A super robust formula that is the most nutritionally dense and balanced green drink on the market — it truly serves as both a top notch green drink and as a multivitamin/multimineral supplement. VITAFORCE has a great balance of all the nutrients you need daily, and, unlike most green drinks, it has a complete vitamin and mineral label showing exactly the amount of nutrients you get per serving. Of particular note, it contains reliable sources of essential nutrients that are almost always lacking in other green drinks, such as Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D, zinc and selenium.
Magma Plus is made by the same people who make Green Magma. This formulation is their super green drink with a variety of greens and veggies. In fact, they put everything imaginable in there with a focus on barley grass, wheat grass, alfalfa, and veggie powders (carrots, cabbage, beats and others). There is an acceptable amount of what they call “whole food extracts,” which is mostly a selection of healthy fillers (chicory root, wheat germ, brown rice).
Field of Greens is not for everybody. This is advanced stuff for those serious about nutrition. First, it costs more than most other green drink products (around $6.38 per ounce). But most important, it’s a super concentrated, highly focused combination of the best green superfoods you’ll find anywhere. It contains ONLY green superfoods, like kale, spinach, broccoli, and collard powders. Plus it offers alfalfa and parsley powders, two fantastic greens for nutrition and detoxification. You also get the three main grasses (oat, wheat and barley) in both leaf and juice form. You will definitely feel a boost of energy from this formula (and it contains NO GREEN TEA or other caffeine source)!
Field of Greens is also great for those interested in a raw foods diet, as the product is certified raw. Plus, it’s kosher and 100% organic. This product, made by the same people who make Green Vibrance, is the company’s high-end offering for those who want the best.
Manufacturer’s Description
Field of Greens is a collection of organic, Kosher, raw green foods that sets a new standard in green food nutrition, supporting for immunity, and overall health. Field of Greens is not just wheat grass or wheat grass juice powder, and not just barley grass either. It is a unique combination of the best green foods that can grow from organic soil. And that’s important. Vibrant Health and its suppliers have gone one step farther in the use of certified organic ingredients. We have taken great care to dry and process each ingredient at the lowest possible temperature in order to preserve as much of the full nutrient value of the plant in its raw state.
Highly concentrated formula that has only greens and lots of them. Kosher, organic and raw.
Cons
This is not for beginners. It’s more expensive and tastes more grassy than most other formulas. If you’re serious about getting superfood nutrition, it’s worth checking out.
Recommended Usage
As a food, once each day – or more often if you would like – mix one rounded scoop (enclosed) of Field of Greens into 4 to 8 ounces of your favorite fruit juice, other beverage, or water. Stir briskly or shake in a closed container until mixed. Drink and enjoy.
Certifications & Manufacturing
Mostly raw ingredients
Certified Kosher
Certified Organic
Vegan
Price
7.51 oz (30 servings) = $47.89
Price per oz = $6.38
There are a lot of great ingredients in Shakeology…including whey protein, which is an excellent protein source (they use the isolate, which has less lactose and more protein per serving). They also provide protein in the form of pea fiber. Other key ingredients include Maca powder (an excellent natural energy supplement that provides minerals), flax and chia seeds (more protein and omega-3s), plus plenty of greens (AFA spirulina, spinach, chlorella, seaweeds, and an assortment of grasses). Some of the special herbs provided in this formulation include ashwaganda (energy and circulation support), green tea extract, and basil powder. The formula has a bit of filler in the form of grains, apple pectin (which also acts as a natural emulsifier), and even the Maca can be regarded as a filler (although it has excellent nutritional properties too).
This formulation is especially suited for anyone wanting a meal replacement for a healthy weight loss program or anyone wanting more healthy protein, including vegetarians (if dairy is ok), athletes, body builders, and those suffering from low-energy and low blood pressure. Compared to other protein powders, this one is one of the best. At $2.36 per ounce, it’s a good deal for healthy protein supplement and nutrition.
Manufacturer’s Description
This patent-pending daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. A proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today’s highly processed foods.
At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the more than 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke.
Taste
Sweet and creamy. Sweetened with stevia, apple, fructose, and natural flavors (chocolate, vanilla, etc.)
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
Click image to enlarge
Pros
Excellent source of protein and nutrients for a healthy meal replacement. Plus it has plenty of greens.
Cons
Not everyone will want whey protein, as it’s a dairy product. However, for those who can tolerate whey, it’s one of the best protein sources you can get…better than any meat.
Recommended Usage
Add 1 full scoop (48 g) of Shakeology powder to 1 cup (8 fl . oz.) cold water or beverage (milk, soy milk, rice milk, etc.) and mix. It can also be mixed in a blender with ice for a creamy, frosty smoothie.
Certifications & Manufacturing
n/a
Price
50.8 oz (30 servings) = $119.95
Price per oz = $2.36
It’s pretty clear what Blender Culture Super Green & Super Fruit Blend is doing by looking at their label. They categorize their ingredients into seven different groups, or “blends,” and provide you with the quantity of each blend. The mixture is highest in its fruits (prune, acai, blueberry, pomegranate and others) with its grasses (kamut, alfalfa, barley and wheat grasses) coming in second. These two blends comprise more than 50% of the mixture. If you add the algaes (spirulina, dulse and chlorella), you have over 70% of the mixture in essential fruits and greens…and although I would have liked to see more vegetable powders in this mixture, you really can’t complain about that combination. You also get some special herbs (milk thistle, astragalus and green tea), plus a few veggie powders (beet, spinach, carrot and kale).
Overall, this formula has a lot of great nutrient-rich ingredients and it has a neutral taste, so you can mix it with almost anything. I had it with plain water and it was more than acceptable both in taste and texture. Of course, it will be even better with juice or chocolate almond milk. Now the price. At under $2.50 per ounce, this is one of the best deals going!
Manufacturer’s Description
Super Green Food & Fruit Blend by Blender Culture is a blend of easily digestible, phytonutrient-dense powders from certified organic cereal grasses, vacuum dehydrated juice powders, fruit powders, vegetable powders, plus herbs that naturally include very high amounts of antioxidants. Super Green & Fruit Blend is gluten-free and has been used safely by people with Celiac Disease.
Our Super Green & Super Fruit Blend is raw, vegan and contains live enzymes because it is vacuum dehydrated at 88 degrees. Formulated to assist in the binding and removal of environmental toxins and heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium and to detoxify and support the liver. It is also very helpful in suppressing certain viruses.
Where to Purchase
Online at manufacturer’s site.
Taste
Neutral. Slightly fruity.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
Click image to enlarge
Pros
Excellent supply of greens and fruits with almost no filler and the price is very compelling.
Cons
Could have a slightly higher amount of veggie powders.
Recommended Usage
One tablespoon mixed with water or juice twice per day.
Tony Robbin’s greens product, like most things Tony produces, uses a no-nonsense approach with a focus on what works. It’s one of the most simple formulations I’ve seen and, in many ways, one of the best. It has no fillers and focuses on the “big greens,” grasses, alfalfa, broccoli powder, spinach powder, and kelp. There are no special herbs and no flavorings. The only other thing you’ll get is a healthy dose of MSM, which is a type of sulfite that your body needs for healthy joints. It’s great for controlling pain and general health…and most Americans are deficient in it. Overall, this is a great formula for anyone wanting the essentials without a lot of other ingredients and at $3.23 per ounce, it’s a great value.
Pure Energy Greens with MSM is a specially formulated blend of 100% organic, fresh and alkaline-forming green vegetables and natural fibers that help return the blood and tissues to a healthy pH balance.*
Pure Energy Greens increases energy levels, provides hydration and alkalinity to increase blood pH.*
Where to Purchase
Online at the manufacturer’s site
From a Tony Robbins Rep
Excellent formula with just the greens and MSM. Good price value.
Cons
Some people might prefer a more robust formula with other herbs and special ingredients.
Recommended Usage
Take one teaspoon in 16 oz. water 3 times daily.
NOTE: Suggested serving size for this product is smaller than most other products at only one teaspoon.
Certifications & Manufacturing
n/a
Price
21.7 oz (approximate based on 140 teaspoon servings) = $69.99
Price per oz = $3.23
I like this formula very much. It’s very high in greens — alfalfa, spirulina and barley grass primarily but also some parsley, watercress, seaweed (dulse) and chlorella. Other veggies in this mixture include carrot and beet juice powders, which are excellent additions. It also has some very nice added herbs, including rose hips, horsetail, royal jelly, green tea, ginseng and Echinacea. All good choices.
The only thing I’d do differently in this mixture is reduce the amount of “fillers” included. Despite the company’s claims to the contrary, there are several fillers in this product, including soy lecithin, apple pectin and flaxseed meal. Still, it’s an excellent formula that covers the greens and fatty acids while also giving you some good herbal extracts. At $3.50 per ounce, it’s a fair price for what you’re getting. If you purchase the multi-canister options, then the price goes from “fair” to “good.”
Manufacturer’s Description
Start your day with a tasty energy boost! All Day Energy Greens is a light, refreshing energy drink that’s heavy on health benefits. All Day Energy Greens’ 38 herbs, herbal extracts, and grass juices work with your body to provide the bio-absorbable vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and disease-fighting antioxidants you need to enjoy peak health. In addition to all the other benefits, All Day Energy Greens gives you a full day’s supply of vegetables. Plus All Day Energy Greens has NO common allergens and is certified pesticide-free. Make All Day Energy Greens a part of your daily routine.
Taste
Earthy and sweet. Sweetened with stevia.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
Click image to enlarge
Pros
Good mixture of greens and other herbs for a fair price.
Cons
Too many fillers. Not everyone will like the stevia sweetener.
Recommended Usage
Mix approximately 1 rounded tablespoon in 6 to 8 ounces of water or your favorite smoothie.
Certifications & Manufacturing
n/a
Price
11.4 oz (approximately 30 sevings) = $39.95
Price per oz = $3.50
Manufacturer offers 4, 8, and 16 canister options for better pricing. 16 canisters costs $1.65 per ounce.
The Greens Today blend is formulated to offer great nutrition, plus cleansing effects and immune support. It features a heavy dose of greens (mostly Spirulina, broccoli, alfalfa and barley grass — a very good mix), plus antioxidants (green tea, beet root, acerola, bilberry and others). That covers over 50% of the mixture. What’s great about this formula are the extra herbal additions. Some highlights include Pine Bark Extract (one of my favorites for immune support and antioxidants), artichoke (appetite suppressant), Licorice Root (adaptogen for brain and immune support), plus Horsetail Root, Astragalus, and Dandelion (all excellent herbs for health and wellness). Finally, there is a small amount of these powerful additions: Maitake and Reishi mushroom (brain support and disease fighting properties), Royal Jelly (pure nutrition), and CoQ-10 (essential supplement for health and energy).
The down side is that the manufacturer decided to add some unpleasant ingredients for flavor. These include fructose, maltodextrine (a thickening agent and sweetener), and strawberry flavoring. This takes a few notches off of an otherwise excellent formula.
The price of Greens Today is quite good at just $2.39 per ounce. This is one of the best values among green drink formulas.
Manufacturer’s Description
Greens Today Original Formula is designed specifically to help support those who want a Health Promoting, Energizing, Cleansing, Immune Enhancing, Alkaline Promoting, Complete Nutritional Supplement. Greens Today Original Formula provides these powerful bioactive Phyto-Nutrients: Lycopene, Zeaxanthin, Cryptoxanphin, Lutein, Sulforaphane, Ellagic Acid, Carotenoids, Isothiocyanates, and Indole 3 Carbinols.
* 72 Powerful Superfoods with all vitamins & minerals.
* 1900 mg Certified Organic Earthrise® Spirulina per serving
* 2000 mg Broccoli Powder per serv.
* 500 mg Calcium per serving
* Low Carb – 7 grams per serving
* 18 oz Powder – 30 servings
Taste
Slightly grassy. Slightly fruity from the added flavor ingredients. Overall neutral flavor.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
Click image to enlarge
Pros
A strong formula with an excellent dose of greens, plus several powerful herbal extras. The price is hard to beat.
Cons
Contains fructose and some artificial flavoring additions that should not have been added. Some people might not like all of the herbal extras in this formula — opting for a more simple mixture.
Recommended Usage
One to two servings per day.
Certifications & Manufacturing
Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International
Price
18 oz (approximately 30 sevings) = $42.94
Price per oz = $2.39
Green Magma is formulated with a different philosophy than most other green drinks. It contains only one active ingredient, which is barley grass juice powder. Except for a little sweetener from the maltodextrin and brown rice, this is essentially like getting pure barley grass. Naturally, I tend to prefer the more robust mixtures, but that does not mean some people will not benefit greatly from getting a pure barley grass formula. Others might like to add extra barley grass to their other green drink formula — using Green Magma as the source. There are many studies showing the benefits of this grass, so people who are sold on its benefits might do well to get a green drink like this one. The quality of the grass in this mixture is quite high. The price tag is also on the high side at $4.50 per ounce.
Manufacturer’s Description
Since 1969, Green Magma® has been the world’s premier barley grass supplement. Backed by over 40 years of scientific research and consumer satisfaction. It contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, chlorophyll, carotenoids, flavonoids, and other valuable phytochemicals that support every system of the body. Consumers report a dramatic increase in energy, increased regularity, and better looking hair, skin, and nails. Green Magma® is a juice extract, not a fiber product. Our bodies can more easily and completely absorb the nutrients from a juice supplement than one containing fiber, which locks in many of the important nutrients. Green Magma is certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI). Our barley is grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Where to Purchase
Online at manufacturer’s site.
Online retailers.
Some health food stores and whole foods markets.
Taste
Grassy.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
Ingredients: Powdered juice from organic young barley grass, organic maltodextrin (a complex carbohydrate), organic brown rice. Does Not Contain: Added sugar, salt, colorings or fillers and is free of animal products, gluten, soy, wheat, yeast, and genetically modified organisms (GMO).
Pros
Good quality barley grass with very little else.
Cons
Many people will want more than just barley grass. Although the quality is high, this is rather expensive for a single ingredient product.
Recommended Usage
Dissolve 2 teaspoons (6g) into an 8 oz. glass of water or your favorite juice. Recommended once or twice daily on an empty stomach (20 minutes before or 2 hours after a meal).
Certifications & Manufacturing
Certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI). Our barley is grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Price
11 oz (approximately 30 sevings) = $49.49
Price per oz = $4.50
Vega is designed differently than most green drinks. It provides a larger than usual amount of protein, which makes it a cross between a protein drink and a green drink. The protein comes from hemp and green pea mostly, but also contains some rice and flax. The last two would be fillers to most people, but they do provide some protein. These ingredients give the mixture a slightly gritty texture, but you can easily overcome that by mixing with a “thick” fruit juice or nectar.
After the protein, the formula contains Chicory Root, which is generally considered filler, but does contain vitamin C and fiber to aid in elimination and cholesterol reduction. The formula is also high in Maca Root, which is excellent for natural energy and hormone balance and is used as a general tonic and libido enhancer. However, Maca is one of the ingredients I consider to be “average” in terms of benefits-to-bulk ratio (see my list of best, average and worst ingredients here). Finally, Vega lists Chlorella and Essential Fatty Acids on the label representing 3,250 mg of the mixture. That’s where the nutrition is…but it’s not as high as I’d like to see it.
Overall, the mixture is not bad if you’re interested in a mostly-protein drink that uses no animal products for its protein. At approximately $4.35 per serving, the formula is a bit on the high side in terms of cost-benefit. The cost per ounce is low at $2.14, but the suggested serving size is larger than normal at over 2 ounces (61g). Flavored and sweetened with Stevia, the taste is something you have to try for yourself.
A synergistic collection of plant-based superfoods, Vega is not only a complete meal replacement, but also an ideal daily health-optimizing supplement. High in fiber, protein and essential fatty acids, Vega is naturally filling and satisfying, helping to reduce appetite and cravings. An instant, one-stop meal made exclusively from plant-based whole foods, Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer is:
Packed with complete protein, 100% RDI of vitamins and minerals, fiber, Omega-3 and 6 EFAs, antioxidants, probiotics, enzymes, ChlorEssence and MacaSure.
Made exclusively from natural, plant based ingredients.
Free of animal products, dairy, gluten, soy, sugar, wheat, yeast artificial sweeteners, GMOs or pesticides
Taste
Flavored with vanilla, berry, chocolate, or natural, these mixtures have a strong taste of stevia. If you don’t mind stevia, then you’ll be fine with these flavors. The texture is a bit thick and gritty, but that can actually work well if you mix correctly to make a kind of “shake.” Those with sensitive taste will be able to detect the green pea…which is not bad, but unusual in a green drink.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
click image to enlarge
Pros
Excellent source of non-animal protein, along with some energy boosting ingredients and a bit of nutrition.
Cons
A bit low on the nutritional ingredients for the price. Some may not like the strong stevia taste.
Recommended Usage
Take one serving daily for optimal health and vitality. A full serving of Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer equals two level scoops—these make a nutritionally complete and satisfying liquid whole food meal without compromises. For those with smaller appetites, try just half a serving (one scoop) for a meal or snack.
UPDATED Dec 2010 New Formulation
One of the best green superfood drinks is now a bit better with a new, updated formulation that provides more nutrition for the same price — and enhances the taste for better combining with juices, chocolates, or milks. The new formulation has some added greens, including basil leaf, moringa leaf (a super botanical from India that helps purify the blood, calm the nerves and much more), yacon leaf (detoxing and sweetness without sugar), and alma berry. It also has a few extra seaweeds, which gives the product a wider variety of nutrients. In all, Vitamineral Green now has a more robust formulation and a better flavor.
Ben Kim’s Greens, Billy’s Greens, Sun Is Shining, and Vitamineral Green are all formulated at the same laboratory — by expert formulator Jameth Sheridan of Health Force Nutritionals. Sheridan’s own product, Vitamineral Green, is one of my favorite green drink products. It has a lot of grasses, which are high in nutrients, plus it is high in spirulina and various seaweeds too, so you can bet you’re getting a quality blend here. To compliment the grasses is a healthy dose of Nettle and juices of alfalfa, dendelion, broccoli, kale and other veggies. There are no fruits other than alma berry, but honestly, most green products don’t have enough fruits to make them a substitute for the “Red” products, so the lack of a fruit blend is not a huge negative on my list. Vitamineral Green clocks in at $3.11 per ounce, which makes it one of the best values among the super robust formulas.
Products
Vitamineral
Earth
Fruits of the Earth
Spirulina
Greener Grasses
Macca Force
Manufacturer’s Description
Vitamineral™ Green is the current evolution of a 20 year quest for excellence. It simultaneously represents the innate wisdom of nature and the advancements of science. It contains an extremely potent & comprehensive array of nature’s most nutritive and cleansing superfoods, grown and processed to maximize their benefits. It was designed to be the most nutrient dense and comprehensive superfood product ever offered. Contains a full spectrum of naturally occurring, absorbable and non-toxic vitamins, minerals (including calcium) and trace minerals (including naturally colloidal and better). Contains no synthetic or isolated nutrients (not excreted as expensive yellow urine or stored as toxic deposits). “Manufactured” by Mother Nature herself; not a chemist. Also naturally occurring are all the essential amino acids (protein), antioxidants, fatty acids, chlorophyll, soluble and insoluble fibers, tens of thousands of phytonutrients, and a plethora of other synergistically bound nutrients. 100% whole food nutrition.
Taste
Slightly Grassy. Slightly Nutty. Neutral.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
click to enlarge image
Pros
One of the most robust and high-quality green drinks on the market…for an excellent price. Excellent quality of ingredients and lab standards. High in all important ingredients and no waste or filler. Comes in glass jars, not plastic.
Cons
None. This is the best formula on the market.
Recommended Usage
One or two times per day.
Certifications & Manufacturing
100% vegan and cruelty-free
100% gluten free (new standards implemented)
Many wildcrafted ingredients
Lab is certified organic with rigorous standards. All ingredients are from top-quality sources.
Price
17.65 oz = $54.95
Price per ounce = $3.11
Quantity purchases lower the price to as low as $2.83.
Here’s a quick article to cover some of my favorite green drink recipes. Modify these basic ideas in any way you see fit…and remember that each green drink tastes different. These all work well with neutral-tasting drinks and I’ve made notes for mixing with green drinks that have more “flavor” to them.
Enjoy and send me your ideas!
Chocolate, Peanut Butter Smoothie
Mix 12oz of vanilla almond milk with 2 tablespoons of pure cacao powder, one small ripe banana, and two tablespoons of organic peanut butter. Add your green drink powder (your normal serving size) and honey or unrefined sugar to taste. I also add liquid B complex (half dropper), olive leaf extract (half dropper), mushroom powder (or extract), and dandelion extract (full dropper). If you have some bee pollen, throw a teaspoon in too. This does not work well with green drinks that have a strong fruit flavor.
Fruit Smoothie
Mix 6oz of vanilla almond milk, 6oz of fruit juice (grape, pomegranate, or apple are best) with frozen berries. I prefer a mix of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, but use whatever suits you. Add your green drink powder and a packet of Emergen-C or equivalent, a teaspoon of bee pollen, liquid B complex (half dropper), olive leaf extract (half dropper), and dandelion extract (full dropper). This does not work well with chocolate or mint-flavored powders, but can work well with vanilla-flavored powders.
Healthy Mary
If you like spicy tomato juice, then this mix is for you! Add 12oz of tomato juice (not vegetable juice) and double your normal green drink powder. Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of tumeric, 1 teaspoon of celery root powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, the juice of 1/2 freshly-squeezed lemon or lime and salt to taste. Extras: olive leaf extract, dandelion extract, liquid B complex, and mushroom powder or extract. If it gets too thick, you can add a little water and shake well.
Juvo has a unique an interesting formulation that, I think, you need to try for yourself and see if it works for you. The mixture is fairly heavy in grains (millet, rice solids, various beans), which act as filler and also provide some cleansing action and some protein. Once you get beyond this, the mixture starts looking interesting — with a healthy dose of veggies (kale, beet, parsley, carrot, tomato, pumpkin, radish, and cabbage) and a huge amount of alfalfa as the primary green superfood (other greens include spirulina and chlorella, radish leaves and seaweeds). The mixture also offers plenty of fruits (lingonberry, black currant, aronia, concord grape, pomegranate, sour cherry, acerola, blueberry, cranberry, elderberry, and many others).
Finally, the formula includes a larger than normal amount of mushrooms, which I love to see in a green drink formula because they are so healthy and fairly expensive to include (which is why most don’t). Mushrooms include Shitake, Reishi, and Agaricus.
Interestingly, with all that fruit, the mixture does not taste fruity. In fact, it tastes fairly earthy with a hint of beans and mushrooms. Its neutral taste means it mixes well with any juice or with chocolate and almond milk. I’ve also mixed it with spicy tomato juice. It comes in at only $2.95 per ounce, which makes it one of the more cost-effective formulas around.
Manufacturer’s Description
JUVO retains nature’s purity without any modification or additions. The whole grains, vegetables, sea vegetables, mushrooms, and fruits of JUVO are grown organically in fertile land to bring you the purity and full vitality that mother nature offers. JUVO is made with organic, kosher, and NON-GMO ingredients from whole grains, vegetables, sea vegetables, mushrooms, and fruits that are grown organically in fertile land to bring you purity and full vitality of nature. JUVO ingredients are freeze-dried to keep nutritive properties and enzyme. It’s absolutely free of preservatives, whey, yeast, dairy, artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners.
A unique formula that sets it apart from the others. Includes mushrooms and plenty of special herbs for an excellent price.
Cons
Has a lot of grains and beans that, while they have benefits, constitute fillers by most standards.
Recommended Usage
1 scoop of Juvo with 8-10 ounces of juice or soy milk, 1-3 times per day.
[editor's note: I used 2 scoops instead of 1 and had excellent results. The price makes this very do-able while still being competitive with other formulas.]
Mighty Greens is made by one of the nation’s most reputable wheat grass growers. They supply a great many of the formulators of other green products and now they have created their own green formula, getting the non-wheat-grass ingredients from some of their own best customers. The formulation is designed to do one thing very well: provide green superfoods. Not surprisingly, it’s heavy in grasses and has a good deal of Spirulina and some chlorella. The fillers are soy lecithin, which has some nutritional benefits along with being a filler, brown rice bran, and apple pectin fiber. There’s not much else to this product…just a little royal jelly (excellent addition and very nutrient rich) aleo vera, pineapple powder, dulse (a seaweed that’s full of nutrients), ginseng, grape skin extract (also full of nutrients and antioxidants) and some herbs like ginko, bilberry leaf and ginger.
The price is on the high side for this product, but what you get in exchange are the best quality ingredients on the market, a company that is completely transparent (note the full disclosure of ingredient quantities), and a formula that covers all the bases. You can add to this formula the extra herbs and nutrients you want.
Mighty Greens Superfood Blend is a highly nutritious, refreshing drink mix made with PINES premium cereal grasses and alfalfa, plus spirulina, chlorella, royal jelly, and 16 other superfoods and herbs. (Click for: Full List of Ingredients). Balanced to provide great taste, quick energy, and the long-lasting benefits of green vegetables. Formulated for daily use to increase your intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
Where to Purchase
Online at manufacturer’s site.
Some health food stores and whole foods markets.
NonoGreens10 is pretty much like a lot of green drink formulas (suggested comparisons appear below). It is heavy in grasses and the “spirulina/chlorella duo,” although like most green drinks, you can’t really tell how much spirulina/chlorella is in the mixture, since all three (barley grass, spirulina and chlorella) are grouped into a single category, called Greens Blend.
This mixture is very high in fillers, which consist of rice bran, oat beta glucan, and lecithin. All together, these fillers total 59 percent of the mixture. Of the rest, 51 percent (21 percent of the total) is the “Greens Blend” and the remaining 49 percent (or 20 percent of the total mixture) consists of green & white tea (and extract), fruits (blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, etc.), veggies (broccoli, tomato, spinach, carrot, kale, etc.), and a smattering of special herbs (pine bark extract, aloe vera, cinnamon, milk thistle, marigold). I love that pine bark extract is represented here, but we really don’t know how much is in there, because the quantity is hidden in the label.
For the price of $3.93 per ounce, it’s an acceptable product, although not overwhelmingly impressive. Compare with Amazing Grass, which is cheaper, but has fewer ingredients, Greens First, which is a slightly more robust formula for a slightly higher price, Greens Pak, also a slightly more robust formula, and ultimately Green Vibrance, a more robust formula for about the same price.
Manufacturer’s Description
The team of scientists and doctors at BioPharma Scientific has formulated NanoGreens10 to be the most complete, balanced and potent supplement of its kind, that when taken as directed supplements the diet to contain the phytonutrition of 10 servings of fruits and vegetables of all the colors. NanoGreens10 mixes easily and is great tasting in pure, cold water. NanoGreens10, made with organic ingredients, is a 100% natural, vegan formula of the highest purity, quality, and potency.
Where to Purchase
Online at manufacturer’s site.
Taste
Slightly grassy. Slightly Earthy.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
Click to enlarge image
Pros
A basic formula for a decent price.
Cons
Nothing special here. Lots of fillers and nothing that stands out.
NOTES: This chart uses the manufacturer’s published price of a 30-day supply (or equivalent) whenever possible. Most manufacturers offer discounts on quantity purchases, so be sure to check for any specials that might be available. See our Coupons page for details.
pHion Green is formulated especially to help make your blood pH more alkaline. Alkalinity in the body is an important factor in overall health, as an alkaline system is unfriendly to bacteria, viruses and parasites. Most of these harmful antibodies thrive on acidic environments. That’s why there is a huge movement in increasing blood and body alkalinity via food and water. The trick is…experts don’t agree on how body alkalinity should be measured and, therefore, what foods increase alkalinity. For example, some say that fruits like orange and lemon are alkaline, because they convert from acid to alkaline in your digestive process. Others call them acidic because they will increase the acidity of your urine after you eat them.
Since pHion Green is made specifically to increase alkalinity, it would be unfair to judge it only on its nutritional quality. Instead, it should be judged on both nutrition and its ability to increase alkalilnity. So here’s my evaluation: pHion is well formulated for blood alkalinity since it’s heavy in grasses, which are very alkaline, if not the most nutritious of the greens. The rest of the formula includes some fruit and veggie powders (grapefruit, lemon, cucumber, kale, spinach, tomato, etc). There’s not much else to speak of. As an alkalining formula, it’s on the expensive side, but it does the job. As an overall green drink, it’s very weak in comparison to, say, Vitamineral Green, which is also quite alkaline but includes more nutrition in its greens (and it’s less expensive). If this product were closer to $3.00 per ounce, instead of $4.72, I’d feel a lot better about giving it high marks.
Manufacturer’s Description
Even the most devoted students of pH balance can have trouble including enough alkalizing foods in their diet. That’s why a greens product like pHion Green is so essential. pHion Green contains 40 different raw alkalizing juices and foods that are so alkalizing, they easily make up for the gaps in your diet. Unlike ordinary greens, pHion Green contains only alkaline ingredients from 40 different grasses, veggies, low sugar fruits and sprouts. And pHion Green tastes SO GOOD…you’ll forget it’s green!
LifeForce is very close to hitting my ideal green drink formula. It has absolutely no fillers and is very high in spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed. Its grasses and greens content is one of the highest I’ve seen (although it’s mostly grasses with some nettle, spinach and parsley powders thrown in). These land and sea greens comprise more than 10 of the 16.8-grams in the recommended serving size. The rest are roots (ginseng, beet, astragalus, and dandelion–very good choices) and fruit-related powders (lemon and orange peel, rose hips). Overall, this is an excellent blend at an amazing price of only $2.11 per ounce. This is pretty hard to beat. If the formula is missing something for you (and it probably is), you’ll have plenty of money left over from your purchase to get the extras and add them yourself. I might suggest some green tea powder (for those who don’t mind a little caffeine), tumeric, and perhaps some mushroom powder.
Compare to Vitamineral Green which has an equally high-quality formulation with no fillers, but has a wider variety of greens (and a slightly higher price tag).
Manufacturer’s Description
LifeForce High Potency Energy and Immune Support contains a perfectly balanced blend of super foods and is specifically formulated to supply you with natural food source vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, phytochemicals, and essential trace nutrients. Each and every ingredient has been pains-takenly selected for its nutritional value and support of vital force, so that when combined together in a perfect ratio, they form a complete nutrition supplement, promoting a vital, active, healthy lifestyle.
Where to Purchase
Online at manufacturer’s site.
Taste
Grassy, slightly citric and slightly earthy. You’ll want to mix this with a strong-tasting juice.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
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Pros
Excellent, high-quality mixture with no fillers and no gluten. The price is hard to beat.
Cons
Could use a little more variety in the types of land veggies it contains. You may want to augment this formulation with some botanicals of your own.
Greens Pak offers a fairly typical mixture of greens (grasses and spirulina), veggie powders (carrot, broccoli, spinach juices) and special herbs (in this case grouped into an “antioxidant blend” including milk thistle, red beet root and aloe vera leaf powders). There are good amounts of all of these blends and a good amount of filler, which is Lecithin in this case. The product comes in handy, single-serving packs, but the serving size is only 7.5 grams, about half of what other brands suggest. This makes the price tag rather steep for this product, even though the formulation is comparable to several other products. Compare price and formula to these products: Antioxidant Greens, Delicious Greens, and Go Greens.
Manufacturer’s Description
Greens Pak is a great-tasting, easy-to-mix phyto-nutrient powder that is loaded with energy-packed whole foods, super fruits, antioxidant foods, vegetables, enzymes, probiotics, fiber and plant extracts to help energize your body. A super blend of completely natural vitamins, ConcenTrace® ionic trace minerals, enzymes, phyto-nutrients and symbiotic intestinal flora helps to provide your body with added energy, increased metabolism, efficient digestion and detoxification, and helps strengthen your body’s natural defenses for heightened rejuvenation and longevity.
Select retail outlets.
Taste
Sweet and slightly fruity. Flavored with Stevia.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
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Pros
Good mixture, comparable to many others on the market. Strong in greens, veggies and special herbs.
Cons
Cost is higher than competing products.
Recommended Usage
Open packet and place the entire contents of the packet into 6-8 oz. of water and stir. May also be put in juice, a smoothie, or other beverage. Some caking may occur.
Certifications & Manufacturing
ORAC = 800 per gram
Price
7.9 oz = $32.23
Prices vary greatly, depending on the outlet. Shop around!
By looking at the massive ingredients list of this product, you might come to the conclusion it has everything. While it is a good blend with plenty of functional ingredients and not much filler, a close look at the numbers shows that it’s very heavy in grasses and rather low in everything else. I’m not knocking it completely; this is a good blend at a really good price! Just don’t let that huge list of ingredients throw you off. Compare the greens, veggies and antioxidant herbs to a product like Antioxidant Greens* and you’ll see that ORAC Energy Greens has more grass, but quite a bit less of the herbs and veggies. To give it some extra credit, ORAC Energy Greens has very little filler and adds quite a few fruits instead (a vitamin C fruit blend and some others). Plus, I give it some credit for having a number of “extra” herbs if you total them all up (there are very small amounts of each, but all totaled it’s not bad). Some highlights in the special herbs department include the mushrooms (I love to see this in a green drink), the green and white tea (powdered tea which is better than extract), and the adaptogen blend.
In summary, this is a good blend that is heavy in grass powders and covers a wide spectrum of everything else…all for only $2.73 per ounce.
* to compare, you have to double the numbers on the ORAC Energy Greens label, due to the smaller serving size used in the calculations.
Manufacturer’s Description
Paradise Herbs ORAC Energy Greens is the next generation in greens and provides a powerhouse of unparalleled antioxidants and superfoods. It contains over 42 certified organic and pesticide free ingredients including highly bioavailable juice powders, freeze-dried berries/veggies and ecologically wild crafted or naturally grown True Full Spectrum™ herbal concentrates.
Where to Purchase
Health Food Stores and whole foods markets (see store locater at site).
Online health stores and vitamin centers.
Taste
Slightly grassy. Slightly fruity.
Ingredients & Nutritional Facts
Click to enlarge image
Pros
Lots of grasses and a good variety of other ingredients (including mushrooms) for an excellent price (shop around for a good source). Very few fillers.
Cons
Heavy in the grasses and light in everything else.
Recommended Usage
One level tablespoon (scoop) daily. Tastes great mixed in water, apple juice or your favorite fruit smoothie.
Certifications & Manufacturing
ORAC = 12,000 per serving (6g).
Most ingredients are wild harvested.
Price
12.8 oz = $34.99
Prices vary greatly, depending on the outlet. Shop around!
A super robust formula that is the most nutritionally dense and balanced green drink on the market — it truly serves as both a top notch green drink and as a multivitamin/multimineral supplement. VITAFORCE has a great balance of all the nutrients you need daily, and, unlike most green drinks, it has a complete vitamin and mineral label showing exactly the amount of nutrients you get per serving. Of particular note, it contains reliable sources of essential nutrients that are almost always lacking in other green drinks, such as Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D, zinc and selenium.
Magma Plus is made by the same people who make Green Magma. This formulation is their super green drink with a variety of greens and veggies. In fact, they put everything imaginable in there with a focus on barley grass, wheat grass, alfalfa, and veggie powders (carrots, cabbage, beats and others). There is an acceptable amount of what they call “whole food extracts,” which is mostly a selection of healthy fillers (chicory root, wheat germ, brown rice).
Field of Greens is not for everybody. This is advanced stuff for those serious about nutrition. First, it costs more than most other green drink products (around $6.38 per ounce). But most important, it’s a super concentrated, highly focused combination of the best green superfoods you’ll find anywhere. It contains ONLY green superfoods, like kale, spinach, broccoli, and collard powders. Plus it offers alfalfa and parsley powders, two fantastic greens for nutrition and detoxification. You also get the three main grasses (oat, wheat and barley) in both leaf and juice form. You will definitely feel a boost of energy from this formula (and it contains NO GREEN TEA or other caffeine source)!
There are a lot of great ingredients in Shakeology…including whey protein, which is an excellent protein source (they use the isolate, which has less lactose and more protein per serving). They also provide protein in the form of pea fiber. Other key ingredients include Maca powder (an excellent natural energy supplement that provides minerals), flax and chia seeds (more protein and omega-3s), plus plenty of greens (AFA spirulina, spinach, chlorella, seaweeds, and an assortment of grasses). Some of the special herbs provided in this formulation include ashwaganda (energy and circulation support), green tea extract, and basil powder. The formula has a bit of filler in the form of grains, apple pectin (which also acts as a natural emulsifier), and even the Maca can be regarded as a filler (although it has excellent nutritional properties too).
It’s pretty clear what Blender Culture Super Green & Super Fruit Blend is doing by looking at their label. They categorize their ingredients into seven different groups, or “blends,” and provide you with the quantity of each blend. The mixture is highest in its fruits (prune, acai, blueberry, pomegranate and others) with its grasses (kamut, alfalfa, barley and wheat grasses) coming in second. These two blends comprise more than 50% of the mixture. If you add the algaes (spirulina, dulse and chlorella), you have over 70% of the mixture in essential fruits and greens…and although I would have liked to see more vegetable powders in this mixture, you really can’t complain about that combination. You also get some special herbs (milk thistle, astragalus and green tea), plus a few veggie powders (beet, spinach, carrot and kale).
Tony Robbin’s greens product, like most things Tony produces, uses a no-nonsense approach with a focus on what works. It’s one of the most simple formulations I’ve seen and, in many ways, one of the best. It has no fillers and focuses on the “big greens,” grasses, alfalfa, broccoli powder, spinach powder, and kelp. There are no special herbs and no flavorings. The only other thing you’ll get is a healthy dose of MSM, which is a type of sulfite that your body needs for healthy joints. It’s great for controlling pain and general health…and most Americans are deficient in it. Overall, this is a great formula for anyone wanting the essentials without a lot of other ingredients and at $3.23 per ounce, it’s a great value.
I like this formula very much. It’s very high in greens — alfalfa, spirulina and barley grass primarily but also some parsley, watercress, seaweed (dulse) and chlorella. Other veggies in this mixture include carrot and beet juice powders, which are excellent additions. It also has some very nice added herbs, including rose hips, horsetail, royal jelly, green tea, ginseng and Echinacea. All good choices.
The Greens Today blend is formulated to offer great nutrition, plus cleansing effects and immune support. It features a heavy dose of greens (mostly Spirulina, broccoli, alfalfa and barley grass — a very good mix), plus antioxidants (green tea, beet root, acerola, bilberry and others). That covers over 50% of the mixture. What’s great about this formula are the extra herbal additions. Some highlights include Pine Bark Extract (one of my favorites for immune support and antioxidants), artichoke (appetite suppressant), Licorice Root (adaptogen for brain and immune support), plus Horsetail Root, Astragalus, and Dandelion (all excellent herbs for health and wellness). Finally, there is a small amount of these powerful additions: Maitake and Reishi mushroom (brain support and disease fighting properties), Royal Jelly (pure nutrition), and CoQ-10 (essential supplement for health and energy).
Green Magma is formulated with a different philosophy than most other green drinks. It contains only one active ingredient, which is barley grass juice powder. Except for a little sweetener from the maltodextrin and brown rice, this is essentially like getting pure barley grass. Naturally, I tend to prefer the more robust mixtures, but that does not mean some people will not benefit greatly from getting a pure barley grass formula. Others might like to add extra barley grass to their other green drink formula — using Green Magma as the source. There are many studies showing the benefits of this grass, so people who are sold on its benefits might do well to get a green drink like this one. The quality of the grass in this mixture is quite high. The price tag is also on the high side at $4.50 per ounce.
Vega is designed differently than most green drinks. It provides a larger than usual amount of protein, which makes it a cross between a protein drink and a green drink. The protein comes from hemp and green pea mostly, but also contains some rice and flax. The last two would be fillers to most people, but they do provide some protein. These ingredients give the mixture a slightly gritty texture, but you can easily overcome that by mixing with a “thick” fruit juice or nectar.
Here’s a quick article to cover some of my favorite green drink recipes. Modify these basic ideas in any way you see fit…and remember that each green drink tastes different. These all work well with neutral-tasting drinks and I’ve made notes for mixing with green drinks that have more “flavor” to them.
Juvo has a unique an interesting formulation that, I think, you need to try for yourself and see if it works for you. The mixture is fairly heavy in grains (millet, rice solids, various beans), which act as filler and also provide some cleansing action and some protein. Once you get beyond this, the mixture starts looking interesting — with a healthy dose of veggies (kale, beet, parsley, carrot, tomato, pumpkin, radish, and cabbage) and a huge amount of alfalfa as the primary green superfood (other greens include spirulina and chlorella, radish leaves and seaweeds). The mixture also offers plenty of fruits (lingonberry, black currant, aronia, concord grape, pomegranate, sour cherry, acerola, blueberry, cranberry, elderberry, and many others).
Mighty Greens is made by one of the nation’s most reputable wheat grass growers. They supply a great many of the formulators of other green products and now they have created their own green formula, getting the non-wheat-grass ingredients from some of their own best customers. The formulation is designed to do one thing very well: provide green superfoods. Not surprisingly, it’s heavy in grasses and has a good deal of Spirulina and some chlorella. The fillers are soy lecithin, which has some nutritional benefits along with being a filler, brown rice bran, and apple pectin fiber. There’s not much else to this product…just a little royal jelly (excellent addition and very nutrient rich) aleo vera, pineapple powder, dulse (a seaweed that’s full of nutrients), ginseng, grape skin extract (also full of nutrients and antioxidants) and some herbs like ginko, bilberry leaf and ginger.
NonoGreens10 is pretty much like a lot of green drink formulas (suggested comparisons appear below). It is heavy in grasses and the “spirulina/chlorella duo,” although like most green drinks, you can’t really tell how much spirulina/chlorella is in the mixture, since all three (barley grass, spirulina and chlorella) are grouped into a single category, called Greens Blend.
pHion Green is formulated especially to help make your blood pH more alkaline. Alkalinity in the body is an important factor in overall health, as an alkaline system is unfriendly to bacteria, viruses and parasites. Most of these harmful antibodies thrive on acidic environments. That’s why there is a huge movement in increasing blood and body alkalinity via food and water. The trick is…experts don’t agree on how body alkalinity should be measured and, therefore, what foods increase alkalinity. For example, some say that fruits like orange and lemon are alkaline, because they convert from acid to alkaline in your digestive process. Others call them acidic because they will increase the acidity of your urine after you eat them.
LifeForce is very close to hitting my ideal green drink formula. It has absolutely no fillers and is very high in spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed. Its grasses and greens content is one of the highest I’ve seen (although it’s mostly grasses with some nettle, spinach and parsley powders thrown in). These land and sea greens comprise more than 10 of the 16.8-grams in the recommended serving size. The rest are roots (ginseng, beet, astragalus, and dandelion–very good choices) and fruit-related powders (lemon and orange peel, rose hips). Overall, this is an excellent blend at an amazing price of only $2.11 per ounce. This is pretty hard to beat. If the formula is missing something for you (and it probably is), you’ll have plenty of money left over from your purchase to get the extras and add them yourself. I might suggest some green tea powder (for those who don’t mind a little caffeine), tumeric, and perhaps some mushroom powder.
Greens Pak offers a fairly typical mixture of greens (grasses and spirulina), veggie powders (carrot, broccoli, spinach juices) and special herbs (in this case grouped into an “antioxidant blend” including milk thistle, red beet root and aloe vera leaf powders). There are good amounts of all of these blends and a good amount of filler, which is Lecithin in this case. The product comes in handy, single-serving packs, but the serving size is only 7.5 grams, about half of what other brands suggest. This makes the price tag rather steep for this product, even though the formulation is comparable to several other products. Compare price and formula to these products: 
By looking at the massive ingredients list of this product, you might come to the conclusion it has everything. While it is a good blend with plenty of functional ingredients and not much filler, a close look at the numbers shows that it’s very heavy in grasses and rather low in everything else. I’m not knocking it completely; this is a good blend at a really good price! Just don’t let that huge list of ingredients throw you off. Compare the greens, veggies and antioxidant herbs to a product like 
