Best Green Powders For Smoothies
When it comes to smoothies, we all know that fresh is best
Even when it comes to superfood.
But we need to be realistic too because life sometimes gets in the way of fresh.
Sometimes your leafy greens go bad, or you didnt buy enough, or you havent gone to the store to buy more yet.
And sometimes you cant get organic leafy greens, or even a big variety of leafy greens.
And if this is the case, it can be much better to use an organic green powder than consume a bucket load of pesticides on your non organic greens.
Because leafy greens are one of the most heavily sprayed foods when it comes to pesticides, so its something you do need to be extra careful about.
I can only really get 1-3 types of organic leafy greens where I live so I buy these and also use a variety of different powders to increase the nutrients in my Green Thickies.
So here are my 10 best green powders for smoothies to help you get a variety of clean nutrients into your body every single day:
1) Organifi
Now You Can Get All Your Healthy Superfoods In One Drink With No Shopping, No Blending, No Juicing, and NO CLEANUP! This is my number one favourite green powder because its SO tasty AND nutritious and the tubs are just the right size for travel so it always comes travelling with me.
This very popular blend combines our alkalizing farm fresh greens and wholesome fruits and veggies with nutrient-rich superfoods for a delicious way to feel amazing every day.
3) Matcha Green Tea Powder
Primal Greens Ultimate Super Greens Blend
The Reality: The greens blend in this one isnt as robust as some of the others, Shapiro says. Still, she appreciates that Primal Greens includes a variety of ingredients, like deep purple fruits and vegetables to promote circulatory health and cognitive function. The product also contains pre- and probiotics to promote gut health, Shapiro says. And the adaptogenic mushrooms might help boost overall immunity and reduce stress. According to the product label, this greens powder is also very high in vitamins C, E, B12, and zinc. But Davis says not to expect miracles the powder doesnt offer enough of most of these ingredients to have any sort of major impact.
The Taste: Primal Greens was so sweet it reminded some reviewers of diet soda. Thats because its made with stevia, which is at least 50 times as sweet as sugar. The greens tasted almost imperceptible in this one a boon for drinkers with a sweet tooth and the vegetable-averse but not so much for those who like their spinach to taste like spinach. Primal Greens would also be great in a smoothie made with more acidic fruits, like plums, pineapples, or citrus.
Pumpkin Seeds And Oats
If youre out of greens, thats okay because pumpkin seeds are one of the most alkaline seeds you can eat . Pumpkin seeds contain 5 grams of protein per 1/4 cup, which is more than any grain or green per serving . Though theyre high in fat, pumpkin seeds contain healthy fats that protect your heart and your brain. Oats pair well with pumpkin seeds flavor-wise, and both are rich in magnesium and potassium, along with iron and zinc. Use 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds and 1/2 cup oats to obtain 13 grams total protein.
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How To Make Green Smoothies For Kids
Starting with spinach is a great idea because it has a very mild taste. Add 1/2 cup to your blend and see your kid will happily approve. You can then experiment with beets, cucumbers and kale. If you want more green smoothie ideas please see my Green Smoothie Recipe.
A high speed blender makes super smooth smoothies, and you will be able to blend fruits, veggies, and supplement with awesome results. My Vitamix is one of the best investments I made for my familys health. Put it on your birthday or holiday wish list!
The Best Greens Powder On The Market
Here are 5 of my top picks for greens powders, since these choices are free of additives, dyes and colorings, things to always watch out for in processed products.
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Best Fermented: Dr Mercola Fermented Greens Powder
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Contains stevia and monk fruit
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Contains moringa and caffeine, which may not be a good choice for some
The Dr. Mercola fermented greens powder contains a blend of fermented grasses, greens, vegetables, herbs, and algae, including chlorella and spirulina. Fermenting fruits, vegetables, and other foods may increase the body’s ability to use and benefit from the antioxidants found in those ingredients. Both spirulina and algae have been shown to offer a number of health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
This greens powder contains yerba mate and matcha, both of which contain caffeine. If you are sensitive to caffeine, are pregnant, or take a medication that could interact with caffeine, you may want to avoid this product.
It also contains moringa, an herb that can affect how medications are broken down in the liver, especially thyroid medications and those used for diabetes. If you’re taking any medications, review this product with a healthcare provider before using it.
Dr. Mercola’s fermented greens powder is sweetened with the no-calorie natural sweeteners monk fruit and stevia, which can help cut some of the grassy or bitter flavors of the powder without the added sugar. However, these ingredients have distinct flavors which you may or may not enjoy. These ingredients are generally recognized as safe by the FDA, but not much is known about their effects on human health yet.
Price at time of publish: $35
Best For Athletes: Biosteel Powdered Greens Antioxidant Superfood
Courtesy of Amazon
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Vegan and free from many allergens
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Mix of fruit and vegetables
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Contains stevia and inulin
If you’re a competitive athlete, it’s essential to choose a product that is third-party tested for any ingredients banned by your sport. Biosteel Sport Greens powder meets the rigorous NSF International Certified for Sport requirements. Some research suggests that fruit and vegetable juices and concentrates may promote muscle recovery. There has also been specific research to connect tart cherry, an ingredient in this blend, with exercise recovery.
The product advertises an amino acid complex to support sport recovery. However, research on the benefits of supplementing with l-glutamine and l-leucine on exercise recovery is inconsistent, and benefits are minimal, if any exist.
Biosteel Sport Greens is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, and free from any artificial flavors or colors, making it a good product if you have specific dietary requirements. It does contain inulin, which can be helpful for some people’s digestion but problematic for others.
Price at time of publish: $40
Serving Size: 1 scoop Servings Per Container: 30 Gluten-Free: Yes | Organic: NoAdded Sweetener: Stevia
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The Benefits Of Adding Spinach To Your Smoothie
A healthy smoothie can be made with spinach because it has a mild flavor and can be easily hidden with other ingredients. Although kale, chard, and collard greens can be combined in smoothies, they should be paired with sweet fruits and other flavor boosters to give them a more pleasant flavor. Fresh and frozen leaves, in addition to smoothies, can be added. It is acceptable to consume green smoothies on a daily basis, but it is not acceptable to consume only green smoothies . Whole grains, heart-healthy fats, lean protein, and fruits and vegetables are essential components. Heres your chance to get creative and make a delicious green smoothie.
Nested Naturals Super Greens
- Tasted like pond water
- No consumer-facing documentation around third-party testing
On the surface, theres nothing that makes this powder inherently inferior to the others. But during our testing, it had the distinct dishonor of being the least-drinkable of all the powders we tasted. In fact, our tester had to hold her nose to get it downand still ended up thinking it tasted the way that pond water smells.
There were more of some vitamins than others on this list, but the top daily value went to vitamin C at 19% DV, followed by iron at 11%.
Ultimately, the taste is what put it on our dont-recommend list. But its worth noting the mix also contains gingko leaf powder. This is not recommended for people on blood thinning medication. And while Nested Naturals website mentions the product goes through four layers of testing, it doesnt provide any consumer-facing documentation to prove it.
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Garden Of Life Raw Organic Perfect Food Green Superfood Powder
“This tastes so good that it doesn’t have to be mixed into a smoothie, making it even simpler to get all the benefits of a greens powder without taking the time to make a smoothieor a mess. We just stir it into water, no blender needed,” says The Nutrition Twins, Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, and authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure. “It’s an easy way to pack in lots of antioxidants with 34 raw superfoods. We love that it’s organic and non-GMO verified and contains prebiotics and probiotics. Plus, it’s not super calorie-dense , so you still can eat an entire meal to get even more nutrients.”
How To Start Taking Green Drink Powders
Its important to talk to your health provider about the supplements youre taking. Thats especially true for people who are pregnant or nursing, and before giving any supplements to children. Some vitamins and ingredients commonly found in green drink powders can interact with medications or otherwise affect your health. For example, vitamin K icon-trusted-source Mount SinaiVitamin KView Source interacts with several different medications, including antacids, antibiotics, and cancer drugs. Both vitamin E and ginkgo biloba can have blood thinning effectscombining them with blood thinning medication like aspirin could increase your risk icon-trusted-source FDAMixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your HealthView Source of stroke or internal bleeding, according to the FDA. Other supplements, like St. Johns Wort icon-trusted-source Mayo ClinicSt. John’s WortView Source, are known to make antidepressants, birth control, and other medications less effective.
So: at best, excess vitamins create expensive pee, and at worst, they could potentially lead to health problems. If you start a green drink powder, look at its label carefully and think about how it may or may not fit into your existing routine.
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Best Flavored: Garden Of Life Raw Organic Perfect Food Green Superfood Juiced Greens Powder Apple Flavor
Amazon
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Contains probiotics and digestive enzymes
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Contains stevia
Garden of Lifeâs Raw Organic Perfect Food Green Superfood has made it on our list a second time because it is just that good. This time, weâre ranking the apple flavor, which is ideal for shoppers who find the original version too grassy. This powder contains all of the same goodness as the original but is sweetened with stevia and organic apple flavor.
Key Ingredients: Barley, alfalfa, oat, and wheatgrass juice | Certified: Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free | Dosage: 1 scoop daily
Price at time of publish: $36
Best With Added Protein
Many people utilize greens powders as a meal replacement for a busy, on-the-go lifestyle or to support extra physical activity.
In these instances, it can be helpful for green powders also to contain protein to help fuel you and keep you satiated.
Many powders created with this purpose contain at least 20 grams of protein per scoop.
Look for ones that align with your dietary preferences.
Some powders will contain animal-derived protein sources, like whey, whereas many are also made with plant-derived proteins like soy, hemp, pea, and supporting blends of nuts and seeds.
Below are some greens powders with added protein that may be worth a look for your lifestyle.
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Can I Add Greens Powder To Protein Shake
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Theres no definitive answer to this question since it depends on the type and brand of greens powder youre using, as well as the type and brand of protein powder. That said, in general, you can add greens powder to protein shakes without any problems. Just be sure to follow the directions on the greens powder package, and start with a small amount, since too much powder can make the shake taste bitter.
A variety of fruits and vegetables are combined in this recipe for a green protein smoothie, which is made with almond milk, frozen banana, mango, and spinach. You cant taste the spinach, which acts as a natural food dye and gives the smoothie a green color, but its tasteless. This nutritious shake is ideal for breakfast because it is high in protein, nutrients, and fiber. A green protein shake that has been blended to provide protein and fiber is an excellent way to get them quickly. You can use the frozen cubes to make future smoothies by placing them in ice cube trays. A great alternative is Orgain Plant-Based Vanilla Bean Protein Powder, Vega Vanilla Protein Powder, or PB2 Madagascar Vanilla Plant Powder.
Ingredients To Watch For: Why We’re Skeptical Of Certain Ingredients
It is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included relative to the recommended daily value of that ingredient. Please bring the supplement label to a healthcare provider to review the different ingredients contained in the supplement and any potential interactions between these ingredients and other supplements and medications you are taking.
There are dozens of greens powders on the market to choose from. And while it may seem like they all offer similar benefits, many of them contain questionable ingredients or are not third-party tested by a reputable organization. Because greens powders have not been thoroughly researched and do not contain standardized ingredients, we are very selective with the brands we recommend.
One of the most concerning things to watch out for in greens powders is the presence of adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms. While some adaptogenic herbs may be safe and helpful for certain populations, there isn’t enough research to support their efficacy and safety for the general populationand in some cases, they may even be dangerous.
In addition to watching out for adaptogenic herbs, it’s important to be aware of other ingredients that may be problematic for some people.
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Best Time To Have Greens Powder
There is no one best time to consume a greens powder as this depends very much on your schedule. If you are following an intermittent fasting schedule then you would need to have your greens powder during your eating window.
Having your greens powder drink first thing in the morning is popular with many consumers as they feel it sets them up for the day ahead.
Green Powder Side Effects And Downsides
In fact, its possible to get too much of certain vitamins and minerals. Two nutrients that can be problematic in excess are vitamin D and iron. And not all synthetic vitamins are beneficial, so you may want to check how much is in your green powder .
Many green powders provide high amounts of vitamin K, which is generally good for you, but can interact with a variety of prescription medications like antacids, certain blood thinners, antibiotics, aspirin, and drugs for cancer, seizures, and high cholesterol, among other conditions. If you take any of these pharmaceuticals, you may want to consult your health care team before adding a green powder to your supplement regimen.
While youre checking the label of your green powder of choice, be on the lookout for certain ingredients that can cause side effects or allergies in some people. But even if nothing on the label concerns you, youre not necessarily in the clear.
Like all supplements, green powders are not tested or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Worldwide, oversight and compliance vary by country or region. That is, no official authority exists to verify that supplements contain what they claim to contain whether the included ingredients are safe and even whether they contain heavy metals, bacteria, or pesticides. You either have to trust the brands label or check whether a particular product has undergone testing by an independent third-party service such as ConsumerLab, NSF, or USP.
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