The Best Greens Powders, Tried and Tested

If it feels like you’ve been seeing the best greens powders pop up all over the internet in the last few years, you’re not alone. Many of these mysterious verdant powders and potions purport to be panaceas that aid in muscle gains, general wellbeing, and the ever-elusive “gut health” with a regiment as easy as a single scoop per day. Now, few things are ever that simple in the poorly regulated supplement market—and the jury is still out as to the exact efficacy of greens powders as a category—but one thing is for sure: They provide a solid nutritional insurance policy, helping to keep your body fueled with all the micronutrients it needs, some of which your current diet might be lacking.

But like most supplements, not all greens powders are created equal. I’ve been testing out a grip of the top brands on the market, each with their own special formula, taste, and price point. Anecdotally, I’ve definitely felt a boost in my digestion, energy levels, and overall health—so, if you’re looking for some backup in the nutrition department (or if you haven’t eaten broccoli since it was entering your mouth via pantomimed airplane) check out our list of the best greens powders below.

The Best Greens Powders, at a Glance:

The Best All-Around Greens Powder: Huel Daily Greens

A few major things to look for when choosing a greens powder are the ingredients list, price, taste, and user experience. The Huel Daily Greens does a great job of balancing each of them. It may not be the best in any single category but it get high marks in all of them. Its 91 ingredients give you all the vitamins, minerals and pretty much everything else you’d want in a greens powder to aid digestion and overall health. It is relatively well-priced, falling dead center on the cost per serving spectrum, and you can also get a slight discount by opting for the brand’s monthly subscription. The taste is solid, and they offer Watermelon and Lemon & Ginger flavors in addition to their original. New customers also receive a dedicated Huel Daily Greens bottle, which goes a long way toward helping create that daily ritual. Overall, Huel Daily Greens checks every box, and it’s worth checking out if you want a balanced greens powder.

The Best Greens Powder Kit: AG1

Athletic Greens, a.k.a. AG1, is one of the big dogs in the greens powder space. You’ve probably, at some point, been hit with the brand’s targeted Instagram ads. The branding is sleek and minimal, and they also make a really great greens powder. It’s one of only two on this list that’s NSF-certified for quality, and it is packed with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.

However, where AG1 really shines is in what I will call the user experience. All new customers receive a welcome kit that, in addition to a first month’s supply of powder, includes a designated canister, scooper, and bottle. All of these accessories are surprisingly high-quality, far surpassing the level of your standard supplement purchase add-ons. The canister and scooping spoon are made from solid metal and adorned with AG1’s signature minimalist branding. There’s a noticeable heft when handling them, and the bottle is made from BPA-free hard plastic (akin to what you find in a Nalgene), with a metal screw top that is equally weighty. Overall, the ritual of taking AG1 makes me feel at once like a wealthy professional athlete, yet maybe also the subject of biometric testing in some future dystopian universe. Now, it might not be surprising that everything I just mentioned also makes it one of the most expensive greens powders, but you do get what you pay for, in my opinion.

The Best Value Greens Powder: Amazing Grass Greens Blend

Amazing Grass’s Greens Blend is the quiet workhorse of this list. It may not have quite as exhaustive an ingredients list as its competitors, but it delivers in all the areas where a good greens powder should. The Greens Blend boasts a slew of vitamins, probiotics, fiber, greens, and antioxidants. All of these will work to support digestive health while acting as an insurance policy to make sure your body gets the nutrients it needs.

It’s also the most affordable greens powder on this list, which proves that, for less than a dollar a day, eating “healthy” doesn’t have to hurt your wallet. Here’s the catch: the Greens Blend is unflavored and doesn’t use artificial sweeteners, so it’s not exactly the best-tasting powder on this list—but if you’re looking for delicious-tasting supplements, greens powders shouldn’t be your first choice. (C’mon bro, it’s for your health bro, please bro, just drink it bro, please.)

The Best Greens Powder With Caffeine: Thorne Daily Greens Plus

Greens powders are generally very conducive to a morning routine: Most suggest being consumed on an empty stomach, too, as it aids absorption. (Many powders also include B-complex vitamins to boost energy.) The Thorne Daily Greens Plus takes it a step further with 35 mg of matcha-derived caffeine per serving. Now, it’s worth pointing out that this is less than half the amount of caffeine in your standard cup of coffee—however, when combined with the adaptogen blend and the energy production benefits of the antioxidants, it was enough to give even my cold brew-addicted self a noticeable boost.