As Joe Dirt infamously said, “Life’s a garden, dig it.” While comparing a mulleted optimist to Garden of Life’s green powder might be like comparing a home gym to a commercial gym, Mr. Dirt and GGR have some similarities…
For starters, Joe stuck to his morals as an honest, truthful individual—we wholeheartedly believe in doing the same. A spade is a David spade, amirite?
Moreover, Joe embarked on a convoluted journey while encountering unfortunate events—but still marched on with pride. At GGR, we aren’t afraid to tackle the dirty work—like taste-testing glasses of grass—we face throughout our intricate review processes.
Specific to this Garden of Life Greens review, we’re exploring if this greens powder is worth digging into. (Or as appealing as its anabolic sibling—AKA Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein & Greens—we named it one of the best greens powders.)
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.
We’ve Dug Up Dirt On 20+ Greens Powders
As nutrition and fitness experts, we can’t seem to dig up enough about greens powder supplements. So much so, we’ve already dug up the dirt on over 20 greens powders—and counting! We’re constantly testing products to weed out the bad seeds and harvest the greens of the crop.
Garden of Life Greens
Garden of Life Greens Powder
Product Highlights
- Powdered superfood greens supplement
- Garden of Life claims this product supports healthy digestion
- Contains live probiotics and enzymes
- Product has organic and gluten-free certifications
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Rich in essential micronutrients
- Plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free
- Label transparency
- Organic ingredients
Cons
- Manufactured in a facility that isn't allergen-free
- Not a replacement for whole foods
- Contains proprietary blends
Bottom Line
Garden of Life Greens Powder is a high-quality supplement with organic ingredients like grass juices, fruits, veggies, sprouts, probiotics, and digestive enzymes. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, and made without artificial ingredients. Garden of Life also has third-party certifications, including USDA-Organic. Reviews are mostly positive for taste, solubility, and price among customers.
A Quick Look at Garden of Life Greens
Unwilling to compromise their consumers’ health, Garden of Life is all about using traceable, whole food ingredients—and not using synthetic and artificial ingredients. They also take pride in their third-party certifications; Garden of Life was even the first company to be Carbonfree certified.
All this to say, Garden of Life is rooted in its values while flourishing its dietary supplement line with protein powder, collagen, and our product of interest: Garden of Life Raw Organic Perfect Food Green Superfood.
RELATED: Best Protein Powder
The greens powder is marketed as a whole food supplement—with naturally occurring antioxidants, amino acids, phytonutrients, and other compounds—to support detoxification, improve digestive health, and offer other super greens powder benefits.
Before You Buy
- The powder is available in unflavored and flavored options, but the formulas vary and are worth noting.
- Opt for 15 single-serve packets or a 30- or 60-serving tub.
- This greens powder sports many third-party certifications, including USDA Organic and NSF Certified Gluten-Free.
Is Garden of Life Greens Worth It?
Garden of Life greens might be worth it if you value third-party tested products with high-quality ingredients. Here’s extra guidance to help you decide:
Great for:
- Anyone who wants a micronutrient boost—and doesn’t mind drinking a grassy concoction
- Plant-based, gluten-free, or dairy-free dieters
- Consumers who prioritize transparency and organic ingredients
Not recommended for:
- Replacing nutrient-dense, whole foods like fruits and vegetables
- People with common food allergies, like eggs and tree nuts, as it’s manufactured in a facility that processes them
Garden of Life Greens Specs (Original)
| Price per serving | $1.14 (on Amazon) |
| Flavor(s) | Apple, Chocolate, Lemon and Ginger, Original (Unflavored) |
| Vitamins and Minerals | Calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, riboflavin, sodium, vitamin A, vitamin K |
| Formula | Green juice blend, fruit & veggie juice antioxidant blend, sprout blend, raw probiotic & enzyme blend (all blends/ingredients are organic) |
| Organic Green Juice Blend | Barley grass juice, alfalfa grass juice, oat grass juice, wheatgrass juice, kamut grass juice |
| Organic Fruit & Veggie Antioxidant Blend | Apple, beet, broccoli, carrot, spinach, tomato, pineapple, strawberry, tart cherry, blackberry, green bell pepper, brussels sprout, blueberry, ginger, garlic, green onion, raspberry, parsley, cauliflower, red cabbage, kale, cucumber, celery, asparagus |
| Organic Sprout Blend | Flax meal and sprout, amaranth sprout, quinoa sprout, millet sprout, buckwheat sprout, garbanzo bean sprout, lentil sprout, adzuki bean sprout, sunflower seed sprout, pumpkin seed sprout, chia seed sprout, sesame seed sprout |
| Raw Probiotic & Enzyme Blend | Lipase, beta-glucanase, protease, aspergillopepsin, papain, cellulase, phytase, lactase, peptidase, hemicellulase, xylanase, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus |
| Certifications | Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, NSF Gluten-Free Certified |
Experience Using Garden of Life Greens
GGR Senior Editor Nicole Davis tried the Apple flavor and had a pleasant experience—see Taste and Solubility for these details. Overall, the apple flavor popped through to help mask the grassiness. And after some straw mixing, the powder dissolved into a fairly smooth green (apple) concoction.
Price Per Serving
Available for purchase on Garden of Life’s site, through third-party retailers, and at brick-and-mortars, here are just a few price comparisons (based on the Original 30-serving tub):
- Garden of Life: $1.30/serving (with free shipping)
- Amazon: $1.14/serving (with 5 or 15% off subscribe-and-save options and free shipping for Prime members)
- The Vitamin Shoppe: $1.20/serving (save 10% with Auto Delivery with free shipping)
Price can vary based on the size you choose—the greater the tub, often the greater the savings—and where it’s purchased. Currently, Amazon is the most cost-effective option, but choose what works best for you.
Formulation
Garden of Life’s Original (unflavored) juiced greens powder provides 40 key ingredients bundled into four blends:
- Organic U.S.A. Farmed Green Juice Blend with organic grass juices from barley, alfalfa, oat, wheat, and kamut. According to Garden of Life, the grasses are juiced and cold-temperature dried immediately to lock in nutrients.
- Organic Fruit & Veggie Juice Antioxidant Blend supplies various fruits and veggies from the fruits, roots, leaves, flowers, and/or stems.
- Organic Sprout Blend featuring various sprout sources, including millet and chia seed sprouts.
- Raw Probiotic & Enzyme Blend provides 1.5 billion CFUs of probiotics sourced from three well-studied strains: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. The digestive enzymes help break down the foods we eat, and digestive enzyme supplementation1 may play a role in digestive and malabsorption disorders.
RELATED: Best Probiotic Supplements
Despite Garden of Life’s transparency, each blend is a proprietary blend2. While not inherently “bad,” proprietary blends lack transparency regarding the exact amounts of each ingredient—making it difficult to determine if the ingredients are present in clinically-effective doses.
It’s also worth noting the flavored options have different formulas than the unflavored Original. For instance, Lemon and Ginger contains “Alkalizer” and “Detoxifier” blends with unique ingredients such as chlorella and alma berries. They’re also naturally sweetened with stevia and have natural flavors pertaining to their taste—for example, Apple contains organic apple flavoring.
Taste and Solubility
Filled with various grass juices and plants, could this possibly mix well and taste good? Let’s circle back to Nicole’s experience:
She shares, “I opted for the Apple flavor, and it’s not bad! You definitely get the green apple flavor to mask the grassiness, but I will say it’s much better cold than at room temp. In terms of solubility, I mixed it with a straw, and it took some work for it to completely dissolve. The texture is good—not gritty—and there are no clumps. It does settle at the bottom after a while like most greens powders, but overall not bad.”
Side Effects
We’ll first call out that digestive distress can be a side effect of greens powder, particularly if managing a digestive disorder or are new to the product. However, you can help offset this risk by slowly introducing it into your diet or trying one of the best greens powders for bloating.
The Original greens powder lacks unique botanicals known to cause medication interactions—like ashwagandha—but remember, the flavored options have different formulations. Moreover, high amounts of vitamin K in greens powders can interact with certain medications3, especially blood thinners.
RELATED: Best Ashwagandha Supplements
But unlike other greens powders, this product doesn’t exceed any of the Daily Values for vitamins and minerals4. This is important to note because some micronutrients, especially fat-soluble vitamins, can be harmful when over consumed—and you should still review the label and consult your doctor.
Third-Party Testing
Garden of Life shares its products undergo extensive third-party testing to ensure they meet safety, quality, and performance standards. Its green powder withholds many third-party certifications, including Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, and NSF Certified Gluten-Free.
Comparison to Athletic Greens
Athletic Greens AG1
Athletic Greens AG1
Product Highlights
- Contains 75 minerals and nutrients in one serving
- Available in travel pouches and bundle and save options
- Said to support gut health with prebiotics, probiotics, and naturally occuring enzymes
- Supports immunity with key ingredients like vitamin C and mushrooms
- Magnesium is added to boost energy
- May aid in recovery as it features superfood complex with adaptogens and antioxidants
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Backed by notable health experts
- Transparent and detailed ingredient list
- 75 vitamins and minerals
Cons
- Expensive
- Some reviewers dislike the taste
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a greens powder with a unique blend of minerals, nutrients, power greens, enzymes, and probiotics and you're willing to spend some money, Athletic Greens may be a good choice for you.
| Garden of Life Greens | Athletic Greens AG1 | |
| Price per serving | $1.14 | $3.30 |
| Flavors | Apple, Chocolate, Lemon and Ginger, Original (Unflavored) | No flavor options |
| Key ingredients | Organic Green Juice Blend (Barley grass juice, alfalfa grass juice, oat grass juice, wheatgrass juice, kamut grass juice ), Organic Fruit & Veggie Antioxidant Blend (apple, beet, broccoli, carrot, spinach, tomato, pineapple, strawberry, tart cherry, blackberry, green bell pepper, brussels sprout, blueberry, ginger, garlic, green onion, raspberry, parsley, cauliflower, red cabbage, kale, cucumber, celery, asparagus), Organic Sprout Blend (flax meal and sprout, amaranth sprout, quinoa sprout, millet sprout, buckwheat sprout, garbanzo bean sprout, lentil sprout, adzuki bean sprout, sunflower seed sprout, pumpkin seed sprout, chia seed sprout, sesame seed sprout), Raw Probiotic & Enzyme Blend | Acerola, alfalfa, apple, artichoke, barley grass, bilberry, bioflavonoids, broccoli flower, carrots, cocoa bean polyphenol extract, hawthorn berry, Lycium berry, papaya (Carica papaya), pea protein, pineapple, spinach, spirulina, stevia, Bifidobacterium bifidum, inulin, lactobacillus acidophilus, Ashwagandha, Astragalus, beet powder, burdock root, chlorella, citric acid, dandelion root, eleuthero root, ginger, grape seed extract, green tea extract, kelp, lecithin, licorice, milk thistle, policosanol, reishi mushroom, rhodiola, rose hips, rosemary, shiitake mushroom, slippery elm |
| Serving size | 1 scoop (7.7 g) | 1 scoop (12 g) |
| Other ingredients | Organic flavoring, organic rice | Natural flavors |
| Sweeteners | Stevia leaf extract | Stevia leaf extract |
| Third-party testing | Yes | Yes |
Rebranded as AG1, Athletic Greens is promoted as a comprehensive greens supplement—with 75 ingredients! Compared to Garden of Life’s 40 ingredients, AG1 offers a similar formula—including various fruits, veggies, grasses, and probiotics—and then some (but also without fillers and preservatives).
But perhaps the more noticeable difference (beyond the cost at $3.30/serving) is AG1’s addition of adaptogenic mushrooms that may combat stress and fatigue5. It also offers prebiotics to nourish the 7.2 billion CFUs of probiotics.
RELATED: Best Prebiotics
While you can check out our full Athletic Greens review for additional details, AG1 is also third-party-tested but a costlier product. And choosing between Garden of Life (simpler) and AG1 (more robust) will depend on your unique dietary needs, wellness goals, and budget.
Customer Experience
Garden of Life’s Support Center is simple to navigate, so you can quickly locate contact info and answers to your questions, including about returns. If unsatisfied with your purchase, you can qualify for a refund within 60 days—but you must contact the Customer Service team, obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number, and cover the shipping cost.
Ordering Garden of Life Greens
Ordering Garden of Life’s greens supplement online is straightforward. Simply add the product to your virtual cart and checkout using the prompts.
Remember, you can “subscribe and save” on many third-party sellers but only qualify for a refund when purchasing through the Garden of Life website.
Customer Reviews
With a 4.8-star rating on Garden of Life’s site and a 4.4-star rating on Amazon (with 10,000+ reviews!) customers seem pleasantly pleased with the green, especially as a simple nutrient-booster.
Final Verdict of Our Garden of Life Greens Review
Garden of Life offers a high-quality greens powder with various grass juices, fruits, veggies, sprouts, probiotics, and digestive enzymes—without gluten, dairy, and artificial ingredients. It carries many third-party certifications, including USDA Organic.
While well-received by its consumers, we can’t stress enough that these powdered green drinks shouldn’t displace a well-balanced diet. But as a nutritional insurance policy, Garden of Life’s greens powder is a fairly budget-friendly and reputable product.
Garden of Life Greens Full Rating
Garden of Life Greens
Yet another greens powder added to the harvest? In this Garden of Life Greens review, GGR’s nutrition experts explore if it’s a bad seed or green of the crop.
Product Currency: USd
Product Price: 35
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.3
Garden of Life Greens FAQs
What is the benefit of taking super greens?
Super greens shouldn’t displace a nutrient-dense diet, but they make getting micronutrients—like vitamins and minerals—into your day convenient. Adequate micronutrient intake is essential for reducing disease risk and optimizing overall health.
How long does it take for powdered green to work?
While dependent on the health benefits you’re seeking, it generally takes a few weeks for any supplement to elicit noticeable changes when taken consistently.
Are there any side effects to greens superfood?
Digestive distress is the most common side effect of greens supplements, but the risks truly depend on the ingredients used in the green superfood powder and the consumer’s health history.
Is it okay to drink super greens everyday?
As long as you’re taking super greens as instructed, not overconsuming certain nutrients, and your doctor isn’t concerned about any risks, drinking them each day will likely be okay.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
References
- Ianiro G, Pecere S, Giorgio V, Gasbarrini A, Cammarota G. Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases. Curr Drug Metab. 2016;17(2):187-193. doi:10.2174/138920021702160114150137
- Proprietary Blends: What Does This Mean? (March 28, 2018) Operation Supplement Safety: The Department of Defense Dietary Supplement Research. Retrieved July 24, 2023 from https://www.opss.org/article/proprietary-blends-what-does-mean
- National Institutes of Health (2021). Vitamin K – Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK-HealthProfessional/
- National Institutes of Health (2024). Carnitine – Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved March 133, 2023, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminK-HealthProfessional/
- Panossian A, Wikman G. Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress-Protective Activity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010;3(1):188-224. Published 2010 Jan 19. doi:10.3390/ph3010188
