Among all the superfood supplements out there, Athletic Greens (or AG1) is easily one of the most popular and highly-rated.
Athletic Greens has over 75 ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, herbs, probiotics, adaptogens, and superfood fruits and vegetables. As a result, it’s a highly comprehensive supplement.
However, no supplement is perfect. And many people are looking for alternatives to Athletic Greens, mainly due to the high cost of AG1 or simply wanting to try out a different product.
And in this article, we’re going over the top alternatives to Athletic Greens so you can feel confident in picking a greens supplement that’s safe, high-quality, properly dosed, and effective.
Alternatives to Athletic Greens
There are many superfood powders out there. But the top alternatives to Athletic Greens that we found are:
- ActivatedYou Morning Complete
- Live Conscious Beyond Greens*
- Supergreen Tonik
- Ka’Chava
- Organifi Green Juice
- Gundry MD Primal Plants
- Primal Harvest Primal Greens
ActivatedYou Morning Complete
ActivatedYou Morning Complete is a daily health drink with a wide variety of ingredients, such as probiotics, superfoods, adaptogens, and fiber sources. One of the key features of Morning Complete is enhanced gut health, due to the 10 Billion CFU of probiotics and 4g of prebiotic fibers per serving.
This formula also has superfoods such as spinach, broccoli, and barley grass, as well as herbs like rhodiola, ashwagandha, green tea, and other for stress management, energy, and metabolism.
However, with the exception of probiotics and prebiotics, most ingredients aren’t dosed very high. And Athletic Greens is higher-dosed overall. Plus, Morning Complete doesn’t have any added vitamins or minerals.
The regular price of ActivatedYou Morning Complete is $79 for 30 servings, but if you create an account this gets lowered to $49. This is lower than AG1, which regularly costs $99 for 30 servings or $79 if you get the subscription.
ActivatedYou Morning Complete also has an Apple Cinnamon flavor, whereas Athletic Greens is just naturally flavored and may be “earthier”.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON ACTIVATEDYOU MORNING COMPLETESupergreen Tonik
Supergreen Tonik is a very well-formulated greens supplement. One of the first things we noticed is that it doesn’t use any proprietary blends, which sets it apart from Athletic Greens.
And it’s dosed pretty high too, with a total dose of 11.5g which is pretty much the same as Athletic Greens (at 12g). Within this, there are over 7g of greens, coming from spirulina, spinach, collards, and other nutrient-dense sources. Supergreen Tonik is also filled with high amounts of vitamins and minerals just like AG1.
Another great aspect of Supergreen Tonik is the use of adaptogenic and nootropic herbs, such as ashwagandha, theanine, and bacopa, all of which are dosed at high levels. These can help with stress management, energy, focus, and mental well-being. And Athletic Greens doesn’t seem to have as many of these compounds.
As for flavor, Supergreen Tonik comes in either Mint or Berry flavors.
Supergreen Tonik is also third-party tested and has a One-Year Money-Back Guarantee. The regular price for 30 servings is $87, which is lower than the regular AG1 price but higher than the subscription price. But Supergreen Tonik also has bulk options to save money.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON SUPERGREEN TONIKKa’Chava
Ka’Chava is a worthwhile alternative to Athletic Greens particularly if you’re looking for a superfood and meal replacement supplement all in one.
There are over 85 superfoods, nutrients, and plant-based ingredients in Ka’Chava, which is even more than AG1.
As mentioned, the most noticeable way Ka’Chava stands out from Athletic Greens is that it can be used as a meal replacement. It has 25g of protein per serving, which comes from various plant-based sources such as pea, brown rice, and sacha inchi seed. This formula also has 5g of fiber from natural sources such as oats, acacia gum, and flax seed.
Ka’Chava also contains a variety of superfood fruits and vegetables, such as acai berry, tart cherry, broccoli, beet, brussels sprouts, and carrot. Although the total dose of these blends is lower than Athletic Greens.
Ka’Chava has digestive enzymes and probiotics, as well as a variety of adaptogens such as maca and cordyceps. Altogether, Ka’Chava seems to have well-rounded benefits for energy, immunity, gut health, and total wellness, while also acting as a suitable meal replacement.
Plus, it comes in five different flavors, whereas AG1 is only in one flavor. There are a variety of enjoyable options such as Chocolate (highest-rated), Vanilla, Coconut Acai, Chai, and Matcha. The regular price is $69.95 for a one-month supply, but you can save money with a subscription.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON KA’CHAVAOrganifi Green Juice
Organifi Green Juice is a pretty simple greens formula, but still likely effective. The Greens Blend in it is over 5g and contains a variety of nutrient-dense superfoods, such as wheatgrass, spirulina, and matcha green tea.
Additionally, Organifi Green Juice has a superfood blend with ashwagandha, turmeric, and other health-boosting herbs. And it’s naturally flavored, USDA Organic, and non-GMO.
Overall, Organifi Green Juice has potential benefits for detoxification, immunity, gut health, energy, and stress support, and takes appropriate measures for safety and quality.
However, it’s not as comprehensive as Athletic Greens as it doesn’t include any vitamins, minerals, or probiotics; and the total overall dose is lower.
But it is less costly, coming in at $69.95 for 30 servings, with the ability to save 10% on a subscription. And it also comes in two flavors: Original Mint and Crisp Apple.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON ORGANIFI GREEN JUICEGundryMD Primal Plants
GundryMD Primal Plants is a very well-rounded superfood formula with similar ingredients as Athletic Greens. For example, Primal Plants has various superfoods, herbs, probiotics, adaptogens, digestive enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and prebiotic fibers.
However, the main con of GundryMD Primal Plants is that it’s dosed pretty low for all of these. In fact, the total dose is only 4g, whereas Athletic Greens is dosed at 12g.
It’s also very high-priced at $99 for 30 servings, but this price drops to $59 if you create a free GundryMD account. And there are also various bulk savings available.
Primal Plants also only comes in one flavor: Green Apple.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON GUNDRYMD PRIMAL PLANTSPrimal Harvest Primal Greens
Primal Harvest Primal Greens is a solid all-around greens and superfoods formula with over 50 ingredients and an 8g total dose per serving. Their main blend is nearly 5g, with various beneficial superfoods such as wheatgrass, broccoli, pomegranate, blackberry, and chlorella.
Plus, Primal Harvest has another key herbal blend with turmeric, green tea, ginger, ashwagandha, and other herbs.
Not to mention Primal Greens has digestive enzymes, prebiotic fibers, and 3.5 Billion CFU of probiotics per serving.
All in all Primal Harvest Primal Greens has potential benefits for detoxification, inflammation support, energy, stress management, metabolism, and gut health.
It’s not as highly-dosed as AG1, and it also doesn’t include nearly as many vitamins or minerals. But it’s still a comprehensive formula. And it’s also one of the lower-priced superfood formulas out there at $49.95 for 30 servings. But that’s the highest price you’ll pay as you can save money with either their bulk options or subscription option (which is under 40 bucks per container).
Lastly, Primal Harvest Primal Greens is naturally flavored as is. And while they say it’s delicious, it might be a bit more earthy since they don’t have any added fruit flavors or anything like that.
GET THE BEST PRICE ON PRIMAL HARVEST PRIMAL GREENSWhat are Greens Supplements?
Super greens supplements are any products that include a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs, vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients designed to support total body health and wellness.
These formulas are all designed to give your body comprehensive nutritional support, while also offering benefits for digestion, immunity, energy, stress management, gut health, detoxification, and/or other concerns depending on the exact formula.
Many people choose to take greens powders due to the convenience and how it helps them get more nutrition. This is especially true for people who are busy, on the go, or are just in need of a health boost.
Even if you eat a healthy diet, greens supplements can provide an additional boost. In fact, many people who face a lot of physical and/or mental stress demand more nutrients, so these products can also help fill in the gaps for these individuals.
Benefits of Greens Powders
Athletic Greens and the other alternatives we’ve mentioned can have a variety of possible health benefits. Mainly, these are:
- Improved Gut Health & Digestion
- Stress Management
- More Energy
- Improved Immunity
- Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory Effects
- Boosted Detoxification
Improved Gut Health & Digestion
Oftentimes, greens powders have probiotics, prebiotics, and/or digestive enzymes, which work together to improve gut microbiome health and enhance digestive function.
Additionally, the various fruits, vegetables, superfoods, and herbs in these formulas can also improve gut health by giving your body fiber, polyphenols, and other gut-friendly compounds.
Stress Management
Some of the superfood supplements may also help with stress management. They often include adaptogenic herbs, such as ashwagandha and rhodiola, which can help reduce stress levels in the body and restore balance.
This may also lead to other benefits, such as less anxiety and better sleep.
Additionally, many greens formulas are filled with micronutrients that can support healthy stress responses, such as magnesium and B-complex vitamins.
More Energy
Another possible benefit of green drinks is more energy and drive. This can occur directly from energizing vitamins and minerals like vitamin B12, as well as energizing herbs such as ginseng.
Indirectly, these supplements can also improve energy simply by helping you feel better overall and giving your body more of what it needs. When you consume more fruits, vegetables, and other superfoods, you may just feel lighter and healthier, which can give you more energy.
Improved Immunity
Greens powders can also enhance immunity. This is due to various ingredients such as spirulina, spinach, berries, and other compounds that are loaded with immune-supporting nutrients like vitamin C.
Often, these supplements also directly include vitamins and minerals for immune support too, such as zinc, vitamin D, and added vitamin C.
Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Superfood supplements also have potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We’ve seen many different ingredients that can decrease inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, including turmeric, wheatgrass, berries, leafy greens, and other superfoods.
These are all loaded with antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols which can calm inflammation and support total body health.
Boosted Detoxification
Lastly, greens products may boost detoxification. Some of the star ingredients for this purpose are spirulina, wheatgrass, chlorella, barley grass and other deep-green ingredients. They are highly rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and may also support liver health, which is the seat of detoxification.
We’ve also seen a few different herbs in these formulas which can enhance detoxification, such as milk thistle and burdock.
Overall, this may lead to other benefits too, such as feeling less sluggish, more energy, less brain fog, and even decreased joint pain.
How to Choose the Best Greens Supplement
As you’ve seen so far, Athletic Greens and the alternatives are all worthwhile choices. But there may be one or more that’s best for YOU based on individual preferences, goals, and needs.
In general, there are some things you can look for to make sure that the superfood supplement you get is worthwhile.
Health Goals
First, consider what your goals are. Do you want to:
- Lose weight?
- Improve immune health?
- Enhance gut function?
- Reduce stress?
- Detoxify the body?
- All of the above?
These questions can lead you to products that offer your specific desired benefits. For example, you’d look for a product with prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive supporting herbs if you wanted to enhance gut health. Or if stress management was a main goal, it’d be important to look for a supplement with adaptogenic herbs.
And if you’re just looking to improve overall wellness, then a more basic, but comprehensive formula can work great.
Total Number of Ingredients
The total number of ingredients is also important, and is dependent mainly on your health goals, which we just talked about.
Basically, the more health benefits you’re after, then the more ingredients you want to get in. Vitamins, minerals, adaptogens, probiotics, digestive enzymes, superfoods, fruits, vegetables, and herbs are some of the main ingredient categories to look for. And within each of these, there should always at least be a few ingredients.
Again, you may want a supplement that only has a couple of these if you’re looking for one specific benefit; or you may require a supplement that is very comprehensive if you want all-around health benefits.
Dosage
Of course, the dosage for formulas is also very important. Athletic Greens was the highest-dosed at 12g per serving, with Supergreen Tonik in second at 11.5g. You want to make sure that the dose you get is in line with your desired benefits. So, if you’re looking for noticeable health benefits, it’s best to pick a superfood supplement that has at least a total dose of 5g per serving (from what we’ve seen across the board).
Also, unfortunately many superfood powders use proprietary blends. Ideally, you’d stay away from these but it’s just not likely to happen.
Supergreen Tonik is one of the rare exceptions. However, even with proprietary blends, you can still potentially tell if a supplement is well-formulated based on the dose. That’s why checking the label is important.
Taste
Another thing to consider is the taste and flavor. Many greens powders can taste bad, but there are also many out there with added flavors for a more pleasant experience.
So, think about whether you’re okay with (or even want) a more earthy flavor, or if you’re someone who prefers the “masking” of the ingredients with flavors such as natural fruits, vanilla, or chocolate.
Other Factors
Other things that you may want to look for when buying a superfood powder are:
- Organic
- Non-GMO
- Vegan
- Third-party tested
- Free of artificial ingredients
- Free of major allergens
- Free of added sugar
- Adheres to your dietary restrictions
And while no supplement is FDA-approved, they should always be made in a cGMP, FDA-registered facility.
Conclusion: Alternatives to Athletic Greens
Overall, all of the supplements we’ve mentioned are suitable alternatives to Athletic Greens. As you’ve seen, they provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals, superfoods, herbs, probiotics, and other nutrients for overall health and wellness.
However, there definitely are differences between the formulas. And it’s important to consider your individual needs, preferences, and goals, as well as a variety of factors in the product formulation, dosage, safety, and testing.
With all of this information, we hope you’re able to pick a suitable alternative to Athletic Greens that can complement your diet and lifestyle and improve your overall wellness!
FAQ: Athletic Greens Alternatives
What is the best alternative to Athletic Greens?
This depends on your goals, preferences, and other factors. Any of the supplements we mentioned in this article are worthwhile options. It’s important to understand what specific health benefits you’re looking for and the exact ingredients that you want in order to determine which product is best for YOU.
Are greens powders effective?
Generally speaking, yes. Greens powders can boost health and wellness, but they HAVE to be well-formulated and properly dosed. If a supplement contains the right amount of healthy ingredients, such as various superfood fruits, vegetables, herbs, and micronutrients, they can help give you valuable nutrient support while also aiding a number of different health areas.
As always, individual results will vary. But some of the possible benefits are better digestion, reduced inflammation, detoxification, and an easier time hitting your nutrient goals. Also, these supplements take time to work so don’t expect any instant results.
Do I need to take a superfood supplement for optimal health?
No. Superfood supplements are never necessary. However, many people struggle to eat enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. So, superfood supplements may be beneficial for OPTIMAL health in these cases if they’re not getting the right nutrients.
Overall, we always recommend eating a healthy, well-rounded diet. But a high-quality superfood supplement can complement your diet to lead to even more health benefits. Again, only if it’s a high-quality formula.
Are supergreen powders safe?
All the supplements we mentioned in this article are generally safe. However, there are always possible side effects. For superfood products, this may include:
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Other digestive problems
- Headache
- Allergic reactions
Always talk to your doctor before starting on any supplement regimen.