7 Best Athletic Greens (AG1) Alternatives, Ranked by a Dietitian

If you’re unsure if AG1 is right for your health needs, explore the top alternatives from a nutritionist’s perspective.

While Athletic Greens (AG1) states its greens powder is for everyone, as individuals, we all have different nutritional requirements and goals. In my work as a registered dietitian nutritionist, uncovering personal health differences is at the crux of providing optimal nutrition recommendations and care.

So while many greens powders may indeed be used universally, finding the best greens powder for you may mean looking for a unique blend to meet your needs, such as help with bloating discomfort, athletic recovery, or stress management.

I’ve researched many green supplements on the market and compiled the seven best Athletic Greens alternatives for different health goals.

Key Highlights

After considering the top health concerns I run into in my practice, I’ve found the Athletic Greens alternative that may be helpful in each circumstance.

1. Best Alternative Greens Powder: Live it Up Super Greens

2. Best Protein-Boosted Greens Powder: Sprout Living Epic Protein Green Kingdom

3. Best Greens Powder for Stress: Thorne Daily Greens Plus

4. Best Greens Powder for Probiotics: Vibrant Health Green Vibrance

5. Best Greens Powder with Fermented Ingredients: Dr. Mercola Organic Fermented Greens Powder

6. Best Greens Powder for Athletes: Gnarly Performance Greens

7. Best Just-the-Essentials Greens Powder: Your Super Super Green Mix

Top 7 Alternatives for Athletic Greens

When I examine green powders, my criteria for a top-notch product are high-quality ingredients, a focus on safety in production, and nothing unnecessary added. If we are taking this product to support our health, why settle for something with ingredients or processes that detract from it?

The following AG1 alternatives meet high standards, so you can feel good finding the best greens powder to help meet your needs.

Live it Up Super Greens

Best Alternative Greens Powder

Price per serving: $1.33

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Super Greens from Live it Up is a high-quality, nutritionally dense greens powder that tops my list as an excellent choice overall. The company has several plant-powered superfood blends and puts a high priority on the quality and safety of its products.

Health Goal Assistance

Digestion: With 5 billion CFU probiotics from four different strains, as well as three plant-based digestive enzymes, Live it Up Super Greens may aid gut health and help support digestion.¹

Micronutrients: Super Greens contains over 22 naturally derived vitamins and minerals from over 20 superfoods and organic vegetables, so it can help you get nutrients and antioxidants your regular diet may be lacking.

Energy: When your body gets the micronutrients it needs, particularly B vitamins, magnesium, and iron—all found in Super Greens—it’s more likely to produce the energy needed to make it through long days.²

Pros

Made with organic vegetables and non-GMO
Wide variety of superfoods
Third-party tested and GMP-certified
No added sugars, stevia, or artificial sweeteners
Allergen-friendly, vegan
No artificial or unnecessary ingredients
Made in the USA

Cons

Not available in stores
A bit messy due to thinness of texture

Core Ingredients

Super Greens has a wide array of over 20 superfood ingredients, from microalgae spirulina and chlorella to seaweed kelp and dulse, several grasses, herbs like moringa and horsetail, along with nutrient-packed green vegetables and roots.

Taste & Mixability

Live it Up Super Greens has two flavors: Original Flavor with a hint of mint and Wild Berry with a refreshingly tart berry taste with a side of citrus. Both are subtly sweet, a result of the naturally sweet taste of monk fruit, and the flavors seem to be widely enjoyed by Super Greens customers.

As for texture, Super Greens subscribers note the fine powder mixes well with beverages and other foods without a gritty texture.

In sum

With a broad range of superfoods, probiotics, and micronutrients, Live it Up Super Greens is my top recommendation and an excellent choice to help with energy, digestion, and bolstering your overall diet.

“As a practicing Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I have come to understand that most people could use a boost to their diets to help meet vitamin and mineral requirements. The typical American diet is generally low in fiber as well as vitamins and minerals from fruits and veggies, providing an opportunity for greens supplements to fulfill that gap.” — Lena Bakovic, MS, RDN, CNSC

Sprout Living Epic Protein Green Kingdom

Best Protein-Boosted Greens Powder

Price per serving: $1.89

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Sprout Living Epic Protein Green Kingdom is a plant-based protein powder blended with powdered greens and superfoods. Like Live it Up, Sprout Living focuses on plant-based nutrition with an emphasis on clean, safely produced products.

Health Goal Assistance

Protein: For some people, getting enough protein can be a chore. Add the task of getting enough veggies, and there’s a lot to catch up on! This powder blends the two to help attain a more balanced diet.

Pros

Added plant-based protein
Organic ingredients and non-GMO
Third-party tested and GMP-certified
No added sugar
No artificial or unnecessary ingredients
Allergen-friendly, vegan

Cons

Stevia
Added salt
Only 4 vitamins and minerals listed
No probiotics
No digestive enzymes

Core Ingredients

Epic Protein Green Kingdom contains 15 greens and superfoods, including microalgae spirulina and chlorella, broccoli, carrots, baobab, and lucuma. Its protein comes from yellow pea, sunflower seed, and sacha inchi.

Taste & Mixability

Sprout Living describes the taste of Green Kingdom as a mix of deep earthy greens and citrus. Many customers enjoy the flavor while some find the taste a bit overpowering.

While most customers say that the texture is not chalky, others find it more difficult to dissolve in a beverage alone but works better in a smoothie or oatmeal.

In sum

Sprout Living Epic Protein Green Kingdom is rich in protein and a great choice for people who fall behind in both their protein and vegetable intake.

Thorne Daily Greens Plus

Best Greens Powder for Stress

Price per serving: $2.27

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Daily Greens Plus, a greens powder rich in adaptogens, is produced by Thorne, a company well known for its rigorously tested supplements.

Health Goal Assistance

Stress: In today’s fast-paced world, stress affects many people, and high stress not only impairs our daily outlook on life but also affects almost every major system in our body.⁴

Adaptogens and mushrooms are plants that may help with our body’s response to stress, which can help us find a better balance.³

Pros

Rich in adaptogens
Variety of superfoods
Third-party tested and GMP-certified
No added sugars, stevia, or artificial sweeteners
Allergen-friendly, vegan
Made in the USA

Cons

Added vitamins and minerals
Only 3 vitamins and minerals listed
Not organic
No probiotics
No digestive enzymes

Core Ingredients

With 30 ingredients, Daily Greens Plus not only focuses on adaptogens, but also contains a mushroom blend, greens blend including matcha and spirulina, and added antioxidants such as Coenzyme Q10 and Nicotinamide riboside.

Taste & Mixability

This greens powder has only one flavor, which is minty with a hint of ginger and added monk fruit for sweetness. Some customers enjoy this flavor combination while others say it takes time to get used to the flavor.

As for texture, most customers say the texture of Daily Greens Plus is smooth. However, if not mixed well, it may clump and allow powder to settle at the bottom of the glass.

In sum

Daily Greens Plus by Thorne is a good choice for people who find stress an overwhelming factor in their daily lives.

Vibrant Health Green Vibrance

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Best Greens Powder for Probiotics

Price per serving: $1.65

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Vibrant Health Green Vibrance has one of the highest amounts of probiotics in a greens powder on the market today. As has been the status quo so far, Vibrant Health’s core values are safety and quality when it comes to its supplements.

Health Goal Assistance

Gut health: Probiotics are live organisms, such as bacteria and yeast, that may provide benefits, including promoting digestive balance.⁵ With 25 billion CFU along with 6 digestive enzymes, Green Vibrance brings gut health front and center.

Vibrant Health also contains prebiotic fibers which not only feed the beneficial bacteria but also our intestinal cells, helping to keep both flourishing.⁶

Pros

25 billion CFU probiotics and 6 digestive enzymes
Variety of superfoods
Third-party tested and GMP-certified
No added sugars, stevia, or artificial sweeteners
Allergen-friendly, vegan
Made in the USA

Cons

Added vitamins and minerals
Not fully organic

Core Ingredients

In addition to probiotics and digestive enzymes, this greens powder contains over 40 ingredients including microalgae and seaweed, a variety of vegetables, grasses, and superfoods, as well as herbs like ginkgo biloba.

Taste & Mixability

Vibrant Health does not add any sweeteners to its greens powder, though many customers enjoy the slightly vanilla and deeply grassy flavor. Others say the flavor is not very tasty.

While it mixes well with a blender or shaker bottle, there may still be some detectable grit left.

In sum

If gut health is a big goal for you, then Vibrant Health Green Vibrance and its large dose of probiotics may be the right greens powder for you.

Dr. Mercola Organic Fermented Greens Powder

Best Greens Powder with Fermented Ingredients

Price per serving: $1.33

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Dr. Mercola has found its niche in fermentation; all its superfood powders contain fermented ingredients. Organic Fermented Greens is put through strict standards to ensure quality and safety.

Health Goal Assistance

Digestibility: During fermentation, food components are broken down through an enzymatic process. This can have great benefits, such as enhancing the nutritional and antioxidant content of a food and allowing it to be better digested and absorbed.⁷

For people who have difficulty digesting vegetables and other plants, a fermented product such as Organic Fermented Greens Powder may work better for them.

Pros

Fermented ingredients
Certified organic
Variety of superfoods
Third-party tested and GMP-certified
No added sugars or artificial sweeteners
Allergen-friendly, vegan
Made in the USA

Cons

Stevia
Only 3 vitamins and minerals listed
No probiotics
No digestive enzymes

Core Ingredients

Organic Fermented Greens contains all the usual suspects when it comes to ingredients – they’re just all fermented! From grasses, vegetables, and microalgae to herbs and sprouts, this greens powder covers a gamut of superfoods with about 27 ingredients.

Taste & Mixability

Many customers find the sweet, grassy, and slightly citrus taste to be enjoyable, yet others find it a bit too sweet. It should be noted that fermentation does somewhat alter the taste of a greens powder, should you be switching over to this product.

Most find the powder to mix in quite well with a beverage or smoothie.

In sum

If your veggie intake is low because you have difficulty digesting them, Dr. Mercola Organic Fermented Greens provides a greens powder option to help boost your plant and nutrient intake with more ease.

Gnarly Performance Greens

Best Greens Powder for Athletes

Price per serving: $1.60

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Performance Greens is a greens powder with a sports performance and recovery focus. The Gnarly brand is a sports nutrition company with a track record for quality and safety.

Health Goal Assistance

Athletic performance and recovery: Performance Greens are specifically formulated with athletes in mind. The product includes beetroot, which has been found to improve blood flow during exercise, as well as tart cherry and turmeric to help reduce recovery time.⁸^,⁹^,¹⁰

Pros

Athletic performance and recovery-focused superfoods
1 billion CFU probiotics
Third-party tested and GMP-certified
No added sugars or artificial sweeteners
Allergen-friendly, vegan

Cons

Stevia
Added vitamins and minerals

Core Ingredients

While most ingredients in Performance Greens focus on performance and recovery, this greens powder also contains a breadth of superfoods such as microalgae, seaweed, grasses, vegetables, and a fiber blend with chia and flax seeds. Performance Greens tops out at just under 40 ingredients total.

Taste & Mixability

Gnarly Performance Greens come in two flavors: Blueberry Acai and Lemon Mint, which is enjoyed by most customers who say it has an earthy, grassy, subtly sweet flavor.

Mixability is good as long as the powder is whisked well, though many say it could be smoother.

In sum

Athletes looking to up their game may find Gnarly Performance Greens a good supplement to add to their daily routine.

Your Super Super Green Mix

Best Just-the-Essentials Greens Powder

Price per serving: $0.91

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Your Super Super Green Mix brings simplicity to the table for those who are looking for just a little nudge to their balanced diet. Like the other greens companies on the list, Your Super is committed to the quality of its products.

Health Goal Assistance

A sensitive-to-plants boost: Super Green Mix has very minimal ingredients (only six!) and no added sweeteners (natural or artificial) at all. This makes it ideal for people who have a lot of allergies or intolerances.

Since it contains so few superfoods, this greens powder is best for those who already do well with their vegetable intake but would still like a little boost of nutrition.

Pros

Certified organic
Third-party tested and GMP-certified
No added sugars, stevia, or artificial sweeteners
Allergen-friendly, vegan
Made in the USA

Cons

Minimal superfood variety
Only 4 vitamins and minerals listed
No probiotics
No digestive enzymes

Core Ingredients

The six ingredients in Super Green Mix are wheatgrass, barley grass, moringa, baobab, spirulina, and chlorella.

Taste & Mixability

Without any sweeteners, this greens powder works well for those who prefer the natural taste of vegetables, and it mixes very well with beverages without a gritty texture.

In sum

Your Super Super Green Mix is a straightforward greens powder that can help enhance the diet of those with several intolerances or who are already getting vegetables daily.

Why Consider an AG1 Alternative

AG1 is a well-known greens powder made of a plethora of dried, powdered plants developed to not only increase your vegetable intake but also cover all your supplement needs.

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AG1 pledge: To be a “Foundational Nutrition supplement that supports whole-body health.”

AG1 stated health claims: Supports gut health, aids focus and energy, helps with stress and mood balance, and supports a healthy immune system.

AG1 ingredients:

75 ingredients (45 of which are vegetables and superfoods)
7.2 billion CFU probiotics
1 digestive enzyme
Prebiotics
Stevia

While AG1 may certainly be the right choice for many people, there are several reasons why you may be inclined to look for an Athletic Greens alternative.

Price. At $2.63 per serving (after subscription discounts), sticker shock with AG1 is the primary reason folks look elsewhere.

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Too many added vitamins and minerals. Some greens powders, like Live it Up Super Greens, rely on the natural plant ingredients in their product to contribute micronutrients, while AG1 adds synthetic vitamins and minerals.

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Diluted ingredients. With 45 plant ingredients, 20 added vitamins and minerals, and probiotics, it would be tough to fit a decent amount of each in one scoop.

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Taste. Taste is very personal but an important factor when choosing a greens powder. Many people find the taste pleasantly sweet, vanilla, and earthy with some grit while others are not fans at all.

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Your personal health goals. Everyone has different needs, so looking for a product that better meets those will help you reach your ultimate health goals.

My Methodology for Choosing the Best Greens Powder

According to Catalina Ruz, RDN, “On days when consuming enough vegetables proves consistently challenging, a greens powder can be a convenient solution. It offers an easy way to boost your intake, especially during busy times.”

I agree wholeheartedly, which is why it’s crucial to make sure you take the right product. Generally, my scientific background means I’m always skeptical of health claims about dietary supplements.

It’s critical to note that these health claims are not monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so a company can very easily make statements about their product that are not backed up by research. For this reason, I’m always doing my own analysis of a product before I consider recommending it to a client.

Here are a few factors I take into consideration when choosing the best greens powders:

Variety of Superfoods

Greens powders are taken to help close nutrient gaps and get superfoods and antioxidants not normally found in our diets—so making sure the product chosen has a comprehensive vegetable and superfood repertoire is high on my list.

I look for a greens powder with these foundational ingredients:

At least a few grasses, such as wheatgrass
Microalgae such as spirulina and cracked cell wall chlorella (our body can’t break down the strong chlorella cell walls to release the nutrients, so I always look for ‘cracked’ or ‘broken’ cell wall chlorella)¹¹
A variety of vegetables, especially dark green leafy vegetables¹²
Seaweed such as kelp and dulse
An assortment of herbs and roots such as burdock, moringa, nettle, and ginger
More than a few billion CFU probiotics
At least a couple digestive enzymes

Free of fillers, additives, artificial sweeteners, and superfluous ingredients

When we consume a food or supplement to enhance our health, the last thing we want is for something in it to cause discomfort or harm. Some greens powders add guar gum, silicone dioxide, silica, xylitol, and even aspartame, all of which are not necessary and may cause discomfort for some people.

Quality ingredients and manufacturing

Organic preferred. Because greens powders are concentrated forms of plants, choosing a product that does not contain organic vegetables and superfoods may provide you also with a concentrated amount of pesticides and herbicides.

Third-party testing and GMP-certification. A company that cares for its product and customers goes to lengths to provide a safe greens powder by putting it through rigorous testing with a third party and having it manufactured in a GMP-certified facility.

Appropriate Health Claims

If there are health claims that make a product too good to be true, it probably is. Blatant exaggeration, such as with weight loss or detoxification, should be looked at with a critical eye. What research is supporting these claims, if any?

Effective dosing

Purchasing a greens powder with too many ingredients may mean you’re not getting the slated benefits. I find that a greens powder with between 20 and 30 total ingredients may be more advantageous.

Final Thoughts

After digging into the research and analyzing the pros and cons, I’ve compiled several exceptional alternatives to AG1 that meet specific health needs. From Live it Up Super Greens to Vibrant Health Green Vibrance and Gnarly Performance Greens, there are many high-quality choices to help meet your goals.

And of course, I can’t sign off without being completely clear on the importance of whole vegetables, fruits, and plants in your diet. Filling your days with fresh produce is essential to longevity and good health.

Unfortunately, with our crazy schedules (and our taste buds!), we just can’t always eat to meet these goals. Use greens powders to give your health a boost, get nutrients you normally wouldn’t, and help make it through those busy days when getting enough veggies just isn’t in the cards.

As with all supplements, be sure to chat with a registered dietitian or healthcare professional before adding any new ones to your diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before making your final decision, here are some frequently asked questions that may help you choose the best greens powder for your needs.

How much do greens powders cost?

There is a wide range when it comes to the price of greens powders. For example, a one-month supply of Athletic Greens costs $3.30 per serving, while the same amount of Live it Up Super Greens costs $1.99 per serving. With a subscription, the price is reduced further.

Do greens powders work?

Many customers report feeling more energy, less bloating discomfort, better digestion, enhanced mental performance, and supported immunity after taking a super greens powder consistently. Note that everyone is different, and results may vary depending on which green powder you take and how regularly it is consumed.

Is Athletic Greens worth it?

Everyone has varying health goals. If you feel your diet is very lacking in micronutrients and you have no intolerances to a wide variety of vegetables and plants, then taking Athletic Greens AG1 may be a good green powder supplement for you and worth the high cost. If you’re looking to learn more about Athletic Greens AG1, check out our full comprehensive review here.

What are the best Athletic Greens alternatives?

The best AG1 alternatives when it comes to health goals include Live it Up Super Greens, Vibrant Health Green Vibrance, and Dr. Mercola Organic Fermented Greens. Others may include Amazing Grass Greens Blend, Organifi Green Juice, and Bloom Greens. When choosing an alternative to Athletic Greens, consider your personal needs, and don’t forget to read the ingredient list thoroughly.

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9. Vitale KC, Hueglin S, Broad E. Tart Cherry Juice in Athletes: A Literature Review and Commentary. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2017 Jul/Aug;16(4):230-239. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000385. PMID: 28696985.

10. Campbell MS, Carlini NA, Fleenor BS. Influence of curcumin on performance and post-exercise recovery. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2021;61(7):1152-1162. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1754754. Epub 2020 Apr 22. PMID: 32319320.

11. Weber S, Grande PM, Blank LM, Klose H. Insights into cell wall disintegration of Chlorella vulgaris. PLoS One. 2022;17(1):e0262500. Published 2022 Jan 14. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262500

12. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Dark Leafy Green Vegetables. Ars.usda.gov. September 2023. Accessed 7 February 2024.