Morning Complete vs. Live it Up Super Greens: Which Greens Powder Should Start Your Day?

Every day it seems, a new celebrity health and wellness product hits the market. One of the most popular greens powders in the space is Morning Complete, created by actor Maggie Q. While there's always a certain allure behind celebrity-started brands, the critical question remains, "Does the science behind the product hold up?"

I got curious to know how this brand matches with my all-time favorite, Live it Up Super Greens. Upon running both the greens powders through an ingredient, taste, and cost test, I can still say Live it Up comes out on top due to its use of organic ingredients, all-natural greens, and affordability. 

Comparison Chart

Best for	Those looking for a fiber supplement with some greens.	Adults seeking to fill nutritional gaps and lead a healthier life.
Cost per serving (with subscription)	$1.66	$1.33
Shipping	Free shipping on orders over $49	Free on all orders
Flavors	Apple Cinnamon Citrus Medley Mixed Berry	Original (minty) Wild Berries (tart)
Health targets	Digestive health Energy Overall health and wellness	Digestive system Energy Immunity
Formula at a glance	8 blends featuring broccoli, spinach, kale, barley grass, and pomegranate Contains green and white tea extracts 10 billion CFUs of probiotics Non-GMO and allergen-friendly Sweetened with stevia and monk fruit extract	20+ concentrated superfoods and organic vegetables, like organic barley grass, moringa, spinach, spirulina, and wheatgrass 5 billion CFU of probiotics Non-GMO and allergen-friendly Sweetened with monk fruit extract No fillers, caffeine, or additives
Nutrients	No disclosed vitamins No disclosed minerals 4g fiber	22 vitamins Minerals 3g fiber

6 Ways Live it Up Surpasses Morning Complete, From a Dietitian

Here are my top reasons for picking Live it Up Super Greens over celeb-backed Morning Complete.

1. Live it Up offers sufficient superfoods

My biggest complaint about Morning Complete is the lack of greens in this greens powder! Over half of the formula is taken up by 4g of fiber, and none of the other ingredient blends add up to even a gram. So while this product includes superfoods commonly found in other greens powders like spinach, kale, and alfalfa leaf, the greens blend alone amounts to just 736 mg, compared to 7g in Live it Up Super Greens.

Similarly, with just 55 mg of adaptogens in Morning Complete, I wonder if there are sufficient quantities to elicit meaningful health benefits. Research on adaptogens consistently highlights the need for specific daily doses to experience their impact on stress.

Though it’s great to have a variety of superfoods in your supplements, quantity matters, and I suspect Morning Complete is just a fiber supplement with a sprinkle of superfoods.

2. Live it Up offers transparent nutrients

Morning Complete doesn't list its micronutrient content, leaving customers in the dark about specific vitamins and minerals that could back up this powder’s health claims.

Live it Up Super Greens stands out for its transparency, as the labeling details the amounts of key vitamins and minerals you receive in each serving, including vitamins A, K, B12, iron, calcium, folate, selenium, and magnesium. The blends are also purposefully dosed, ensuring beneficial amounts of active ingredients are present to back the purported benefits.

3. Live it Up is free from fillers

Morning Complete contains the fillers guar gum and rice hull concentrate, and from a nutritionist's standpoint, this is less than ideal. Guar gum is frequently used as a thickening and stabilizing agent because of its molecular structure, and rice hull is typically an anti-sticking agent for manufacturing.

Although the FDA considers small doses of guar gum to be safe, it does set strict standards on how much can be present in a product. This is because research indicates that moderate to excessive consumption of guar gum has been linked to digestive symptoms like bloating, gas, cramps, and even allergies.

More importantly, when Morning Complete’s formula has such a small amount of greens as it is, I’d prefer to see superfoods in place of these fillers. By contrast, Live it Up is completely free of fillers.

4. Live it Up is a more pocket-friendly supplement

Even with their special ActivatedYou member pricing, one jar of Morning Complete breaks down to $1.66 per serving. This is still more than Live it Up's monthly subscription price of $1.33 per serving.

And let's not overlook the additional shipping costs. ActivatedYou requires a minimum spend of $49 for free shipping, whereas Live it Up offers better long-term value through free shipping on all orders. No extra shipping charges can make it easier to incorporate a greens powder into your daily lifestyle without breaking the bank.

5. Live it Up is made from organic ingredients

Morning Complete has only two organic ingredients, while Live it Up Super Greens is made with over 20 organic vegetables. Organic ingredients are free from pesticides and other harmful chemicals commonly used in traditional farming. This means fewer toxins and unwanted particles are entering your body.

While the macronutrient content of organic and conventional foods is relatively the same, preliminary studies have found the micronutrient composition, such as antioxidant and vitamin concentrations, of organic ingredients to be superior.

Plus, a growing body of research suggests that consumption of organic vegetables may minimize your body's exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

6. Live it Up is caffeine-free

Morning Complete likely contains caffeine from both green tea extract and white tea extract. While there's no specific mention of the amount, for some individuals, even traces of caffeine can lead to undesirable side effects like diarrhea, rapid heart rate, restlessness, and anxiety in sensitive individuals.

Also, after the initial adrenaline boost, caffeine is reputed to cause an energy slump. You can avoid energy fluctuations by opting for Live it Up Super Greens, which includes energy- sustaining ingredients like barley grass, oat grass, spinach, kale, and broccoli that provide a steady stream of complex carbohydrates and nutrients like iron, magnesium, and B vitamins.

Morning Complete Overview

Morning Complete is a daily greens powder manufactured by ActivatedYou, a wellness and supplement company founded by Maggie Q., an actor and health advocate, with insight and guidance from gut-health expert, Dr. Frank Lipman.

Maggie's personal struggles with gut health and nutrition forced her to take matters into her own hands and start her own vitamin and supplement company, ActivatedYou. Aside from Morning Complete, their flagship product, which recently surpassed five million in unit sales, ActivatedYou is also known for Advanced Restorative Probiotic, AdrenaLife, and Active Enzyme.

Morning Complete is a greens powder supplement that features leafy greens, antioxidants, prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber. It aims to support multiple health functions, including gut health, metabolic function, stress response, and energy levels.

Read the full Morning Complete review.

Morning Complete Nutrition Facts

One scoop, a 7.6-gram serving size, of Morning Complete delivers:

• Calories: 15
• Carbs: 5 g
• Dietary fiber: 4 g
• Prebiotics from cinnamon bark and tapioca fiber.

Morning Complete Ingredients

Morning Complete features several proprietary blends within its greens powder. The greatest portion of each 7.3g scoop is the 4g fiber blend.

• Green Superfoods Blend (735 mg): Spinach, broccoli, kale, mulberry leaf extract, barley grass, alfalfa leaf, and berberine HCI (from berberis aristata).
• Metabolic Enhancing Blend (390 mg): Green tea leaf extract, ginger root, white tea leaf extract, turmeric root extract, black pepper, and bitter melon fruit extract.
• Antioxidant Blend (100 mg): Lycium berry, pomegranate fruit extract, and polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) root extract.
• Sugar Balancing Support (100 mg): Fennel seed, pine bark extract, and gymnema sylvestre leaf.
• Adaptogens (55 mg): Astragalus root extract and Rhodiola rosea root extract.
• Cellular Function and Liver Support (30 mg): Aloe vera leaf and milk thistle seed extract.
• Probiotic Blend (10 billion CFU): B. coagulans, L. gasseri, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, B. bifidum, B. longum, and L. casei.

Additional ingredients include citric acid, malic acid, guar gum, rice hull concentrate, luo han guo extract, and stevia (Reb A).

Morning Complete Quality and Safety

Morning Complete is non-GMO, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, artificial-sweetener-free, and lactose-free. It's a great product for lots of dietary conditions. It's also reassuring to know that while their ingredients may be sourced from around the world, the final product is manufactured in the U.S. in facilities registered with the FDA as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

According to the ActivatedYou website, all batches of Morning Complete are third-party tested by independent laboratories for quality and safety.

Live it Up Super Greens Overview

Live it Up is a health supplements brand that offers great-tasting, vegan, non-GMO, and all-natural supplements. The company's three product offerings support a vibrant and healthy lifestyle. Live it Up believes in making it easy and convenient for everyone to get the best from nature. 

Super Greens is Live it Up's most popular product, and for good reason. It's a greens powder made entirely from whole foods and is absolutely free from any additives, fillers, sugar, and artificial sweeteners.

Live it Up Nutrition Facts

Live it Up Super Greens powder's macronutrient profile is listed below:

• Calories: 35
• Carbs: 5 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Dietary fiber: 3 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Probiotics: 5 billion CFUs of dairy-free probiotics (including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Bifidobacterium lactis)
• Micronutrients: Vitamin C, iron, folate, magnesium, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, potassium, zinc

Live it Up Ingredients

Live it Up uses organic vegetables in its all-natural formula. Key ingredients include:

• Nutrient-dense blue-green algae like chlorella and spirulina, which are also loaded with amino acids, protein, and chlorophyll.
• Leafy greens, known for their stellar vitamin and mineral content, like spinach, broccoli, parsley, and kale leaf powder.
• Oat grass, barley grass, and wheatgrass fuel energy and contribute dietary fiber.
• Peppermint leaf, dandelion leaf, and moringa are all recognized for their antioxidant properties and ability to help combat stress.
• Monk fruit extract is used for natural sweetness without any lingering aftertaste

Live it Up Quality and Safety

Transparency, third-party testing, and the use of high-quality organic ingredients without any unwanted additions like sugar, artificial sweeteners, and fillers are the hallmarks of Live it Up Super Greens. The green supplement is also free of nuts, soy, gluten, dairy, and GMOs, so it can fit a variety of diets.

This is precisely why I can recommend this product with my full confidence. Plus, the fact that the greens powder is manufactured in GMP-certified facilities reassures me that the product is made ethically and meets the highest quality and safety standards.

Morning Complete vs. Live it Up Potential Health Benefits

Both brands position themselves as wellness drinks that can support digestive health, energy levels, and stress responses. Here's a quick look at which formula holds up scientifically. 

Morning Complete Purported Benefits

1. Gut Health and Digestion: Morning Complete supports a healthy digestive system by including prebiotics, 4g of fiber, and 10 billion CFUs of probiotics. Ginger root is also traditionally known to support digestive health and bowel movements. These ingredients are known for their strong gut support. However, specific digestive enzymes like protease, amylase, or lactase aren't listed. 
2. Energy: Morning Complete may deliver energy nutrients from spinach, kale, barley grass, and caffeine sources like white and green tea. These ingredients may help ease midday energy slumps. But it’s hard to be confident in this product’s energy support without seeing important nutrients like B12, iron, and zinc.
3. Stress support: It's great to see ingredients like turmeric root extract alongside astragalus root extract, Rhodiola, and lycium berry. But again, both blends are significantly underdosed. Research suggests that at least 400 mg of rhodiola is required to experience stress relief.

Live it Up Purported Benefits

1. Digestive Support: Live it Up contains four strains of probiotics, three digestive enzymes, and dietary fiber. Alfalfa leaf and dandelion root also support digestion by influencing the growth of healthy bacteria and may ease discomfort like bloating, gas, and constipation. Peppermint and ginger may also help with nausea and gut inflammation.
2. Immune System Health: Super Greens contains a potent blend of vegetables carefully selected for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogenic properties. Nettle leaf is a great source of vitamins A and K. Ginger also exhibits significant antioxidant compounds. All of these ingredients work together to support overall health and immunity. 
3. Energy Levels: Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and magnesium are essential for energy production and sustenance. Iron is involved in cellular energy production, while B vitamins are involved in converting compounds into energy. Super Greens provides 35% DV of iron, 4% of magnesium, along with balanced doses of all vitamin Bs.

Taste Comparison

For many, the grassy, greens flavor of most greens powders is a major turn-off. I put both Morning Complete and Live it Up Super Greens powders through a sip test, and here's what I found.

Morning Complete gets points from me for having three flavor options that are completely free from artificial flavors. I tried Citrus Medley, which had an enjoyable flavor, especially when I mixed it with eight or more ounces of iced water. Still, I found the powder difficult to dissolve without a blender or frother.

One Amazon customer noted, "I bought the citrus thinking it might taste best on its own. But mixing it with water it doesn't blend that well, and part of the dose just ends at the bottom of your glass."

Live it Up Super Greens is available in two refreshing flavors, both of which are exclusively sweetened with monk fruit extract. A simple stir will seamlessly blend Super Greens into any drink or consumable of your choice.

Cost Comparison

Morning Complete's pricing strategy differs from most popular greens powders. Instead of offering subscription discounts, they provide a lower price for ActivatedYou members, as well as for those who order three or six jars at once.

Try Live it Up to boost your daily nutrition today!

Get Your Morning Greens with Live it Up

When it comes to Morning Complete, credit is due to Maggie Q. for creating a greens powder formula that understands the link between overall wellness and gut health. However, I have the following concerns:

• Morning Complete contains minimal greens and mostly non-organic ingredients.
• Morning Compete doesn't disclose their micronutrient profile.
• Morning Complete has caffeine and uses two fillers.

I genuinely believe Live it Up Super Greens is the best greens powder to beat. Live it Up uses top-quality organic ingredients, is adequately dosed to deliver the maximum nutritional benefits, and doesn't contain unwanted fillers, caffeine, or additives. What you do get is 7.3 g of robust greens, along with probiotics, digestive enzymes, and fiber—which can support a variety of health goals. The cherry on top is that Live it Up offers more value for money. 

FAQs About Morning Complete vs. Live it Up

Learn more about these two superfood powders with our frequently asked questions below.

Is Morning Complete worth it?

Morning Complete is a third-party tested dietary supplement brand that consists of a unique blend of greens, adaptogens, probiotics, and prebiotics. The vegan formula is free from gluten, soy, dairy, artificial sweeteners, GMO ingredients, and nuts. It offers strong fiber support for digestion but lacks sufficient superfoods.

Additionally, the blend does contain caffeine and fillers, and it doesn’t disclose its complete micronutrient profile. While it's less pricey than brands like AG1 Athletic Greens, Morning Complete is not as affordable as Live it Up or Bloom Greens.

I feel more comfortable recommending Live it Up Super Greens powder to my clients. It's made from organic vegetables, has no fillers, is caffeine-free, and provides a balanced dosage of essential vitamins and minerals.

What are the side effects of Morning Complete?

As with most greens powders, Morning Complete's side effects may include constipation, bloating, gas, or increased stool frequency. These side effects can be further exacerbated by the blend's aloe vera content. If this concerns you, please speak to your physician or a registered nutritionist before purchasing Morning Complete.

Can I drink coffee with Morning Complete?

You may have Morning Complete with a cold brew or another cold beverage, but certainly not a hot coffee or any other hot drink for that matter. ActivatedYou recommends against mixing their greens powder with any hot liquids as it may affect the effectiveness of the probiotics.

References

• https://activatedyou.com/product/morning-complete/
• https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-are-the-benefits-of-drinking-chlorophyll-6-things-to-know.h00-159460056.html
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/peppermint-tea
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34090909/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35405251/
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dandelion-benefits#digestion
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9253158/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4141693/
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/guar-gum
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459280/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3991026/
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318591
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92765/
• https://www.fda.gov/food/current-good-manufacturing-practices-cgmps-food-and-dietary-supplements/good-manufacturing-practices-21st-century-food-processing-2004-study-section-1-current-food-good