Comparing Green Superfood Products, Making Sense of Green Drinks
April 4th, 2009
UPDATED April 4, 2009
The number of green superfood powders that have sprouted up lately is astonishing. Now there are more than 150 brands on the market and they all have different formulas and offer different health benefits. But not only are there numerous products…but the number of herbs, veggie powders, grasses and grains used in these mixtures is nearly endless. So this article is your first stop for making some sense of this chaos. Here, you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the green drink market and what you should look for in a product. See the list of related articles at the end to take your investigation to the next level.
I’m including only those products I have determined to be among the best in this category and which contain the most robust mixtures of natural ingredients. Simple, single-ingredient drinks (like a simple wheat grass juice) did not make the cut. Products with a substantial amount of fillers or chemical ingredients will also not be included. I will add new products to this comparison as I become aware of them and if they are as good or better than those listed here.
Key Ingredients
Let’s begin with how these products overlap. Most green superfood drinks all contain some amount of the following ingredients:
- Land Vegetables (such as beets, spinach, grasses, dandelion, etc.)
- Sea Vegetables (kelp, purple dulse)
- Algaes (mainly spirulina and chlorella)
- Probiotics and Enzymes (the type and source differs)
- Fibrous Meal (flaxseed meal, brown rice solids, apple pectin, lecithin, and others)
The amounts of each of these ingredients may vary substantially from product to product. Some are heavy in the algaes while others favor land veggies. I look for at least 2 grams per serving being comprised of land vegetables, sea vegetables, and/or algaes, with a under 2 grams of fibrous meal, which is used like a natural filler to bulk up the product in most cases (not that lecithin or flax meal is not healthy, but I give more points for the better, more expensive, ingredients). Beyond this basic list, products may feature certain ingredients that add flavor or special qualities, such as energy enhancement or intestinal cleansing.
Special Additions
There’s nothing that says a green drink formula must have healthy herbs and extracts in addition to the key ingredients listed above. But those that include some well-chosen botanicals often rank a little higher in my book, depending on the way they are formulated and the overall cost. Some of the herbs I look for include:
- Nettle, Milk Thistle and Dandilion Leaf
- Green Tea Powder
- Mushroom Powders
- Olive Leaf Extract
- Pine Bark Extract
- Echinacea, Ginko Biloba, and Astragalus
Obviously, the more of these expensive ingredients in a green drink, the higher the price will be. So a great alternative to getting these in your green drink formula is to get a basic formula that’s strong in the key ingredients and then add your own herbs that you purchase separately.
Basic Formulas
Basic formulas are those with a focus on the key ingredients and not too many additions. They are the least robust of the green drinks and should be less expensive as a result. These are great for those on a budget or for those who like adding their own herbs to a basic mixture…or those wanting just the basics.
A good example of a basic formula is Dr. Shulze’s Super Food. This product is a simple mixture of the most basic ingredients with nothing noteworthy to help it stand out from the crowd. The land vegetables are minimal and the product focuses on spirulina and chlorella as its key ingredients — giving it an especially horrible taste. The good news is that it has one of the lowest price points on the market at only $2.43 per ounce. I suppose you can take the money you save and buy the flavoring ingredients you’ll need to disguise taste of this product. Dr. Shulze has a deluxe formula, called Super Food Plus, which has a much more competitive list of ingredients, including grasses, seaweed, beet and spinach leaf, orange peel and lemon peels. The product is still among the least expensive at $2.57 per ounce and this makes it a great value, even though it’s not the most robust formulation.
Other products that are comparable to this formula include Amazing Grass, EnerFood, Green Defense, Greenergy, and Mighty Greens.
Well Rounded Mixtures
The “well rounded mixture” is a formula that contains all of the basics ingredients with plenty of veggies to balance out the greens. Plus, these mixtures include extra ingredients to make the overall formula more directed toward a particular need. Some add protein, some add antioxidants, some add fruit blends, and most add a selection of healing herbs and extracts.
A perfect example of a well rounded mixture is Green Vibrance. It has a very nice and well rounded formulation, plus it contains a decent amount of green tea powder, which I personally like in a green drink because it adds anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities (among other things). I don’t mind the little bit of caffeine that comes with the tea. Green Vibrance has some other very nice ingredients for additional antioxidant power and it’s got an extremely fair price tag at only $3.70 per ounce.
Another well rounded mixture is Macro Greens, which was among the first on the market and is still among the best. Its land veggies include beets, cactus, barley grass, and carrot. It has large doses of herbs, including ginger, horsetail, suma, astragalus, Echinacea, milk thistle and others. It includes a few fruits (berries, cintrus, acerola cherries) and offers green tea, watercress, royal jelly, and aloe vera as special ingredients. It has the usual algaes and contains a lot of fibrous meal, which is a mixture of lecithin, apple pectin and flax seed meal, but overall, it’s among my favorites and costs $4.00 per ounce.
More products in this category include New Greens, a formula that includes a little of everything, with a focus on algaes and alfalfa. Land veggies include carrot, spinach, tomato, kale, broccoli and others. Some special herbal additions worth highlighting include royal jelly, pollen, green tea, milk thistle, tumeric, and ginko biloba. It has a small amount of fibrous meal in the form of flaxseed meal, apple pectin, and brown rice solids. Also look at Delicious Greens, Go Greens, Greens First, Greens Pak, Boku Super Food, NanoGreens 10, and ProGreens.
Super Robust Formulas
The products in the super robust category are those that go the extra mile and offer more than the basics…more than extra veggies and herbs, but unexpected quality of ingredients. They also tend to have few or no fillers and, of course, they tend to be the most expensive of the bunch, but you get what you pay for.
My favorite super robust formula is Vitamineral Green, which has a lot of grasses, and some kelp and sea veggies. To compliment the grasses and kelp is a healthy dose of Nettle and juices of alfalfa, dendelion, broccoli, kale and other veggies. It is high in spirulina too, so you can bet you’re getting a quality blend here. There are no fruits, but honestly, most green products don’t have enough fruits to make them a substitute for the “Red” products (see RedDrinkReviews.com), so the lack of a fruit blend is not a huge negative on my list. Vitamineral Green clocks in at $3.06 per ounce, which makes it one of the best values among the super robust formulas.
Ben Kim’s Greens, Billy’s Greens, and Sun Is Shining are all formulated at the Vitamineral Green laboratory — by expert formulator Jameth Sheridan. All these products are top quality in terms of the source and freshness of ingredients and excellent formulations.
Berry Green and Vital Greens are also on the high-end of the spectrum. They both have excellent formulations and approximately the same cost per ounce (above $5). They are heavy in spirulina and grasses, while also offering substantial amounts of fruit powders. In the case of Berry Green, this comes in the form of red berries. In the case of Vital Greens, it comes in the form of apple powder, Billberry and acerola. If you want your berries and fruits along with the green superfoods, then these are worth looking at.
Other super robust products include Udo’s Green Blend, Pure Synergy, Perfectly Healthy Mega Greens, LifeForce, Emerald Balance, and Berry Green.
Summary
So, there you have it, some of the top contenders in the main green superfood drink categories. Which one you choose depends on your reason for taking the stuff in the first place — and your budget. If you’re looking for the most nutrition per spoonful, then look at the Super Robust formulas. But remember that these are also the most expensive. If you want a good, well-rounded formula that doesn’t cost too much, or you like getting some special herbs together with your green drink, then look at the products in the Well Rounded Mixtures category. If you are on a budget or prefer to just get the basics and add to it, then check out the Basic Formulas category.
I hope this helps you decide on how you’re going to “go green” and increase your nutrition and overall health.
Related Articles
Why Take a Green Drink
Get More from your Green Drink
Green Super Foods, Drink to your Health
Green Superfood Products: How to Read the Labels
Read More On: immune system,more energy,spirulina,superfoods
37 Comments Add your own
1. Hilde | September 17th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Hi, I was looking for a comparison on Greens products. Two years ago I bought Greens + multi+ in Canada, and just now Grrens for Life in Holland. Never do I know if the product is worth its money and in Europe you pay a lot for this.
Any further advice welcome, also for keeping the body anti-acid.
thanks
2. vanburen3 | September 24th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I’m considering adding a special chart that compares the Green products, so I can include more of them than what’s in this article. Since I don’t really know these products you mentioned, I can’t comment on weather or not they are worth the money. However, you can take the information from this article together with the info in the article “Green Superfoods, Drink to Your Health” that appears below and use them to evaluate any green drink.
As for the question about anti-acid — most of the green leafy vegetables and algaes are alkalizing to the blood, so any superfood product that includes these as key ingredients will have alkalizing effects. These effects will be mitigated by any sugars or carbohydrates that are part of the product, which may appear in the fillers. Brown rice solids, for example, are carbs.
Finally, if you mix your green superfood with fruit juice, you will probably be neutralizing any alkalizing effects of the green powder, since fruit juices are acidic. Better to use soy milk, rice milk, or equivalent to mix your drink and you’ll preserve the alkalizing qualities of the formula.
3. Healthnut | October 9th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
In response to Vanburen3, there is a common misconception with fruits that they are acidic IN the body.
You are correct that fruits are acidic, however in the body they have an alkalizing effect instead of acidic!
Note that a food’s acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end-products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so lemons are alkaline-forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion but it leaves acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is classified as acid-forming.
4. Green Super Foods, Drink &hellip | October 10th, 2007 at 2:14 am
[...] Articles: Comparing Green Superfood Products My Favorite Power Foods & Super [...]
5. asphole | November 28th, 2007 at 2:07 am
I’ve been using this spirulina for around 12 months now and feel so much better for it but would would a blend of multiple powders yield better results?
6. Emily | December 13th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Hi,
I was wondering if you’ve ever sampled Dr. Young’s green drink (innerlight company). Is it a scam or what? I saw him advertised by Anthony Robbins and thought I’d give it a try.
Any feedback
Thanks,
Emily
7. vanburen3 | December 21st, 2007 at 2:32 am
I am not familiar with Dr. Young’s green product and there is no specific information about it on his site. Also, it’s a MLM product, which makes it difficult to get without joining the network (I hate those network marketing deals, but sometimes the products are worthwhile).
I am, however, quite familiar with Dr. Young and the pH studies he has done. He is a leading authority in alkaline treatments. I assume his green product is formulated to be as alkaline as possible, which means it probably does not have any fruit blend or flax seed. Still, it may be worthwhile.
I am a big fan of alkalinity for health and will be doing some writing on the subject for this blog. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks and months. Very exciting stuff.
Oh, and personally, I don’t drink a green drink specifically for alkalinity, but for concentrated nutrition. Alkaline water is a great way to raise your body’s pH instead of using your superfood drink.
8. Roshawn | January 30th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Great post. I’ve heard of Macro Greens (formerly Miracle Greens) and BOKU Superfood before but not the others. Thanks for the knowledge.
Well, you may or may not be aware of other superfood products, but here’s a few that deserve a look:
Vitamineral Green (by HealthForce Nutritionals)
Pure Synergy (by The Synergy Company)
Sun Is Shining (formerly Nature’s First Food by Nature’s First Law)
Green Superfood (by Amazing Grass)
Emerald Balance (by SGN Nutrition)
Super Greens (by LivingFuel RX)
Enjoy, :)
9. Bo Rinaldi | April 15th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I ordered the Three Month Challenge! from Boku Superfoods this past Friday. Have yet to receive a confirmation email or any shipment information. Emailed the company to inquire about my order and have not heard from them. Hopefully this company exists and I get my product.
10. admin | April 20th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Hi Bo,
The company exists, but they do seem to have problems internally and with their ordering system and security. Mike Adams was correct to recommend their product (especially with the special deal he arranged for his readers), but he may have neglected to check out the company itself, the management and its business practices.
Personally, I now purchase from Health Force Nutritionals, as their product (vitamineral green) is very similar, is made by the same laboratory, and the company is trustworthy.
11. Ju Davitt | September 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Hi
I was so pleased to come across this site as I have been trying to make sense of the world of Greens! I wondered if you are familiar with Perfectly Healthy Mega Greens (with MSM) and what your view is, vs. Udo’s Greens?
Many thanks for you invaluable advice
Ju
12. JK | October 20th, 2008 at 12:05 am
Hi
I am looking for a good supplement for my children (2 girls aged 5 & 9).
Would you recommend a green drink like Vitamineral Green for them? Is this complete for children or should I also add on cod-liver oil and B-complex?
Tks
JK
13. Mike | November 6th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Do you know anything about Greens Pak to go by Trace Minerals? How does it compare to Vitamineral?
14. Chris | November 9th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Thanks for all the comments.
Ju, I’ll put Perfectly Healthy Mega Greens on my TO REVIEW list, for sure.
JK, you can certainly give green drinks (especially Vitamineral Green) to your children. Just start them off on light doses, like 1/2 or 1/3 of the normal dose. Then increase slowly. You can add B and cod-liver also…and you might consider a few drops of olive leaf extract. Just keep the doses small at first.
Mike, I’ll add Greens Pak to my list also. Thanks!
15. Jam | November 17th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Have you heard of “The Ultimate Meal”? How does this fit in as it claims to be a complete meal in and of itself (when mixed with apple and banana..)
16. mike | December 1st, 2008 at 5:10 am
hi,
sun is shining is all the rave–could you possibly review that drink ? Or do you now have an opinion?
thx
Mike
17. Steve | January 8th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Royal Greens………any opinion?
18. Chris | January 9th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
More reviews are coming soon. I’ll try to get to all these suggestions in time.
thanks for all the suggested green drinks.
19. Ronnie | February 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
was wondering if you had any info about nanogreens10.Thanks
20. Lightway | April 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I have been looking to implement a green and red drink for years now, but never know where to start. I was also put off by all the multilevel marketing sites, which unfortunately are so ubiquitous in the health food area of the web. It has always diminished the sincerity of the products they are selling (which may indeed be good products).
This is the best site I have ever seen on green drink information, and I love the way you are breaking down and giving us metrics to use — cost per ounce, ingredient breakdown, filler information. Those are all concerns I’ve had, so now with your information, I feel alot more confident in being able to start trying some mixes out.
I know when I’ve gone to some of the smoothie places, that taking a shot of wheatgrass has always energized me like crazy, so have been looking for something at home I could use for the same effect, and supplement my lack of greens in my diet, which could be alot better.
Thanks a million!
21. admin | April 18th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Thanks Lightway! Appreciate the kind words. Please keep the comments coming.
22. Greeens | June 30th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Thanks for all the info. I have been using Perfectfood by Garden of Life and I couldn’t see it it your reviews. It is more expensive than most ( and more widely available) – but is it any good? I might switch to Boku as they have good deals on their homepage. Also, a more helpful metric on prices might be “cost per serving” versus “cost per ounce”. In comparing Boku and Lifeforce they both seem to average $1/Day despite the wide difference in “cost per ounce”. Just a thought. Thanks Again!
23. Chrisann | August 9th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Thanks for the objective information. I recently received a mailing about All Day Energy Greens from the Institute for Vibrant Living. How does this product compare to the others you’ve reviewed?
24. Mary Smith | February 12th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
I am using “New Greens” Organic Superfood Blend. You have a review of “New Greens” but not the organic blend. Can you please review this one too? I am looking for the best overall organic blend of fruits and vegetables.
Thanks.
Mary Smith
25. josie | February 26th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
I too am wondering how perfectfood by Garden of Life measures up to the others. I’ve been drinking it for years along with choco Amazing Greens mixed with a light choco protien powder. I haven’t tried any other greens, maybe I should? Vitaminerals greens seems to be popular..
26. admin | February 27th, 2010 at 10:21 am
Mary,
I have updated the review of New Greens, but it does not look like the product has changed all that much. I did not find a separate product that is specifically organic. The original product does have several organic ingredients. Anyway, the review is now online (see product name to the right).
27. jay | April 26th, 2010 at 11:01 am
Admin – can you please provide a review on Organic-by-Nature-Pure-Planet-Just-Barley-Organic-Green-Juice-Powder-80-Servings please? I have been taking this for a few months now. and I feel energized and lost little weight ( I was never over weight, the weight loss was un intentional) the problem with this powder is it has all those good “certifications” but I dont see any thing much on hte nutritional facts label.. (like calcium, potassium etc..)
I would appreciate it if you could take a look into this product when you can!
28. Carole Lake | April 26th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
I would like to know your opinion of Institute for Virant Living with their product “All Day Energy Greens”. It seems expensive when two people are taking it. This along with the fact that you still need calcium & Vit. D and fish oil. What are your thoughts on their products?
29. Terri Ann | June 3rd, 2010 at 3:22 am
Your reviews are informative and interesting. However, I have not seen any comments on a product called Emerald Greens. I have been using this for approx 12 yrs., and am very interested on why it didn’t “make the cut” in your review, wondering if I should change it up with a similar product. My recent colonoscopy was clean, but my doc cautioned me to be careful with herbals as possibly affecting the liver. so I was also wondering if you have found any long term negative side effects in your studies.
30. Twyla | June 11th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
I need educated direction on a possibly 3 similar choices of Greens, due to a health issue I presently have. I have been diagnosed @ Mayo Clinic w/ “Skin/Cutaneous Lymphoma” w/follow up visits @ 3 mos. coming up again 6/23/10. I have been taking “GreensFirst” and a couple of other supplements to boost my immune system + cleanse. I am presently not on chemo, due to skin biopsies showing positive, yet bone marrow/blood clean so far at intervals it’s been tested. I only have steriod ointment which I apply when necessary mainly on arms/legs lesions. This is a rare type of cancer and I want to find a GREENS that may be best suited for me re: immunity. My acidity showed high on a test strip 3+ mos. ago & haven’t tested it recently. Can a person become too akaline also? Should GREENS be taken forever (or breaks taken)? I only want to introduce one more supplemnt & need guidance. Thank you very much.
31. Lindi | June 12th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
I used Emerald Greens for a few years, but moved 10 years ago and haven’t been able to find it since. Nothing I’ve tried has been as good. My mother had just been diagnosed with breast cancer when she first discovered it, and her healing after surgery and chemo was remarkably fast and she’s been cancer-free now for 18 years. Any ideas where to get Emerald Greens in western Washington?
32. admin | June 12th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
Hi Twyla,
I think most of the green drinks listed here are going to help you with immunity, but some will be better than others. Take a look at the “Robust” formulations I mention in this article for starters. For best alkalinity, use green drinks without too many juice powders and no sweeteners or apple pectin. You CAN become too alkaline, but given the SAD (Standard American Diet), that’s difficult to do. Remember that FAT and SUGAR both raise your acidity levels. As for taking greens forever, you certainly can…but after a few months of greens, I personally like to switch to something else for a week or two to give my body a change of pace. I think it helps.
33. Twyla | June 15th, 2010 at 6:08 am
Thank you very much for your kind reply. In a few words it is very helpful and I greatly appreciate the knowledge shared. This is all new to me, since my confirmed diagnosis in March of this yr. I find the choices out there both interesting yet confusing. Awhile back a friends got me some “Chiropractor’s Blend PH50 Protien Greens”, then when I went to this shop/office, the Chiropractor told me I should be using something with much more “greens” like “Greens First” & gave me some samples which I liked. In research, I fortunately found this link. I see that “Greens First” is listed @ the “well rounded” category & wonder which “Robust” mix may have the most palatable taste? I am not a picky eater, so can do what it takes. Can you possibly suggest, in your opinion, which tastes best of the Robust formulas? I am using up what I have on hand & need to switch soon. Thank you again for the wonderful information & wisdom you share.
34. Missy | July 14th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Could you rank the Green drinks as far as taste? I don’t like vegetables, so I am trying to get some of my daily servings this way, but need something that tastes decent.
35. admin | July 18th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Hi Missy,
Taste is such a subjective thing…I hesitate to rank the products that way. Instead, I’ve resolved to simply describe the taste in each review, so you can make your own decision about how to mix it (or not mix it) using your own recipes. Obviously, some flavors won’t mix well with certain things. For example, a green drink that has a minty flavor will probably not go well with citrus juices. But the flavor of most green drinks can be disguised with the right recipes…although the drinks that have added flavorings or sweeteners will be more difficult to change or cover up.
Another tip…drinks with a large amount of seaweed and spirulina will require stronger-flavored recipes to cover up the strong taste of the sea veggies. But it’s not impossible and the sea veggies are SO good for you!! I’ve never run into an un-flavored green drink that didn’t taste pretty good when mixed with two heaping tablespoons of pure cocoa, a banana, some vanilla almond milk, and some raw sugar.
36. Zal | July 26th, 2010 at 6:08 am
here is another product came across this morning, it was an email from Life-Enthusiast about their green superfood called: Exsula Iridesca:
http://life-enthusiast.com/usa/iridesca-500g-p-388.html?tab=ingredients
what do you think of it ?
anybody here uses it ?
please post here…
thanks!
37. Jeremy | July 26th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Great review. I’ve been taking Vital Greens as it seems to have all the essentials. Now that I’ve read your article though, I might try a few others and compare.
Have also tried Maximum Greens from GNC stores. I noticed you haven’t tested this one. Not big on taste, but would be in the Super-Robust category.
Thanks for educating me on the differences. Either way, I’m hooked. Love my green drinks. Its the breakfast of champions.
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