The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
Sip these supplements for boosted energy levels, better immunity, improved focus and more
If your Joe & the Juice addiction is crippling your bank account but you still want a dose of goodness each morning, it’s time you sought out the best greens powders. From brands such as Athletic Greens and Aduna, to name just a couple, greens powders are everywhere, giving you that vitamin and health kick your body is craving.
You don’t need to take our word for it, either – social media is rife with everyone talking about how their morning routine involves greens powders, whether they’re mixing it into their protein smoothie, porridge or simply adding it to water. So, what exactly is a greens powder and what benefits can they have on our health?
Greens powders are dietary supplements, and are normally made from plant or vegetable extracts – think spirulina, wheatgrass and kale, while others have mushrooms such as chaga, or pea protein. Most have added vitamins such as vitamin C or B12, so it’s worth checking you’re not doubling up with other supplements.
The benefits of each greens powder supplement differ, as they all have different ingredients. It’s not always the case that more ingredients mean better results, either. However, some benefits include more energy, stronger immunity levels, relieving bloating, better focus and increased hormone function.
Here, we take a look at the benefits of a range of products, to bring you our pick of the best greens powders on the market.
We followed the instructions on each pack – some were consumed with just water, while others were added to milk or as part of a shake. We tested each for at least a week, to make sure we reaped the benefits of each and could see how they affected our health. We tested all the greens powders first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. We considered taste, how well they mixed, their price and any benefits we felt after drinking them.
Unlike many of the greens powders, AG1 greens won’t make you wince while you knock it back before your breakfast. It contains 75 minerals and vitamins to help with everything from hormone function to your immunity. We took one scoop of this powder and mixed it with water and ice and whizzed it up in a blender for the best taste. However, you can simply add it to cold water or coconut water and shake it up in the brand’s shaker, which comes with your first order.
The pack of slightly sweet-tasting greens powder lasts for 30 days, but you can also buy the travel packs, so you can keep up your health kick when you’re away. As well as the taste, we loved the benefits, from giving us an energy boost around mid-morning to our glowing skin. The gluten- and dairy-free powder, which is suitable for vegans, also has live cultures, so it gave our gut a boost, too.
At more than double the price of most other powders in this list, the only downside is just how expensive this one is.
This is one of the cheaper greens powders on our list but it still contains ingredients such as spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass and barley grass, to give your insides a healthy boost.
We originally tried the greens powder on its own with just water but the gritty taste meant we went searching for ways to make it more palatable. We added it to protein shakes and our oat lattes and it tasted a little sweeter, but still had an earthy tang to it. However, after a week, we could feel an improvement in our gut health, while the brand gets brownie points for using recyclable pouches.
Launched this year, after the success of its protein powder, Shreddy seems to know what fans of the brand want – nutritious food supplements that don’t cost the earth. We found this mango and pineapple powder easy to drink in water and it mixed well, with no bitter aftertaste.
For us, the benefits of the ingredients list – which includes turmeric, spinach and green tea extract – were shinier hair and better gut health, as the powder has 5 billion probiotic bacteria. We’re sure if we continued to use it, we’d see other benefits, which are said to be increased energy levels and immunity shielding.
We may have only been thinking about greens powders since TikTok made them famous, but model and actor Elle Macpherson’s nutritionist formulated this award-winning powder more than 10 years ago.
With a distinctive blood orange taste, the brand’s super elixir is packed with 40 plant-based ingredients, including botanical herbs and probiotics. We found it very easy to drink, with a lovely taste when mixed with just water – we finished it in around 30 minutes and there was no gritty aftertaste or residue left at the bottom. The powder, which also has an original unflavoured taste, plus a lemon and ginger flavour, helped us through a spring cold, plus, it seemed to make our nails grow incredibly fast.
Packed with eight superfood ingredients and vitamins galore, we tried this super blend both with water and in a smoothie but found it mixed better with just water and ice. Although we could taste the sweet raspberries and cranberries, which masked the taste, it still had a bitter aftertaste. Easy to mix, it didn’t leave any residue as we drank it. We were particularly impressed with how many flavours you can choose from, including rhubarb and peach and mango.
Fresh wheatgrass shots used to be the epitome of wellness, sold in health shops all over the world, but now the superfood can be found in greens powders or, if you so want, on its own from Erbology.
We found the plant extract is great for boosting energy and cleansing the body, especially after a heavy weekend. While the wheatgrass has the same earthy, gritty taste when mixed with water on its own, we found adding it to a smoothie or juice masked the taste.
You’ll get your money’s worth here, too, as the small pot contains 45 servings. Erbology also has other powders to choose from, including chlorella and barley grass powder, so, you can mix and match, depending on the health benefit you’re looking for.
This greens powder is 100 per cent natural, organic and free from sweeteners. Not only does it contain minerals and green vegetables, but it also includes lion’s mane mushroom to improve mood and support mental and cognitive health.
We tested the powder with a couple of scoops in water and loved how it helped us feel focused for longer, but the gritty grass-cuttings taste meant it had to be drunk quite quickly. In future, we’d add it to juices or smoothies with sweet ingredients to mask the taste. However, for one of the cheaper greens powders on our list, we think the benefits outweigh the bad taste.
Although we found we had clearer skin and better energy after drinking this powder, out of those we tested, it was one of the hardest to drink, especially when mixed with just water. We tried the unflavoured powder, which we thought had a gritty and earthy aftertaste. Thankfully, the powder, which contains spirulina, chlorella and broccoli, along with five other organic ingredients, also has two flavoured options. However, if you can stomach the taste, you’ll get your money’s worth – with a 500g bag costing around £35.
Formulated especially for women, this greens powder contains 21 natural and nutrient-dense greens and superfoods designed to support immunity and boost energy levels.
We loved drinking the mango-flavoured drink with water or coconut milk and found it helped to balance our hormones and digestion around our time of the month. Flavoured with stevia, a plant-based, non-artificial sweetener, it won’t spike your blood sugar levels either, which is a massive win.
This isn’t just your bog-standard greens powder, it also comes complete with protein powder. We tasted the powder with coconut milk and a banana, in a smoothie, which complemented the berry flavour. Unlike most of the others in our review, this blend also contains seven types of mushrooms, including lion’s mane and chaga, which, over the week, helped us to focus on our work and keep afternoon slumps at bay.
The organic, vegan-friendly powder only lasts for 14 days, however, so it could be one to get on subscription, which will save you money on the price per pack, too.
Easy to drink and mix, AG1 is one of the best-tasting and performing greens powder supplements we’ve encountered. The powder has an array of health benefits, which we noticed in our energy levels and gut health and saw in our skin. However, the cost, at just less than £100 (£79 a month, if you subscribe), could be off-putting to some. As a cheaper alternative, we think Shreddy’s greens powder packs a punch, not just with taste but with its gut-friendly, energy-boosting benefits, too.
Want more inspiration? Read our expert-led round-ups of the best collagen and menopause supplements to take