As a sports dietitian, I am often asked whether greens powders are healthy and if they’re meant to replace fruits and veggies. While greens powders can vary in terms of ingredients, in general, they’re not a replacement for whole fruits and vegetables. However, they can provide some great nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more. When shopping for the best greens powders, I look for options that are packed with healthful ingredients, taste delicious, and have a pleasant texture. 

I was part of a team of nutrition experts and Verywell Fit editors who tested 41 of the best greens powders, evaluating each option for taste, texture, smell, nutrition, independent verification, and value. Here are 10 top options I stand by as a sports dietitian.

• Are Greens Powders Actually Healthy?

  Since there are such diverse formulations of greens powders, it’s difficult to label them as healthy or unhealthy. Making an educated assessment really comes down to individual products, what ingredients they use, and how they are dosed. While they aren’t a substitute for eating whole fruits and vegetables, which are much higher in fiber and other nutrients, says Maddi Osburn, RDN, LD, greens powders can still offer numerous good-for-you nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, probiotics, and adaptogens. 

  Eating fruits and vegetables is linked to numerous health benefits, but many of us still don't consume the recommended two cups of fruits and three cups of vegetables per day. However, a greens powder can be helpful and convenient when you may not have access to many fruits and vegetables during travel or when you’re on the go.

  As with any dietary supplement, there can be safety concerns or contraindications for combining greens powders with existing supplement regimens, as well as prescription and over-the-counter medications. If you have digestive issues, kidney disease, heart disease, food allergies, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best to check with your medical provider before adding a greens powder to your routine. Competitive athletes should seek out a product that has been tested to be free of banned substances from companies like NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport.

• What to Look For

  • Form: Greens powders are typically a mix of powdered leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, and extracts. They can also contain seaweed, probiotics, enzymes, and herbs, and some may include protein powder. While some greens powders contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals, there isn’t sufficient research to understand the bioavailability (how much your body can absorb) of these nutrients in this form.
  • Ingredients and Potential Interactions: Adaptogens, such as reishi mushrooms, Rhodiola, and ashwagandha, are often found in greens powders. These ingredients may warrant caution for individuals taking certain medications, those who are pregnant, or those who are breastfeeding. Reishi mushrooms may interact with blood pressure medications, diabetes medications, and certain cancer treatments. Rhodiola and ashwagandha may interact with several antidepressants, blood pressure medications, diabetes medications, thyroid medications, cholesterol medications, immunosuppressants, and other drugs that are broken down in the liver. Speak with a healthcare provider before taking supplements with adaptogens if you take any medications—even ones not listed here. In addition, the safety of adaptogen supplements during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not well known.
  • Digestive Enzymes: Some greens powders may contain digestive enzymes. However, digestive enzymes may not offer any significant benefit to healthy individuals. Registered dietitian Suzie Finkel, MS, RD, notes that digestive enzymes are only recommended for individuals with diagnosed enzyme deficiencies or other known digestive conditions. 
  • Probiotics: Many greens powders contain low levels of probiotics—about the amount you'd find in yogurt. There are many different types of probiotics, and no clear recommendations around which strains, strain combinations, or doses the general population should take. Specific probiotic strains have been clinically shown to improve a few gastrointestinal conditions, but these aren't the ones you'd find in a greens powder, says Finkel. That said, certain probiotics can also worsen some digestive conditions.

  
  

• How We Tested

  We take our testing process very seriously; reading the ingredient list just isn’t enough. For greens powders to be properly evaluated, we take a rigorous look at several features and take into consideration that these will be products people will likely want to use daily. It's essential to note that the FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before their release to the market. Our team of nutrition experts has developed a comprehensive methodology to select the supplements we recommend. When testing greens powders, we evaluate each option based on the following key criteria.

  • Taste: Taste is one of the most important criteria. We verify that the flavor matches its given name and assess whether it has over- or underwhelming flavor when mixed as directed. Options score high in this category if they have a pleasant taste that isn’t too overwhelming.
  • Texture: Powdered supplements are prone to clumping, which can be off-putting. We pay close attention to the “mixability” of each product and also look for texture changes if the product is left to sit for a bit after it has been mixed.
  • Smell: Because smell is directly connected to taste, we ensure the greens powders have a pleasant smell that matches the flavor description. We evaluate the smell both before and after mixing the powder with water.
  • Independent Verification: Independently verified supplements are sent to an outside laboratory, where they are tested for purity and potency to ensure they contain what they claim to contain and don’t have any potential contaminants. Trusted independent certifications include ConsumerLab.com, NSF, NSF for Sport, USP, Informed Choice, and Informed Sport. We check each product to see if it has certain verifications, third-party testing, and labels noting that it’s gluten-free, allergen-free, and organic.
  • Nutrition: We thoroughly review every ingredient and dosage to accurately assess what each product contains. We aren’t looking for the highest amount of nutrients; in some cases, they might contain too much of an ingredient, which would increase the risk of toxicity. 
  • Value: We wait until the end of the testing period to check the price of each product, after we’ve evaluated it in all other key criteria. Would we only buy it on sale? Would we recommend it to friends and family? We prioritize products whose quality exceeds their value.

  
  

Compare Top Picks

Compare Top Picks

Best Overall Garden of Life Raw Organic Perfect Food	Best Overall Garden of Life Raw Organic Perfect Food	View on Amazon		$44 $33		Fruity		No added sweeteners		1 scoop (7 grams)		30		Yes		USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, NSF Certified Gluten-Free, Kosher, Certified Vegan	Full Review
Best With Protein Sakara Organic Protein + Greens Super Powder	Best With Protein Sakara Organic Protein + Greens Super Powder	View on Amazon		$90 $81		Slightly sweet, vanilla-coconut taste		Coconut sugar, stevia		1 scoop (21 grams)		30		Yes		USDA Organic	Full Review
Best Budget Amazing Grass Greens Blend	Best Budget Amazing Grass Greens Blend	View on Amazon		$25 $24		Matcha-like taste		Fructose		1 scoop (8 grams)		30		Yes (for gluten only)		Certified Organic by CCOF, Kosher	Full Review
Best Savory Dr. Mercola Fermented Greens Powder	Best Savory Dr. Mercola Fermented Greens Powder	View on Amazon		$40 $36		Tangy		Monk fruit extract, stevia		1 teaspoon (3 grams)		90		Yes		USDA Organic	Full Review
Best Fruit Flavor KOS Show Me the Greens Powder	Best Fruit Flavor KOS Show Me the Greens Powder	View on Amazon		$40 $25		Green apple		Monk fruit extract, stevia		1 scoop (9.5 grams)		28		Yes		USDA Organic	Full Review
Best Single Ingredient True Grace Broccoli Microgreens	Best Single Ingredient True Grace Broccoli Microgreens	View on Amazon		$47 $45		Mild		No added sweeteners		¼ teaspoon		30		Yes		USDA Organic, Regenerative Organic Certified (Bronze), Non-GMO Verified	Full Review
Best for Pregnancy Perelel Synbiotic Greens Powder	Best for Pregnancy Perelel Synbiotic Greens Powder	View on Amazon		$53 $51		Acai berry		Stevia		1 scoop		30		Yes		Not listed	Full Review
Best With Nutrients AG1 Daily Foundational Nutrition	Best With Nutrients AG1 Daily Foundational Nutrition	View on Amazon		$110 $89		Pleasant and fruity		Stevia		1 scoop (13 grams)		30		Yes		NSF Certified for Sport	Full Review
Best Antioxidant Blend Thorne Daily Greens Plus	Best Antioxidant Blend Thorne Daily Greens Plus	View on Amazon		$70 $63		Strong and earthy		Monk fruit concentrate		1 scoop (7 grams)		30		Yes		NSF Content Certified	Full Review
Best for Endurance Training Gnarly Performance Greens	Best for Endurance Training Gnarly Performance Greens	View on Amazon		$55 $52		Blueberry Acai or Lemon Mint		Stevia		1 tablespoon (10 grams)		30		Yes		NSF Certified for Sport	Full Review