Green drinks are full of veggies, hence their green coloration. Most of full of vitamins and minerals while being low in calories, which is why many people choose to consume them as part of their regular diet.
However, just because a drink is green doesn’t necessarily mean it is full of nutrients. Not all of these drinks are created equal. Because of this, you must choose the best drink for you when shopping.
Below, you’ll find our rankings for some of the top green drinks, including complete reviews for each product.
Rankings
1. Organifi Green Juice
Organifi Green Juice has a massive list of power-packed veggies and superfoods, making it one of the most nutrient-dense options on the market. It also includes ingredients like Ashwagandha and coconut – both of which come with benefits of their own. It also includes things like green tea, beets, chlorella, and matcha green tea.
It is backed by 3rd party research as well, which means that it is scientifically-proven to be helpful to some people.
2. LiveWell Beyond Green
This is another matcha-flavored green drink. It is packed with superfoods and lots of added nutrition. The powder is non-clumping, which makes it very easy to mix.
For added benefits, this drink also includes added mushrooms for extra probiotics. If you’re worried about filling nutritional gaps, this is a green drink.
3. Detox Organics Chocolate Superfoods
Unlike most green drinks, this one is chocolate flavored. If you don’t like the taste of other green drinks, you may be able to stomach this one. It includes ingredients like beetroot and acai, so you know its high-quality.
We particularly liked this drink mixed with milk, which adds some more protein to it and turns it into a chocolate milkshake.
4. Amazing Grass Green Superfood
This green drink is crafted with seven different farm fresh greens and provides more the three servings of veggies. It is certified organic, gluten-free, plant-based, and has no sugar added. Making it is also straightforward, which is also a nice bonus.
We also liked that it is decently inexpensive, making it a good option for those on a budget.
5. Orgain Organic Green Superfoods
With 50 different superfoods and a ton of probiotics, this is a complete green drink that is USDA organic, vegan, nondairy, and no artificial ingredients.
This powder can be mixed into water, juice, or your favorite shake. It can also be added into meal replacement shakes and things of that sort.
6. Country Farms Super Green Drink
Like many green drinks, this one has over 50 different organic superfoods. It is full of antioxidants, enzymes, and other essential ingredients. If you’re trying to eat a little healthier, this is a great option.
Furthermore, this green drink mixture has no added sugar and is gluten-free.
7. Athletic Greens Ultimate Daily
This drink is exceptionally nutrient-dense. It contains 75 different vitamins, minerals, and whole foods, allowing you to get plenty of nutrition for very few calories. Plus, it includes less than one gram of sugar per serving.
It is manufactured in a GMP-certified facility, which meets specific FDA guidelines for safe manufacturing.
8. Garden of Life Raw Organic Perfect Food Powder
This green food powder is stevia-free and contains no added sugar. It is designed to support your digestive health, as it is full of probiotics and enzymes. It is also certified organic and dairy-free.
It is made with plenty of vegetables, organic greens, and sprouts as well.
9. Peak Performance Organic Greens Superfood Powders
This supplement is 3rd party tested, which means that a separate organization checks it for safety and potency. This food is much more concentrated than other options on the market as well. It is designed to be easily digestible.
It does not contain any artificial flavors or preservatives. Plus, it is also effortless to mix into water.
10. Super Greens Powder
Each scoop of this green powder contains three full servings of nutrient-rich veggies. It is guaranteed to be potent and safe and is tested by third party companies.
It contains various superfoods, veggies, and grasses – all chosen to support your health better.
How We Ranked
To formulate each review and rank each product, we used a strict criterion based on scientific evidence.
Firstly, the product had actually to include green veggies. You’d be surprised by how many green drinks were somewhat lacking in the veggie department. We also ranked products higher when they included multiple different veggies. The wider variety of veggies included, the higher we ranked the particular product.
We did not put particular emphasis on powders vs. pre-made drinks. We included both in our rankings section as they qualified based on the other criteria.
With that said, we did prefer powders. They’re more portable and produce less waste than liquids. However, we understand that some people may want a pre-made option, so we didn’t avoid them while choosing the top ten products.
We also considered how clean and natural each product was. One of the main draws of a green drink is the natural vitamins and minerals each drink contains. However, not all green drinks include these natural vitamins. Some used lower-quality ingredients and then bulked up their vitamin product with added nutrients. While this isn’t necessarily bad, we did prefer natural vitamins whenever possible.
In the same vein, we aimed to avoid artificial flavors, preservatives, and colors. Not only are these things potentially harmful, but they also cover up the use of low-quality ingredients. If a green drink isn’t green naturally, it probably isn’t what you’re looking for.
We also avoided drinks with high amounts of added sugar. We didn’t necessarily cut a product just for a gram or two, but substantial amounts led to drinks being kicked from the list. When you’re trying to drink healthy, there is no reason to consume all of this extra sugar.
Benefits
Green drinks may help fill gaps in your nutrition. We all know that veggies are a vital part of a healthy diet. However, many of us do not eat enough of them. Even if you do take particular caution to get all your veggie servings in, you may not be eating the right kind of veggies to get all the nutrients your body needs.
Most people in the west are deficient in at least one vitamin or mineral. This is because our diets tend to be low in nutrient-dense foods. Instead, western diets are full of sugar and refined grains.
Green drinks may help fill some of your nutritional gaps because they are incredibly nutrient-dense. Of course, not every green drink is made the same. Some are more nutrient-dense than others. However, in general, they tend to contain more vitamins and minerals than the average western diet. Because of this, you’ll likely add quite a few vitamins and minerals to your diet by consuming one of these green drinks regularly.
Green drinks contain vitamin-rich veggies. The whole point of green drinks is that they include vitamin-rich veggies. Instead of eating different veggies throughout the day, you can just drink them all at once in a shake. Furthermore, some veggies that you may not necessarily like to eat taste fine when mixed with other veggies in a shake.
For example, kale, swiss chard, and wheatgrass are common additions to green drinks, but many people do not eat them often by themselves. These ingredients are high in various vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, K, C, and iron (1, 2, 3).
By consuming these drinks, you’ll be packing your diet full of nutrient-dense veggies, even if you don’t like to eat them in your everyday diet.
Green drinks may help reduce inflammation. Inflammation is linked to all sorts of different diseases. It is likely than many chronic diseases are caused by unhealthy inflammation.
Some inflammation is good; it is how your body fights certain viruses and bacteria. However, chronic inflammation is not healthy and can cause all sorts of problems.
Research has shown that eating plenty of leafy greens daily can help reduce your chronic inflammation, which may reduce your risk for certain diseases and disorders. If you’ve already developed a chronic disease, some of your symptoms may ease if you consume more leafy greens (4).
Green drinks may support your gut health. There is some evidence that green drinks may help support your overall gut health. This is because they likely function as prebiotics, which feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut. As you might imagine, the more food these healthy bacteria get, the healthier they will be. Because of this, you may notice a difference in your gut health after drinking green drinks full of leafy greens (5).
Regularly taking prebiotics has been shown to produce a variety of benefits. For example, studies have shown that it can help with weight maintenance and improve your immune function (6).
Green drinks are often more accessible than eating veggies. You need to eat plenty of veggies every day to thrive. However, many people have a hard time doing this. However, studies have shown that many people find it easier to drink their veggies than eat them (7).
This is likely for a few different reasons. Firstly, green drinks are more convenient. We all live busy lives, which means we may not always have the time to sit down and eat a salad. However, you likely have time to mix a green drink and take it with you to work.
Secondly, some people just don’t like leafy greens very much. They might have a hard time finding recipes they like that include them, making it difficult to fit them into their diet. These people might significantly benefit from green drinks, as they provide all the nutrients without having actually to sit down and eat the veggies.
Green drinks may prevent cognitive decline. There is some evidence that eating plenty of leafy greens may prevent age-related cognitive decline. We do not entirely understand how this works as of now. However, some studies have shown promising results.
One particular study found that consuming just one serving of leafy greens a day slowed cognitive decline with aging. Those consuming the veggies scored as if they were 11 years younger on cognitive tests than their actual age. Many nutrients seem to play a role in this, including folate, lutein, and nitrate (8).
Green drinks are very low in calories. Because these drinks are mostly made up of veggies, they are deficient in calories. This is great for those who are trying to lose weight. These drinks allow you to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need without consuming too many calories.
These drinks are not high in protein, fat, or carbohydrates. Most of the drinks are going to be made up of water. This may help you feel fuller, though you should likely not expect a significant effect. This is something you drink with your breakfast. Not something you use to replace your breakfast completely.
Side Effects
Green drinks are relatively low in fiber. Veggies and fruits indeed have lots of fiber in them. However, juicing these foods removes the majority of the fiber they possess. Fiber is essential to any diet. It feeds the good bacteria in your stomach, which can help keep your gut healthy. It can also slow down your digestion and help you feel full – a great feature for those trying to lose weight (9).
A leading source of fiber is fruits and veggies. However, when you juice them, this source goes away. Because of this, you cannot wholly replace fruits and veggies with green drinks. You’ll still need to meet your daily fiber needs, and the easiest way to do that is by eating fruits and veggies. Of course, there are other ways to get fiber, as well. You may need to keep an eye on your fiber intake to ensure you’re getting enough while adding green drinks to your diet.
Green drinks may harm your kidneys. In some situations, green drinks may harm your kidneys. This is most common in situations where your kidneys are already not functioning 100%. This mostly occurs because green drinks are very high in a variety of vitamins. This is great for the most part. However, too many vitamins can be a bad thing. If you’re consuming a healthy diet and add green drinks to it, you may up your vitamin intake a little too high. This can wear down your kidneys over time.
At the same time, green vegetables contain a lot of oxalates. This is a somewhat troublesome nutrient because it binds to the minerals in food and can stop your digestive tract from absorbing them. Usually, this is not a bit deal. Whole veggies contain way more nutrients than oxalates, so there is typically no harmful effect.
However, green drinks tend to contain a concentrated amount of this molecule. Over time, this can lead to you not absorbing enough nutrients or even severe kidney harm (10).
It is important to note that severe damage only seems to occur in cases of juice cleanses and detoxes – where the participant drinks a lot of green juice over a short period. There have been many cases of kidney failure that have been caused by these cleanses, so we do not recommend them in the least (11, 12).
Green drinks may raise your blood sugar more than eating whole veggies. As we have previously discussed, green drinks are low in fiber because the juicing process removes much of the fiber from the veggies.
When you eat whole veggies, your blood sugar tends to remain stable due to the high amount of fiber consumed. The fiber slows down your digestion, which causes the sugars in the veggies to be absorbed slowly. This prevents your blood sugar from spiking.
However, green drinks do not contain this high amount of fiber, which means the sugar will be absorbed much faster than usual. If you have diabetes or a similar disorder, you may want to consider this fact carefully when deciding whether or not green drinks are for you.
Furthermore, some store-bought green drinks are packed full of sugar. It is essential to pay attention to the label, especially when it comes to added sugars.
Recommended Dosage
There is no one-size-fits-all dosage for green drinks. Preferably, if you were eating the optimal diet, you would be consuming ten different veggies a day. Most people do not do this, which is where green drinks come in. The more veggies you eat, the higher you can expect the nutritional benefit to be. (However, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. You don’t want to go around eating pounds and pounds of kale a day.)
Preferably, you want to use green drinks to replace the veggies that you are not getting in your day-to-day diet. For example, if you usually eat three servings of veggies, then you need to drink seven servings of green drinks a day.
However, that does not mean you should drink seven glasses of green juice a day. Usually, each product will include how many vegetable servings a serving of their drink is “equivalent” to. If 8 ounces is equivalent to three servings of veggies, then you need to drink 16 ounces a day.
Of course, even if you just drink one serving a day, you’ll still gain some benefit. The optimal amount would just be two servings a day in this particular example.
Your best bet may be to start with one serving and then add another one if you feel like you need it. It is going to depend on your particular lifestyle and day-to-day diet.
FAQs
Are green drinks good for you?
Yes. Green drinks are mostly just made out of veggies and can be an excellent way to round out your diet. Very few people eat enough servings of veggies every day. These drinks can be a convenient way to fill that nutritional gap.
Of course, not all green drinks are good for you. Some commercial options are packed full of added sugars, which is likely the opposite of what you need in your diet. It is essential to choose an appropriate drink for your needs, which you can do by heading to our rankings section.
What is the healthiest green drink?
It depends on your particular nutritional needs. Different drinks have different vitamins and minerals in them. Preferably, you want to choose the drink that fills the gaps in your diet the best. This will depend mainly on the veggies that each drink is made out of, as well as the portions of each veggie used. When in doubt, variety is often the way to go. The more sorts of veggies in a green drink, the more vitamins it is going to contain.
Of course, some green drinks aren’t incredibly healthy for anyone. Some commercial options are high in added sugars and artificial ingredients, which no one needs extra of in their diet.
Is it okay to drink green drinks every day?
As long as your drinking them in moderation every day, you can drink a green drink every day. They are an easy way to fulfill your veggie intake, which you need to do every day anyway. You do not want to live off of these smoothies. However, they are suitable for everyday drinking.
Do green drinks make you lose weight?
By themselves, green drinks are not going to make you lose weight. They are very low in calories. However, they are not very high in fiber, which means they won’t keep you full for very long. They also aren’t designed to be a meal-replacement or anything of that sort, so you will have to continue to eat your usual meals as well. These drinks aren’t designed to help you lose weight.
With that said, they can be useful for those currently on restricted calories because they are very nutrient-dense. It isn’t easy to fit in all your vitamins and minerals when on a regular diet. If you’re trying to restrict calories, you may find it even more challenging to get all the vitamins and minerals you need. Green drinks are low calorie and have plenty of vitamins and minerals.
What do green drinks do to your body?
Green drinks are usually made with lots of leafy greens, which makes them very nutrient-dense. They are often high in vitamin K, folate, and similar vitamins. This can help fill nutritional gaps in your diet. Your body needs many different vitamins and minerals to thrive, but many do not get all the nutrients we need. The main point of green drinks is to fill these nutritional gaps.
What green drinks are best for skin?
If you’re drinking green drinks to support your skin health, we recommend choosing a drink with plenty of kale, beets, and ginger. These ingredients contain the nutrients your skin needs to thrive.
Overall, any green drink that is healthy for the rest of your body is going to be healthy for your skin. Just choose a drink that is natural and free of low-quality ingredients, and it will likely help your skin.
When should I drink a green drink?
Truthfully, drinking a green drink at any time during the day is going to be helpful. Your body will be able to absorb the nutrients decently well no matter when you drink it, so you don’t need to worry about timing too much.
However, you should preferably drink it when your stomach is not full. This will help your body fully absorb the nutrients in the green drink. With that said, it is also helpful to consume it with a form of fat. Some vitamins and minerals are fat-soluble, which means they interact with fat. By consuming fat with the green drink, you may absorb these nutrients and vitamins a bit better. Furthermore, the fat will slow down your digestion, which will prevent blood sugar spikes.
How many times a day should you drink a green drink?
It really depends on how many servings of veggies you are trying to get. As discussed in the recommended dosage section, it depends mostly on the number of veggies and fruits you’re eating throughout the day. Preferably, you should eat ten different servings of veggies a day. If you’re only eating a few different veggies a day, you should aim to make up the difference with green drinks. Most green drinks have an “equivalent to X number of veggie servings.” You can use this information to figure out how much you should drink in a day.
What are the side effects of drinking green drinks?
When you juice veggies, you remove most of the fiber content. Because of this, you may experience a few side effects when drinking them. Firstly, you may notice blood sugar spikes because the fiber isn’t there to slow down your digestion. Secondly, green drinks are not made to replace fresh veggies entirely because they are low in fiber. You will still need to consume a decent number of regular veggies throughout the day.
On top of this, some people find green drinks hard on their stomachs. This can cause nausea and similar problems. This really depends on your digestion system, however.
Green drinks are very nutrient-dense. However, this may cause you to consume too many vitamins and minerals. They can cause some problems depending on the vitamin you over-consume.
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Recap
Green drinks are an easy and convenient way to meet your nutritional needs each day. Most people do not consume enough veggies and fruits. Green drinks are designed to fill this nutritional gap. There are plenty of health benefits associated with these drinks, making them a good option for anyone wanting to eat healthier.
For FitBug’s #1 recommended green drink, click here.