:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/greens-powders-tout-dc40a0b27ea34e0aa319d6f30c031d5c.jpg)
Byrdie / Jhett Thompson
Our team of experts reviews and evaluates every single wellness and nutrition product we recommend. From there, a registered dietitian on our Medical Expert Board reviews each article for scientific accuracy.
We know dark green vegetables are important for our health, and yet, most Americans do not consume enough of them. Ideally, adults should consume at least two to three cups of vegetables daily, including leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, or broccoli leaves. These plants are chock-full of nutrients that can slow cognitive decline, help prevent cardiovascular disease, clear skin, and support mental health and well-being.
No supplement can take the place of eating whole fruits and vegetables; however, if you can benefit from a nutrient boost or are looking for an easy way to get your greens in on the go, a greens powder might be the right fit for you, says Kimberly Snyder, a plant-based celebrity nutritionist and holistic wellness expert. Green powders are concentrated greens mixed with water or added to smoothies, yogurt, or baked goods. Most green powders feature grasses, such as wheat, barley, oats, and alfalfa grass. These greens are rich in nutrients, such as vitamins A, B, K, and magnesium.
We tested some of the top-rated powders out there, taking note of ingredients, taste, and value. We also looked at what types of certifications each product has. Our team combined these results with our research and registered dietitian-recommended picks to create this list.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Sakara Organic Protein + Greens Super Powder
Pleasant vanilla flavor with no aftertaste
Smooth texture that mixes easily
Includes greens and protein
Taste may be too sweet for some
Key Ingredients: Pea protein, spirulina, wheatgrass, hemp protein | Certified: Organic, gluten-free | Dosage: 1 pouch daily
Taste is a major factor when selecting a greens powder you'll drink consistently, and this one from Sakura delivers. It contains organic coconut sugar, organic vanilla powder, and stevia extract yielding a creamy, sweet flavor. We loved that we didn’t have to drink something else after to cleanse our palate (often the case for greens powders) and that it tastes great and blends easily with water. This powder is also a multitasker—it contains greens and 17 grams of protein. It has a completely plant-based formula, with pea and hemp protein to boost energy levels and wheatgrass and barley grass to support the detoxification of the body. We love that it comes in ten single packets for easy measuring and serving.
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Best With Probiotics
AG1 Greens Supplement
Made with high-quality, non-GMO ingredients
NSF-certified
Great, fruity taste
Powder can collect at the bottom of a glass
Key Ingredients: Pea protein, spirulina, wheatgrass, probiotics | Certified: Non-GMO, NSF-certified | Dosage: 1 scoop daily
If you want one of the highest quality greens powders available that includes a healthy dose of probiotics, we recommend this formula from AG1. You get a morning drink chock-full of vitamins, nutrients, and probiotics to support digestion, metabolism, energy levels, and more. It even has a boost of protein per serving to start your day off right. We loved that the taste was sweet without being overpowering and had a slightly fruity aftertaste. It has a creamy consistency that you can just mix with water or milk and doesn’t require any extra sweeteners or sugar. The texture was completely smooth once blended and didn’t have any lingering grains or clumps, but we did notice there was some leftover powder at the bottom of the glass after drinking. We’re still giving it top marks for its science-backed formula and great flavor.
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Best Matcha-Alternative
Amazing Grass Greens Blend
Sweet matcha latte flavor
Boosts energy
Plant-based ingredients
A little grainy once mixed
Key Ingredients: Wheatgrass, barley grass, rosehips, probiotics | Certified: Non-GMO, gluten-free | Dosage: 1 scoop daily
You can get a variety of superfoods and antioxidants in your daily morning matcha with the Amazing Original Greens Blend. While it's not technically matcha or matcha-flavored, we were surprised to find that it tasted just like a latte you would get from your favorite coffee shop. It has a sweet but not artificial taste, with only one gram of total sugar and zero grams of added sugar per serving. It contains a greens blend, a fiber blend, as well as active cultures to support the gut, boost immunity, and increase energy levels. While it was a bit grainy when we mixed it with a spoon, we think using a blender or an automatic whisk would give you a perfectly smooth texture with no clumps.
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Best for Bloating
Ancient Nutrition Organic SuperGreens
Contains fermented ingredients and probiotics to improve gut health
Comes in multiple flavors
Clinically studied
Could be sweeter
Key Ingredients: Alfalfa grass juice, oat grass juice, flax seed, ashwagandha root | Certified: Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free | Dosage: 1 scoop daily
You've probably heard having poor gut health can lead to numerous other issues—one of the biggest being frequent bloating. Not only does this powder contain 25+ superfoods, but also fermented herbs and clinically studied probiotics to keep your gut and digestive system in tip-top shape. We loved the earthy yet sweet taste, as you can truly taste the berries in the formula. Easily mix it with water and have no residue left behind or offensive smell. It gets extra points for its creamy texture that was enjoyable to drink.
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Best Budget
BioSteel Powdered Greens Antioxidant Superfood
Comparatively affordable
Supports antioxidant and cardiovascular health
Great value
Leaves an aftertaste that lingers
Key Ingredients: Spirulina, barley grass, goji berry, turmeric | Certified: Non-GMO, gluten-free | Dosage: 1 scoop daily
This powder from BioSteel contains 30 servings for $40 ($6 less if you want to subscribe and save), making it less than $2 a day for a drink that contains strong antioxidants and probiotics. The vegan and plant-based formula is made with a greens mix and herbs that can boost cardiovascular health and even provide elevated muscle support. We would describe the taste as fruity with hints of mint and lemon, which wasn’t delicious but wasn’t too offensive. If you’re big on taste, we recommend blending with a smoothie—but if you don’t mind, we did love that it mixed easily in water with just a spoon. It did have a slight aftertaste, but the top-notch formula and great value still make it one of our favorites.
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Best Fermented
Dr. Mercola Fermented Greens Powder
Filled with fermented, organic ingredients that aid in digestion
Mixes easily and quickly
Zero sugar
Unpleasant taste and aftertaste
Key Ingredients: Wheatgrass, barley grass, broccoli, kale | Certified: Organic, non-GMO, soy-free | Dosage: 1 teaspoon daily
This powerful formula contains several fermented ingredients (everything from greens to veggies and herbs) that your body can digest and absorb easier than non-fermented formulas. (Fermented foods are also great for maintaining a healthy gut and microbiome). We love that it's low-carb and has zero grams of sugar, aka perfect for folks on ketogenic diets. The biggest con is the taste, which was savory and tangy with a strong vegetable flavor, so not the best just mixed in water or even in fruit smoothies. However, it might work better mixed with a vegetable soup or something similar. It blends easily into any liquid though, so that's a plus.
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Best for Smoothies
Ora Organic Easy Being Green
Mild orange flavor works well in fruit smoothies
No aftertaste
Thick texture that can’t mix easily in water
Key Ingredients: Barley grass, wheatgrass, alfalfa leaf, oat grass | Certified: Organic, non-GMO, soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan | Dosage: 1 scoop daily
Greens powders often go well in smoothies, but this particular powder from Ora Organics is the best option to add to your morning blend. It has a thick, almost creamy texture and a light orange flavor that fits perfectly with a fruit smoothie. It isn’t too sweet (which we prefer), and didn’t have an aftertaste—making it an overall enjoyable experience. One scoop provides three to five servings of more than 20 organic greens from land and sea, including kale, spirulina powder, wheatgrass juice, oat grass, broccoli, dulse, and sea kelp. We also love that these greens are USDA-certified organic and certified vegan.
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Best Low Sugar
Primal Harvest Primal Greens
Made with no artificial sweeteners
No aftertaste
Can drink up to twice a day
Bland flavor
Key Ingredients: Alfalfa leaf, carrot, wheatgrass, spinach | Certified: Soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free | Dosage: 1 scoop daily
A lot of “healthy” green smoothies and juices contain way more sugar than you’d expect, but not this pick from Primal Harvest. It contains less than a gram of sugar and is made without any added or artificial sugars. While this does make it less sweet than others we tried, the taste was not offensive and was undetectable enough to blend with smoothies or even drink with water—it also had a slightly sweet kick that we appreciated with no aftertaste. It didn’t have a thick formula and mixed seamlessly with water, encouraging us to drink it more regularly (you can drink it up to twice a day for an extra boost). It also includes gut enzymes for increased digestive support.
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Best Microgreens
True Grace Broccoli Microgreens
Mild flavor
Simple ingredient list
Would go well in smoothies and juices
Not a good pick for those who don’t like broccoli
Key Ingredients: Broccoli microgreens | Certified: Organic, non-GMO | Dosage: 1/4 teaspoons daily
Microgreens tend to be richer in nutrients than your average leafy greens, and broccoli in particular has been cited as a cancer-fighting superfood. This broccoli microgreens powder is exactly that—only organic broccoli. It’s made without any filler or artificial ingredients— but it does taste like broccoli. When we tried it though, we were surprised by how mild the taste was, even when just mixed with water. We think it would taste better blended with a smoothie or juice, but it mixed evenly and quickly with water and was clump-free. It’s not only certified organic—but Regenerative Organic Certified—an even higher standard representing the quality of the agriculture surrounding health products.
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Best Consistency
Your Super Super Green Mix
Mixes easily in water
Made with high-quality ingredients
Affordable
Has a slight aftertaste
Key Ingredients: Wheatgrass, barley grass, moringa, baobab, spirulina | Certified: Organic | Dosage: 2 teaspoons daily
Clumps of green powder in your morning beverage will turn anyone off, but this one provides a super smooth drink experience. It mixed completely in water in about 15 seconds, without any residual at the bottom of the glass (rare for a powder-based beverage). Although it has an aftertaste, we loved the grassy and clean flavor that wasn’t too sweet and the texture was very enjoyable to drink. It has a short ingredient list of organic, high-quality ingredients (aka ingredients you can feel confident about putting in your body). The best part is that only $30 for 30 servings, meaning each drink is only $1— much cheaper than a smoothie from your local juice bar.
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What to Look for in Greens Powders
- Taste: Green powders are not the most pleasant-tasting supplements. The lack of palatability is because concentrated greens have a strong grassy taste and can have a gritty texture. We recommend purchasing a powder without added sugars, artificial sweeteners, or flavors, and instead, improving the taste yourself by adding your powder to smoothies, coconut water, or water with lemon and a teaspoon of honey. If you want a flavored powder, look for options that use monk fruit or stevia to sweeten and feature organic flavoring.
- Additional ingredients: Common complementary ingredients added to green powders are probiotics, digestive enzymes, adaptogens, and additional fruits and vegetables. As a guiding principle, we recommend keeping it simple when choosing a greens supplement. It's better to choose a separate probiotic for women, for example, rather than use a green powder that includes them. If you are new to green powders, start with a product that only has greens and a few other vegetables and fruits listed on the ingredient list. After consulting with your healthcare practitioner, you can try a product with more ingredients, if you so choose.
- Price: Quality matters when buying supplements, and often, higher-quality products have a higher price tag. There are ways to stretch your dollar and make sure your powder is still top quality. First, avoid products with a lot of complementary ingredients, such as probiotics, digestive enzymes, or “blends” other than greens; this will help keep the price down. In addition, pay attention to serving size and servings per container. Some products will only have 15 servings per container but will be the same price as products with 30 servings.
Why Trust Byrdie
As a registered dietitian, Sydney Greene takes supplement recommendations seriously. Every product has been researched and vetted against clinical research and product reviews. These are products she would not only feel comfortable recommending to her clients but would take them herself if needed.
Shannon Stubbs is a staff writer at Byrdie, where she covers beauty. She’s frequently trying new skincare and skin health products to recommend the best of the best to readers.
The following expert was interviewed for this story:
- Kimberly Snyder, a plant-based celebrity nutritionist and holistic wellness expert.