Green drinks and greens powders have become popular dietary supplements as people turn to new solutions for supporting energy levels, weight loss, stable blood sugar, gut health, and more.
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While research on these types of supplements is lacking overall, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence showing that greens powders just make people feel better—even if it’s the result of a placebo or simply drinking more water, feeling better is as good a reason as any to add a greens supplement to your regimen.
The best greens powders are high-quality and extremely nutrient-dense with numerous potential health benefits—but is Primal Greens one of them? Find out in our Primal Greens review.
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.
Taste-Testing Greens Powders So You Don’t Have To
Let’s be real: We drink greens powders because they’re a way to support our health, not because they taste like our favorite dessert or comfort meal. Lucky for GGR readers, our team of product testers, which includes certified personal trainers and nutrition coaches, has been testing greens powders for months. We’ve tested nearly 40 different greens supplements, and let me tell you—they’re not all great. We test and evaluate; you enjoy an easier shopping experience.
Primal Greens
Primal Harvest Primal Greens
Product Highlights
- Greens supplement in powder form
- 50+ ingredients
- Primal Greens claims this product improves digestion and gut health, supports immune health, and promotes energy
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Subscribe and save 20% + free shipping
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Made in the United States in a GMP-certified facility
- Gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free
Cons
- Only 1 flavor
- Only available in 30-count containers
- Mixed reviews on taste
- Manufactured in facility that also processes tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy
Bottom Line
Primal Harvest Primal Greens is a greens supplement in powder form with 51 superfood ingredients. This product also includes a 3.5 billion CFU probiotic blend. Primal Greens shares that this supplement supports digestion, gut health, and immune health. They also claim their product helps boost energy. The reviews for Primal Harvest are positive, although some customers did not like the taste.
A Quick Look at Primal Greens Powder
Primal Greens is a green superfood powder from Primal Harvest, a company that manufactures dietary supplements for a variety of purposes. The company produces several wellness supplements, such as multivitamins, stress relief supplements, digestive system support, collagen, immune system support, probiotics, and more.
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This daily greens powder contains a long list of ingredients sourced from whole foods, as well as vitamins C, B, E, and several minerals. Additionally present are prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and adaptogens like ashwagandha (see the best ashwagandha supplements).
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Before You Buy
- This product is high in many nutrients. If you are currently taking a multivitamin or other supplements, compare supplement facts labels to ensure you aren’t consuming too-high dosages of a given nutrient. Vitamin toxicity1 is a legitimate concern.
- Primal Greens is soy-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free, but there is no mention of it being free from peanuts or tree nuts.
Is Primal Greens Powder Worth It?
At under $2 per serving, Primal Greens is a moderately priced greens powder. For everything it includes, I think it’s a more-than-reasonable price. Still, it won’t be right for everyone. Here’s who should try and who should look elsewhere.
Great for:
- People who are sensitive to artificial sweeteners (none in this powder, but it does contain stevia)
- Those on gluten-free, soy-free, or dairy-free diets
- Individuals who are okay with the very grassy, natural flavor of greens powders
- People who want vitamins, minerals, probiotics, antioxidants, and adaptogens all in one supplement
Not recommended for:
- People who are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts
- Individuals who want a flavored greens powder, such as berry or mint (this one does not have any flavor options)
- People taking other supplements that are high in the same nutrients (to avoid nutrient toxicity)
RELATED: 5 Super Greens Powder Benefits
Primal Greens Powder Specs
| Price per serving | $1.58 |
| Flavors | No flavor options |
| Key ingredients | Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), vitamin E (as dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate), vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin), zinc, copper (sodium copper chlorophyllin); superfood, antioxidant and mushroom blend (alfalfa leaf, carrot, wheat grass, spinach, spirulina, banana, coconut juice, broccoli, tomato, beet, cucumber, brussel sprout, cabbage, celery, kale, asparagus, green bell pepper, cauliflower, parsley, pomegranate, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, pineapple, concord grape, cherry, apricot, orange, strawberry, chlorella (cracked cell wall), camu camu fruit, reishi mushroom, shitake mushroom, maitake mushroom) |
| Digestion support ingredients | Digestive complex (apple fiber, inulin (chicory root ext.), fungal amylase, fungal protease, glucoamylase, lipase, cellulase); probiotic blend (b. longum, l. acidophilus, l. rhamnosus). |
| Adaptogenic ingredients | Herb and extract blend (acacia gum, acerola cherry extract, turmeric root, green tea leaf, cinnamon bark, eleuthero root, ginger root, enzyme treated stevia extract, mangosteen extract, ashwagandha root, korean ginseng root, chlorophyllin), |
| Serving size | 1 scoop (8g) |
| Other ingredients | None |
| Sweeteners | Stevia |
| Third-party testing | No |
Experience Using Primal Greens
GGR editor and product tester Frieda Johnson tried Primal Harvest Primal Greens. She drank the powder with water on several occasions, mixing it with a spoon in a glass or a shaker bottle.
Interestingly, Frieda noted that the product instructions indicate you can mix Primal Green with cold or hot liquids. “I’m planning to try it in coffee,” Frieda says. “I actually think it might taste OK, although I probably won’t do a full scoop.”
We’ll report back when Frieda tries Primal Greens in a hot beverage because most greens powders only mix with cold or room temperature liquids.
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Price Per Serving
At $47.45 for a bag of 30 servings, Primal Greens cost $1.58 per serving. This falls right into the middle of the price range we’ve seen for this supplement type—as low as $0.75 per serving up to more than $3.35 per serving for popular options like Supergreen Tonik.
Considering the robust ingredients list, we think $1.58 per serving is a fair price for Primal Greens.
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Formulation
Primal Greens is one of the few greens powder supplements that scored a 5 out of 5 for the formulation category. That’s because it actually contains all ingredient types registered dietitian Bob Iafelice, Ph.D., who helped us create our testing methodology for greens powders, wants to see in a superfood supplement.
Those ingredient types include whole-food-sourced ingredients, digestive support ingredients, and adaptogenic ingredients.
Here’s a look at the nutritional profile of Primal Greens:
- Superfood, antioxidant, and mushroom blend: alfalfa leaf, carrot, wheat grass, spinach, spirulina, banana, coconut juice, broccoli, tomato, beet, cucumber, brussel sprout, cabbage, celery, kale, asparagus, green bell pepper, cauliflower, parsley, pomegranate, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, pineapple, concord grape, cherry, apricot, orange, strawberry, chlorella (cracked cell wall), camu camu fruit, reishi mushroom, shitake mushroom, maitake mushroom)
- Digestive complex: apple fiber, inulin (chicory root ext.), fungal amylase, fungal protease, glucoamylase, lipase, cellulase)
- Probiotic blend: b. longum, l. acidophilus, l. rhamnosus
- Herb and extract blend: acacia gum, acerola cherry extract, turmeric root, green tea leaf, cinnamon bark, eleuthero root, ginger root, enzyme treated stevia extract, mangosteen extract, ashwagandha root, korean ginseng root, chlorophyllin
This supplement contains ample amounts of vitamins C, B12, and E, along with zinc and a moderate amount of copper. Interestingly, there is no mention of vitamin A on the label, although there are several ingredients that do contain vitamin A in the powder, such as carrot, beet, tomato, and leafy greens.
Since the ingredients are all present as proprietary blends, there’s no way to tell how much of each ingredient you’re getting—or if it’s an efficacious dose. For example, there’s no information about the CFU (colony forming units) count of the three individual probiotics in the blend; we only know that there are 3.5 billion CFUs in total across the three types.
RELATED: Nested Super Greens Review
Taste and Solubility
Primal Greens is not available in any flavor options, and it’s sweetened just slightly with stevia, which means the “flavor” is just what the superfood blend tastes like. Typically, unflavored greens powders are extremely earthy and grassy, almost dirt-like—understandable considering the origin of the ingredients.
However, Primal Greens was a nice change. Frieda says, “It tastes a little different than most greens powders I’ve tried, but I can’t quite describe it. It still definitely tastes ‘green’ and healthy, but it somehow has a richer, fuller flavor.”
“It’s still pretty mild, though, so I think it would blend well into other things, like juice,” she continues. “I don’t know that I would say it’s delicious, but I could easily drink it plain if needed.”
Regarding the texture, Frieda’s remarks weren’t as high. The powder dissolves OK but “settles quite a bit,” she adds. She found herself having to shake up the bottle or stir the glass before each sip unless she drank it fast.
Side Effects
Our product tester did not experience any side effects when taking Primal Greens. Frieda says she’s sensitive to several things, including artificial sweeteners, stevia, and dairy. There is stevia present in Primal Greens, but Frieda says she felt just fine after drinking it, so it may be a small amount (it’s unclear how much is present based on the labeled information).
Sometimes, when you introduce a new supplement to your diet, you may experience minor side effects like bloating or other gastrointestinal distress. That’s not uncommon with ingredients like digestive enzymes, pre- and probiotics, or fiber—all of which are included in Primal Greens. If you do experience side effects, try halving the dose and working your way up to the full dose over time.
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Third-Party Testing
There’s no indication that Primal Greens undergoes third-party testing. We try to recommend third-party tested products first, since that means the company has done their due diligence to uncover allergens, pathogens, heavy metals, and/or banned substances for athletes. That said, Primal Harvest strikes me as a transparent and customer-first company, and the supplements facts label reflects that. Athletes, of course, should seek out products certified to be free from performance-enhancing drugs.
Primal Greens Vs Athletic Greens AG1
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.
| Primal Greens | Athletic Greens AG1 | |
| Price per serving | $1.58 | $3.30 |
| Flavors | No flavor options | No flavor options |
| Key ingredients | Vitamin c (as ascorbic acid), vitamin e (as dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate), vitamin b12 (as cyanocobalamin), zinc, copper (sodium copper chlorophyllin), superfood, antioxidant and mushroom blend (alfalfa leaf, carrot, wheat grass, spinach, spirulina, banana, coconut juice, broccoli, tomato, beet, cucumber, brussel sprout, cabbage, celery, kale, asparagus, green bell pepper, cauliflower, parsley, pomegranate, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, pineapple, concord grape, cherry, apricot, orange, strawberry, chlorella (cracked cell wall), camu camu fruit, reishi mushroom, shitake mushroom, maitake mushroom); digestive complex (apple fiber, inulin (chicory root ext.), fungal amylase, fungal protease, glucoamylase, lipase, cellulase); probiotic blend (b. longum, l. acidophilus, l. rhamnosus); herb and extract blend (acacia gum, acerola cherry extract, turmeric root, green tea leaf, cinnamon bark, eleuthero root, ginger root, enzyme treated stevia extract, mangosteen extract, ashwagandha root, korean ginseng root, chlorophyllin) | 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 (8 g) | 1 scoop (12 g) |
| Other ingredients | None | Natural flavors |
| Sweeteners | Enzyme treated stevia extract | Stevia leaf extract |
| Third-party testing | No | Yes |
Primal Greens is one of the only greens powders I’ve researched that actually has more ingredients than Athletic Greens AG1. AG1 is typically considered the gold standard in this product category, so I’m really impressed with the Primal Greens formula.
One big callout, though, is that AG1 is third-party tested for its contents, whereas Primal Greens is not. This isn’t a huge deal for most people, but third-party testing lets us know that what is stated on the label is accurate and honest. The Primal Greens label is transparent besides the use of proprietary blends, and Primal Harvest as a whole seems like a transparent, customer-forward company—so I wouldn’t worry about this too much unless you are an athlete subject to testing for banned substances in sport.
Neither Primal Greens nor AG1 are available in flavored options—they are just the flavor of the fruit and veggie powder blends. Both are sweetened with stevia.
Finally, I’d be remiss not to note the price difference. Despite the fact that Primal Greens contains more superfood ingredients than AG1, it costs less by more than 50%.
Learn more about AG1 in our Athletic Greens review.
Customer Experience
Primal Harvest offers free shipping on orders over $75, same-day shipping for orders placed by 3 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, and a 90-day money-back guarantee for products purchased through Primal Harvest directly (not a third-party retailer like Amazon). Additionally, if you like the supplements, you can sign up for a subscription option that saves you money and is tailored to your desired frequency. Canceling your subscription is easy, and you can do it at any time.
Ordering Primal Greens
Primal Greens is available through the Primal Harvest website, which is where we recommend ordering from if you want to be eligible for the customer policies above. You can also buy Primal Greens on Amazon and on Walmart.com, but you’ll be subject to the retailer’s policies regarding returns and refunds.
Customer Reviews
As of this writing, Primal Greens has an average rating of 4.86 out of 5 stars on the Primal Harvest website. On Amazon, it has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
Several customers wrote reviews stating they didn’t experience any changes, good or bad. One reviewer wrote, “I live a pretty busy lifestyle without much downtime. I don’t run out of energy but could always use more. The reason I purchased this product was to hopefully increase my energy level, improve digestion and curb unhealthy cravings and support weight loss goals.”
“Now taking this product for 4 weeks, I haven’t noticed any differences at all in the areas I was looking to see an improvement,” the reviewer wrote, “or any difference in my feelings, ability, energy, digestion, nothing. Zero. My overall rating is 3 stars because I wouldn’t recommend it or tell someone not to purchase it. I would leave it up to an individual to try because everyone is different, and results for them could be better.”
Other reviewers rave that taking Primal Greens daily helped increase their energy and improve their digestion, while others complain that they can’t get past the grassy taste.
In general, reviews are mixed but come out positive overall.
Final Verdict of Our Primal Greens Review
Primal Greens is a superfood greens powder with ample vitamin and mineral content, adaptogens, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, and pre- and probiotics. It is sweetened with stevia but otherwise unflavored. The ingredients list is comparable to Athletic Greens AG1; in fact there’s more in this powder than in AG1. It costs a reasonable $1.58 per serving and has mixed but overall positive customer reviews.
Primal Greens Full Rating
Primal Greens
Our Primal Greens review looks at the formulation, taste, and solubility of this popular greens powder from Primal Harvest.
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 47
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.9
Primal Greens FAQs
How is the taste of Primal Greens?
Our product tester shares that Primal Greens powder tastes earthy but rich and slightly sweet. It’s good enough to drink solo but is better when mixed with a flavored beverage like juice or tea. It might go well with the best sports drinks or best electrolyte drinks.
Is Primal Greens better than AG1?
Primal Greens and AG1 are very comparable. Primal Greens contain more ingredients and cost less than AG1, and it might be a better starter option for people who aren’t sure they can commit to a greens powder habit.
Is Primal Greens FDA-approved?
Primal Greens is a dietary supplement, which means it isn’t subject to FDA approval in the way that foods, drinks, and medications are. Supplements are very loosely regulated, which is why we highly recommend buying products that have undergone third-party testing.
Can you get Primal Greens on Amazon?
Yes, Primal Greens is available on Amazon.
Is Primal Greens organic?
There isn’t any mention of organic greens or any other organic ingredients in Primal Greens powder, and it’s not USDA-certified organic.
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
1. Wooltorton E. Too much of a good thing? Toxic effects of vitamin and mineral supplements. CMAJ. 2003 Jul 8;169(1):47-8. Erratum in: CMAJ. 2003 Aug 19;169(4):283. PMID: 12847042; PMCID: PMC164945.
