Dietitian Reviews AG1 Athletic Greens
Greens powders are a popular health and wellness fad going around claimed to help with gut health and give you more energy. You have likely seen your favorite influencer or YouTuber talk about these greens powders. But what’s the deal? Are greens powders worth it? Do they actually help with bloating? Will they support immunity?
New around here? Welcome! My name is Hannah and I am a non-diet registered dietitian. This means that I can help you make choices that are best for your unique body, all without dieting and restricting.
Now, let’s review the wildly popular Athletic Greens AG1 greens powder.
What are Athletic Greens?
Athletic Greens are a very popular greens powder supplement. They have recently gone through a small rebrand and now go by the name AG1.
What is a greens powder, you ask? Well, it is quite literally a powder that is green. The AG1 greens powder is claimed to have “75 high-quality vitamins, minerals, and whole-food sourced nutrients.” Some of the ingredients you’ll find in the supplement include powdered fruits and vegetables such as spinach, broccoli flower, carrots, and artichoke.
The most popular way to use the AG1 powder is to mix one scoop with 8 oz of cold water every day (of course they encourage you to make this part of your daily routine). You can also add the powder to smoothies or a protein shake.
Other popular greens powder brands
Even though AG1 seems to be the brand most frequently on my social media feed, there are other brands with a similar product.
Bloom (this one is all over TikTok)
Vital Proteins (yup, the collagen people)
1st Phorm Opti-Greens 50
MLM brands such as Arbonne, Monat, and Shakeology
Each brand’s formula is a little different. I am by no means recommending any of these but just sharing some of the brands that I see the most.
Who are Athletic Greens for?
Athletic Greens states on their website that AG1 is for “just about everybody” and the product is “optimized for athletes, lifeletes, and everyone in between.” The powder is vegan, paleo, and keto-friendly.
Which nutrients are in Athletic Greens?
Athletic Greens is chock full of vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, and probiotics. I won’t list them all but you can find them on the Athletic Greens site. While all of these nutrients play important roles in the body, you do not need a greens powder to get them in. When you eat a meal or snack, so many of these nutrients will be making their way into your body from the foods you ate. And I’m willing to bet that meal or snack is way more satisfying than a green powder mixed with water.
Also, many of the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in AG1 are in amounts that exceed the recommended daily value. This is not always inherently a bad thing, but it’s not always good either. It is possible to over-consume a vitamin or mineral to a toxic level. Or, depending on the nutrient, you just pee them out. But that is some expensive pee!
Generally speaking, it is best to get your nutrients from food rather than supplements. Not only does your body absorb and digest them better this way, but this will be much more affordable too.
What are the claimed benefits of AG1 Athletic Greens?
Athletic Greens claim that their product does the following:
Promotes gut health
Supports immunity
Boosts energy
Helps recovery
Other greens powders will make claims that their products support the detox process, increase alkalinity, and support hormone function. Seems like some pretty bold claims for a container of ground up alfalfa and broccoli flowers.
The claims made by AG1 are related to the 75 ingredients inside their formula. And there may be some truth to certain claims. For example, vitamin C is known to support immunity and AG1 provides 467% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C. But there are some ingredients in the powder that are included as part of a proprietary blend. A proprietary blend is a special formula of ingredients used in a supplement that does not need to be disclosed to the consumer. Because of this lack of transparency, we cannot be sure that the amounts of ingredients in the product will actually stand up to the claims that are made.
Basically, Athletic Greens has many ingredients with potential health benefits. But without knowing how much is in each serving, we cannot say for sure if using AG1 will actually make a difference.
Brands like AG1 know that consumers tend to want what is best for their health. So of course they make drastic claims and make you feel like you absolutely need their product, even though you don’t. Many, if not all, of the 75 ingredients in the powder can be obtained through food alone (or they aren’t really necessary).
Can greens powders replace fruits and vegetables?
I know this is very cliché for a registered dietitian to say, but nothing can replace fruits and vegetables!
Even though greens powders have lots of vitamins and minerals added, this is not equivalent to eating veggies and fruit. The biggest thing that is missing when replacing produce with a supplement - fiber! Fiber can help with regular bowel movements, lowering cholesterol, and it helps with satiety. When you can add fiber to your meals, they can help you to feel satisfied. A powder can’t do that!
Are AG1 Athletic Greens third party tested?
Supplements are generally not regulated by the FDA, meaning that what is on the supplement label is not always guaranteed to be in the actual product. Because of this lack of regulation, I recommend only taking supplements that are third party tested. This helps ensure that the supplement facts label is accurate and the product does not have any contaminants.
Athletic Greens does get bonus points for this one because they are third party tested by NSF. Good job, AG1.
We gotta talk about price
Taking Athletic Greens every day will definitely be a price to pay. 30 servings of AG1 will cost you $99 or $79 if you opt in to the subscription. Nearly $100 for a months supply of powdered veg? Hard pass from me.
If these numbers seem out of your budget, don’t sweat. You don’t need to spend the money on a greens powder. Fruits and vegetables will suffice! And you can eat these fruits and veggies fresh, canned, or frozen.
Bottom line - are greens powders worth it?
So should you add a greens powder to your morning routine? Short answer - probably not. For most people, taking a greens powder supplement is unnecessary.
We do not have quality evidence that shows the benefits of taking a greens powder. But we do have loads of evidence demonstrating the vast benefits of eating lots of fruits and veggies. Maybe put your time, energy, and hard earned money into this first.
Even if you see your favorite influencer raving about AG1, remember that they likely received the product for free and are even being paid to say how much it has changed their life. Wellness culture will always be trying to sell you on the next big thing. More times than not, you don’t need to spend your money on it.
What are your thoughts on greens powders? Leave a comment below!