free probiotics to support you gut. Like AG1, you’ll also find prebiotics and digestive enzymes which can aid in nutrient absorption and healthy digestion.
Manufacturing Quality and Safety
Grüns: These gummies are manufactured in the United States at NSF, GMP, and FDA certified facilities. Additionally, all products are third-party tested for heavy metals and other contaminants.
AG1 is the only product on this list that’s NSF Certified for Sport, AG1 meets numerous third-party testing certifications. All batches are tested for heavy metals, allergens, banned substances, and toxins. AG1 is manufactured in a TGA and GMP-certified facility in New Zealand.
Live it Up: Manufactured in a GMP-certified facility the U.S., this supergreens powder is third-party tested for quality assurance. Rigorous testing is done to ensure the product is free of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, contaminants, and other impurities.
Sweeteners
Grüns is available in two flavor options—low sugar and sugar-free. The sugar-free option relies on onosweet and allulose to naturally flavor the gummies. Even though the low sugar gummies only contain 8 g of cane sugar, many reviewers mention that the gummies are overly sweet.
AG1 is lightly sweetened with stevia. Aside from this ingredient, there are no added sugars.
Live it Up’s flagship supergreens powder is free of stevia and processed sugars like cane sugar. Instead, the product uses monk fruit for a mellow sweetness. Also of note, you won’t find any artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, fillers, or preservatives in the product.
Allergens
Grüns Gummies are plant-based and vegan. Additionally, they don’t contain gluten, dairy, or nuts, making them allergy-friendly.
AG1: Though AG1’s blend contains soy, it’s free of GMOs, gluten, dairy and lactose, eggs, and peanuts. The formula is also vegan-friendly.
Live it Up Super Greens is free of GMOs and common allergens like gluten, dairy, lactose, eggs, and nuts. The 100% vegan formula is also safe for a range of diets.
Taste Review
As a registered dietitian, I understand that taste and texture is a major factor for most of my clients. Here, we’ll dig deeper into the tastes, textures, and experiences of other reviewers and myself.
Overall Taste Satisfaction
Grüns: Overall, Grüns Superfoods Greens Gummies are highly rated for taste. Though I tried the no sugar option and felt it was still too sweet, many are satisfied with the proprietary strawberry flavor.
One reviewer said, “I love the taste (I do the sugar-free) and the ingredients are well sourced and clean.”
However, a significant number of reviewers have complained about the flavor being too strong, unpleasant, or sweet. Another reviewer mentioned the product’s bad aftertaste as well.
AG1: The website describes the taste of their greens blend as “subtly sweet with the essence of pineapple core and vanilla bean.” Many reviewers like the taste of AG1, finding it to be refreshing and tasty. If you’re sensitive to sweetness though, this stevia product may not be the greens powder for you.
One reviewer said, “The taste is a bit sweeter then expected but I really like it with a bit of lemon juice.”
Live it Up: Out of all the supergreens I tried for this article, Super Greens was my favorite taste-wise. The company offers two flavor options—original (lightly minty flavor) and Mixed Berries (lightly tart). Neither are overly sweet and hit the right balance of flavor.
One reviewer said, “The taste is great, not bitter/grassy like other greens, and the peppermint is not too strong.”
Texture & Convenience
Grüns: These small gummies are highly rated for convenience, especially because they come in preportioned packets. However, the texture is actually too gummy and sticky for some people.
Overall, AG1 reviewers say that the powder has a fine texture. Personally, I found it to be a bit grainy, and some users report that it doesn’t dissolve fully in water. The travel packets make it convenient to take this powder on-the-go, but still know you’ll need a glass and spoon for stirring.
Live it Up lacks the gritty, grainy texture of other greens powders. Though some users report needing to shake the formula to ensure it is fully dissolved. Like AG1, this product requires a water bottle or cup and spoon for stirring.
Cost Comparison
Here is the price analysis for Grüns Gummies, AG1, and Live it Up Super Greens:
- Grüns: A one-time purchase costs $87.99 ($3.14 per serving).
- AG1: A one-time purchase costs $99 for 30 servings, coming out to $3.30 per serving.
- Live it Up: Super Greens is by far the most affordable of the three products. A pouch costs $59.99 for 30 servings ($1.99 per serving).
Loyalty Perks
Grüns: The company’s subscription model saves customers $20 on each order. Additionally, Grüns offers a double subscription option for couples or households with two people. For $109.99 every four weeks, you save $50 per order.
AG1: Like with Grüns, AG1 helps customers save on each order with subscription options. A single subscription saves you $20 per order ($79 for 30 servings, or $2.64 per serving). For $149 for 60 servings ($2.49 per serving) a double subscription saves $40 per order. Finally, a family subscription provides enough daily scoops for 3 people for $233.50 for 90 servings (2.49 per serving).
First-time subscribers receive a free welcome kit gift with their order—a canister and metal scoop, shaker, and 5 travel packets of the supergreens blend. Double and family subscriptions will also receive extra shakers, and a bottle of Vitamin D3 and K2 supplements.
Live it Up: By subscribing for a monthly delivery, you can save 33% on your Super Greens powder. This discount lowers the cost to $39.99 ($1.33 per serving). For 60 servings, a double subscription saves $50 per order ($1.16 per serving).
Shipping
Grüns: Shipping is free for all orders.
AG1: Even with a subscription, you will be charged for shipping.
Live it Up: Shipping is free for all orders.
Return Policies
Grüns: You can return any unopened gummy packets within 30 days of receiving your order. Grüns has a no questions asked policy. However, know that a $5 shipping fee will be deducted from your refund.
AG1: You can request a refund within 90 days of receiving your first order. However, AG1 does not accept returns after your first order. Also, know that the shipping cost will not be refunded.
Live it Up: The company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all orders, so it’s risk-free to try.
Why Choose Live it Up Super Greens
All three greens supplements–Grüns, AG1, and Live it Up–offer excellent blends of essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. When all is said and done, Live it Up Super Greens stood out to me for affordability, high-quality ingredients, and an exceptional taste.
The Grüns Supergreen Gummies are amazing for on-the-go nutrition or anyone who prefers their greens on the sweeter side. Though I appreciated the convenient packaging, the overly sweet and artificial taste and lack of digestive support didn’t make this product worth it for me.
Despite AG1’s impressive ingredients list, the blend has some drawbacks. This is mainly because the excessive levels of vitamins and minerals aren’t necessary for most people eating a regular, well-rounded diet. Additionally, the high price tag of both Grüns and AG1 makes these products inaccessible to many.
Out of the three tested products, I recommend Live it Up Super Greens. This powder offers a unique blend of organic vegetables, antioxidants, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and more. Even with the high quality of their ingredients and excellent manufacturing practices, Super Greens is one of the most reasonably priced on the market. I highly recommend taking the time to give this greens powder a go if you want a formula that offers comprehensive nutrition and an affordable price.
FAQs
You have questions, we have answers. Here are some commonly asked questions regarding Grüns, AG1, and Live it Up.
Which is better, AG1 or Live it Up?
As a dietitian, I recommend Live it Up Super Greens over AG1 because it offers a balanced blend of essential vitamins, nutrients, probiotics, antioxidants, and superfoods. AG1 contains excessive levels of vitamins that are better designed for those with extreme nutritional gaps and may be unnecessary for an average person’s well-being. And though both products feature a variety of potent greens and ingredients to support gut health, Live it Up costs $1 less per serving than AG1.
Does Grüns replace multivitamins?
Grüns Supergreen Gummies could replace your multivitamins because one serving provides between 25-100% of Recommended Daily Values of most vitamins, minerals, and nutrients many people need to support overall health. However, these green gummies have 50 calories and 15 grams of added sugar in a single "snack pack," compared to almost none in a multivitamin and 25 calories with no added sugar in Live it Up Super Greens.
Is Live it Up worth it?
Through everyone’s individual health needs are different, I absolutely recommend Live it Up Super Greens to my nutrition clients. This greens blend derives its potential benefits from all-natural, non-GMO ingredients with no synthetic additives, fillers, or artificial colors and sweeteners. Despite the high quality of the product, it is one of the most affordable on the market, costing only $1.33 per serving with a subscription.
Does Live it Up help with bloating?
Live it Up Super Greens may help with bloating discomfort and offer digestive benefits because of its unique blend of probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, anti-inflammatory superfoods, and digestive enzymes. Bloating is often caused by sluggish digestion, excess gas, and inflammation. Super Greens’ unique greens blend is designed to help with inflammatory responses, the breakdown of food, the absorption of nutrients, and regulating the microbiome. These effects can support your body’s bloating response.
What is the best alternative to AG1?
While there are many green supplement options on the market, in my expert opinion, Live it Up Super Greens is the best AG1 alternative. Like AG1, it provides essential nutrients in a single, soluble scoop. You’ll find some overlap in the ingredient lists of both products, but, Live it Up is 100% all-natural and also includes vitamin D, zinc, and three digestive enzymes to support your body.
References
- https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/you-probably-dont-need-green-ag1-smoothie
- https://drinkag1.com/2023-impact-report
- https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamins/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/nutrientrecommendations.aspx
- https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/7-health-benefits-of-mushrooms
- https://drinkag1.com/learn/research/scientific-research
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28914794/
- https://Grüns.co/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ImmuneFunction-Consumer/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8227682/
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/age-defying-energy-levels
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332218342987
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7764703/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519490/
- https://www.hss.edu/article_eating-for-energy.asp
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21740-bloated-stomach
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