Bloom Greens vs. Live it Up Super Greens: A Dietitian’s Look

Bloom Greens comes in hot as a social media star, but does that infamy indicate that it’s a higher-quality greens powder than Live it Up Super Greens? 

As a registered dietitian, I use nutritional science to recommend only the most valuable products for my clients. In comparing Bloom Greens & Superfoods and Live it Up Greens, I’ve come to some interesting conclusions. Both contain a compelling array of ingredients and each may be beneficial for different clients, but Live it Up clearly supplies more nutrients and potentially more benefits, making it our primary recommendation for clients looking for a quality greens powder.

Bloom vs. Live it Up Highlights

Here are the key facts about each product at a glance.

What Is Bloom Greens & Superfoods?

Bloom Nutrition was co-founded by Mari Llewellyn, who changed her life by leaning into healthy eating and fitness. With the goal of helping women ‘bloom’ into their own health and wellness, Bloom’s supplements focus on the female consumer.

Bloom Nutrition Greens contains your typical green superfood array of grasses plus chlorella and spirulina and also leans heavily into a fiber blend as well as an antioxidant blend packed with berries. It also contains a smattering of adaptogens, probiotics, and digestive enzymes.

Advantages

• All-natural and non-GMO
• 8 flavors
• No added sugar or artificial sweeteners
• Gluten-free and dairy-free
• Made in the USA
• Third-party tested and GMP-certified
• 6 digestive enzymes
• Easy on the wallet
• No synthetic vitamins added

Disadvantages

• Unspecified CFU in probiotic blend
• Sweetened with stevia leaf extract
• The bulk of ingredients come from the fiber blend
• Not all organic vegetables
• Does not specify what vitamins and minerals it contains
• Made in a facility that processes nuts

What Is Live it Up Super Greens?

Live it Up specializes in nutrient-rich superfood formulas developed to meet different health goals. Their Super Greens powder was developed to help “make up for what your nutrition lacks.” This product is not just for females like Bloom but is created to help fill the nutritional gaps of anyone focused on their daily health.

Super Greens’ formula centers around green plants and superfoods, with the classic combination of grasses and algae. It also includes beneficial foods, such as herbs and roots like nopal cactus, burdock root, and moringa, as well as leafy greens like spinach and kale.

This green powder also provides an ample amount of probiotics and three digestive enzymes.

Advantages

• Made with organic vegetables
• All-natural and non-GMO
• 2 flavors
• No added sugar or artificial sweeteners
• Gluten-free and dairy-free
• Made in the USA
• Third-party testing and GMP-certified
• 5 billion CFU dairy-free probiotics
• 3 plant-based digestive enzymes
• 24 vitamins and minerals
• Free shipping and 30-day money-back guarantee
• No synthetic vitamins added

Disadvantages

• Only available through their website
• Packaging makes the powder a bit messy

Potential Health Benefits

While research is firm on the fact that whole vegetables and fruits provide us with health benefits, research on dehydrated and powdered vegetables is still in its infancy but looking promising.

With that said, it’s likely that many of these products do provide certain potential health benefits—as long as they have adequate amounts of macro- and micro-nutrients.

Bloom Greens Purported Benefits

Bloom Nutrition Greens & Superfoods leans into digestive support, stating its product is a ‘daily scoop of gut health goodness’. As with many other superfood blends, it’s also supposed to promote energy.

Let’s see if, from a dietitian’s perspective, these health benefits hold true.

Energy

Our body’s energy systems rely heavily on specific vitamins and minerals to function properly. The micronutrients identified as playing a role in energy production include vitamin C, several of the B vitamins, and minerals iron, magnesium, and zinc. When our body is low in any one of these micronutrients, it may slow down the whole system and result in fatigue.

How does Bloom Greens & Superfoods stack up with these necessary vitamins and minerals? That’s actually difficult to deduce, seeing as the only micronutrients listed are iron and sodium. And iron comes in at only 0.6mg, or about 3% of your recommended daily intake, which may not offer much help.

Another important nutrient to promote energy is water. Even just mild dehydration of 1 to 3% may impact our energy, mood, and mental performance. So the good news is that drinking your Bloom Greens in water (or another beverage) can help to increase your fluid intake, which—as long as you are aiming to meet your overall hydration goals—may help promote more energy.

Bloating

At some point, we’ve all felt the uncomfortable feeling of gas being trapped in our intestines. In fact, bloating affects nearly 1 in 7 Americans daily. Whether a green powder can affect bloating is not only determined by its ingredients, but also by a person’s individual response.

While bloating is common, the cause is not completely understood and many factors may play a role. In some studies, probiotics have been shown to be beneficial in aiding bloating discomfort. 

When it comes to probiotics, Bloom unfortunately gives us very little information to go on. There is currently no indication of how many CFU probiotics are in the Bloom Greens formulation.

A secondary macronutrient that may impact bloating is dietary fiber. Bloom Greens does have several fibers that they add to their formula, from blue agave inulin to chicory root fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), organic flaxseed, and apple fruit powder. Together these add about 2 grams of fiber per scoop. 

For some people, adding more fiber may support regularity and therefore, help with bloating discomfort (even if from a dietitian’s perspective, 2 grams of dietary fiber may not make a huge impact). However, these types of fiber may also go the other way and increase the sensation of bloating. This is particularly true of FOS and other higher FODMAP fibers that are highly fermentable.

Digestive Health

Many of the ingredients that can impact bloating are also important to gut health in general. Probiotics may help a healthy digestive system by building up the beneficial bacteria colonies within our gut. A well-established colony can help limit the growth of harmful bacteria and help to digest and absorb certain nutrients.

As mentioned before, Bloom Greens does include two different strains of Lactobacillus probiotics, but the company simply isn’t transparent with how many CFU are provided in the formulation.

Additionally, certain types of fermentable fibers, such as inulin and FOS, can help beneficial bacteria proliferate as they help feed them their preferred fuel: short-chain fatty acids. 

Bloom Greens & Superfoods certainly does contain these fermentable fibers, making it valuable for those who may not be getting these gut-benefiting fibers in their diet.

Live it Up Super Greens Purported Benefits

Unlike Bloom Nutrition Greens, which focuses on mostly gut health, Live it Up Super Greens takes a more whole-body approach by stating its product is an “all-natural greens powder for daily health.” Now it’s time to take a deeper look to see if their claims stand up to the science.

Energy

As discussed before, the B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and zinc each play distinct roles within the biochemical pathways that result in the formation of energy. Without enough of each, we’re likely to feel more sluggish.

Live it Up actually tells us which micronutrients can be found in Super Greens, and it does contain each of the energy-specific nutrients. While vitamin C and most of the B vitamins are present, it’s particularly exciting to see 176% of our recommended daily value (DV) of B12 and 12% of folate (vitamin B9). Super Greens also contains magnesium and zinc, as well as 19% DV for iron. 

As a dietitian, I appreciate when a green powder is transparent about the micronutrients it contains, as few of them release this information. What also stands out to me is that none of the micronutrients in Super Greens are added from synthetic (lab-made) sources, they are all the nutrients naturally present in the plant ingredients.

Immunity

It’s not just energy production that uses vitamins and minerals; every process in the body relies on specific micronutrients, including immune function. The nutrients that aid in immune function include vitamins A, E, B2, and B12, as well as minerals zinc and copper. Super Greens contains all of these micronutrients.

Research is also now finding that a healthy microbiome actually communicates with immune cells to help maintain stable immune activity. This means that getting ample probiotics may in fact support our natural defenses. 

Does Live it Up Super Greens make an impact here? Absolutely. With 5 billion CFU of dairy-free probiotics, Super Greens is among the highest probiotic amounts within the greens powder category. 

Gut Health

When consumed, good bacteria have been shown to provide benefits for the gut and help with bloating discomfort. And in fact, an imbalance in the microbiome—when the bad bacteria outnumber the good—may compromise our health in several ways, including compounding digestive and metabolic issues.

Live it Up Super Greens includes two strains of Lactobacillus and two strains of Bifidobacterium, which are not only two of the most studied strains, but they also work together synergistically to help provide greater benefits.

Fiber is an important nutrient for our gut and our overall health. Interestingly, even though Super Greens does not add fiber to their formula, the fiber content is 3 grams per scoop, one gram more than Bloom Greens. 

From a dietitian’s perspective, this indicates that not only are the plants included high in fiber, but the processing they undergo to transform into a powder helps maintain much of the nutritional quality.

Ingredient Breakdown

There are several common, nutritionally dense ingredients that are present in most green powders, such as spirulina, chlorella, and grasses like barley grass and wheatgrass. 

However, the ingredients used in the remainder of the formulation are critical. These help determine whether the greens supplements have adequate nutrition quality. Let’s consider how Bloom Greens’ and Super Greens’ ingredients stack up.

Bloom Greens Ingredients

Bloom Greens has quite an interesting blend of plants, leaning hard into fiber, grasses, and fruit.

Their largest blend (1.606g) is all added fiber, their second largest blend is all grasses and algae (1.367g), and their third largest blend also includes fiber and a smattering of probiotics (648mg). Altogether, these top three blends make up 3.621g, which is more than half of the daily scoop.

In total, Bloom Greens packs in the superfoods with over 35 ingredients. Though with a scoop size of just 5.64 grams—half of which is fiber and grasses—it would be interesting to see if any of the other ingredients are in high enough doses to impact health.

Fruit and Vegetable Blend

This blend contains many vegetables that you may already find in an everyday diet, including broccoli powder, organic carrot powder, kale leaf powder, and spinach powder. 

Blueberries are the lone fruit in this blend but are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits available. These berries are rich in anthocyanins, a phytonutrient that is a powerful scavenger of free radicals. 

This blend also includes beetroot powder, an earthy-tasting, deep red plant with great health benefits. When consuming enough, which is a dose equivalent to at least one large beet, this root can help increase nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide helps to support circulation and power endurance performance by improving vasodilation—helping our blood vessels relax.

However, it’s unlikely that the 5.64g scoop contains a high enough dose to produce these benefits.

Digestive Enzyme Blend

Digestive enzymes are produced by the body—specifically the stomach, small intestines, and pancreas—to help break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into smaller particles that can be absorbed.

Sometimes, our body may not produce enough of these enzymes, which can lead to difficulty digesting and absorbing certain foods, with symptoms ranging from gas, bloating, and belly pain to diarrhea and oily stools. 

Many greens powders add digestive enzymes to help support gut health. Bloom Greens contains six digestive enzymes, including those that break down each of the different macronutrients: Amylase for carbohydrates, protease for protein, and lipase for fat. This makes for a good range of enzymes that should be on your digestive radar.

This blend also contains maltodextrin. Maltodextrin is a highly processed carbohydrate that is easy to digest; however, it is not considered to be a digestive enzyme. This miscategorization is a bit misleading. While maltodextrin is considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is used in many processed foods, recent research has linked it with changes in our gut microbiome. So this ingredient may not actually be that beneficial for our gut health.

Adaptogenic Blend

Adaptogens are herbs, roots, and other plants that are thought to help our body deal with stressors. The concept behind these plants is that they not only help to support the immune system but also overall well-being.

The adaptogens found in Bloom Greens include Rhodiola root powder, which may ease mental and physical fatigue; Ashwagandha root powder, which may have a calming effect; Astragalus root powder, which is thought to activate our body’s protective energy or life force; and Eleuthero root powder, which may support our ability to focus. 

American Ginseng root extract is another ingredient in this blend and is generally considered safe if taken for short periods (up to 12 weeks). While this is a well-known plant, it does come with some contraindications. People taking medication that slows blood clotting should avoid American Ginseng, and this root may also exacerbate sleep problems. 

While it is very likely that Bloom Greens contains very little American Ginseng (the Adaptogenic Blend as a whole is only 100mg), I recommend that you check with your healthcare provider before adding this to your daily routine.

Of note, be aware that Bloom Greens also contains green tea extract in the case that you are sensitive to this ingredient.

Live it Up Super Greens Ingredients

Live it Up Super Greens focuses on grasses and algae, but then takes a different approach to the remainder of its ingredients. Rather than focusing on added fiber or fruit, it includes plants we normally wouldn’t get enough of—or any at all—to help boost its nutrient profile.

With just over 20 superfood ingredients, Super Greens comes in around a dozen ingredients less than Bloom Greens. Along with a bigger scoop (8 grams), this means that many of the ingredients are likely closer to an effective dose than those in Bloom Greens.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the important ingredients.

Grasses and Blue-Green Algae

Many green powders include these ingredients, and it’s no wonder why. These greens are quite the nutritional powerhouses, which is why I wanted to dig into them a little.

These ingredients take the top spots on the Live it Up Super Greens supplement facts panel, meaning they are present in the highest amounts. From my perspective, this is an important feature in a greens powder since grasses and algae provide quite a number of nutritional benefits.

Grasses such as wheatgrass powder and barley grass powder contain micronutrients like the B vitamins as well as C, A, and K, along with minerals calcium, iron, and magnesium. They also contain phytonutrients like chlorophyll and other antioxidants that help impact oxidative stress.

Nutritional grasses also contain both essential and nonessential amino acids. In fact, it is made up of around 27% protein. 

Blue-green algae such as chlorella and spirulina also have strong nutritional profiles. These plants are made of 50% or more protein and are both complete proteins, meaning they provide all 9 essential amino acids. The phytonutrients in these plants have been shown to promote energy, aid in immune system health, and contribute to hair and skin health.

Burdock Root and Ginger Root

Burdock root has been used for centuries worldwide as a holistic medicine. Not only is it nutrient-rich, but this vegetable also contains valuable prebiotic fibers that are an important part of supporting gut health.

Its antioxidant and bioactive compounds help defend the body from free radicals and oxidative stress and have been linked to supporting healthier-looking skin, the reduction of swelling, and supporting immune function.

Mostly known for its functionality as a spice, ginger root has a long history of medicinal uses. Ginger is packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants, which can help impact stress within the body and cells. Research is abundant on ginger’s ability to support gastrointestinal function and calm inflammation, gut distress, and nausea.

Seaweeds

Live it Up Super Greens contains both organic kelp and organic dulse, two high-nutrient seaweeds. 

Both of these seaweeds are some of the best sources of iodine, a mineral that is important to thyroid function. They also contain tyrosine, which is a critical component needed to make thyroid hormones. 

Other minerals found in seaweed include vitamin K, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin A, iron, copper, and calcium, along with a wide array of antioxidants and phytonutrients. Interestingly, both kelp and dulse contain alginate, a type of fiber that may help stop the absorption of fat from our intestines by blocking the action of lipase. 

Seaweed is also abundant in several antioxidants, helping to scavenge free radicals and making them less likely to cause harm to our cells. 

Other beneficial ingredients found in Live it Up Super Greens includes nopal cactus, nettle leaf, dandelion leaf, organic alfalfa powder, organic barley grass, organic oat grass juice powder, and the leafy greens organic spinach leaf, organic kale leaf, and organic parsley leaf.

Cost Review

As a dietitian, I’m well aware that price does not always reflect a product’s actual worth. 

For example, Athletic Greens blows its competition out of the water with quite a wallet-burning price, and yet you could find so many other greens powders just as good—if not better—than AG1 at a more affordable cost.

When it comes to the price of Bloom Greens and Live it Up Super Greens, their prices actually do a good job of representing their quality.

Bloom Greens Cost

Bloom Greens is a budget-friendly greens supplement, which is likely a big driver for gaining new customers.

Here is an overview of what you can expect to pay for Bloom Greens:

• Regular price per 30 days: $34.99 ($1.16 per serving)
• Subscription price per 30 days: $31.49 ($1.05 per serving)
• Shipping is free for subscriptions or orders over $50
• 15-day refund as long as product is unopened
• If you spend $100, you get a free tote bag

Live it Up Super Greens Cost

Live it Up Super Greens is a relatively middle-of-the-road cost for a greens supplement and comes in a bit higher in price than Bloom. From a health professional’s point of view, you’re also getting higher quality ingredients with all organic vegetables, 5 billion CFU probiotics, and a larger dose per scoop.

What you can expect to pay for Live it Up Super Greens:

• Regular price per 30 days: $59.99 ($1.99 per serving)
• Subscription price per 30 days: $39.99 ($1.33 per serving)
• Free shipping without stipulations
• 30-day money-back guarantee 

Taste Test

Usually, taste is the ultimate factor in whether you continue to purchase a greens supplement or not. In a head-to-head comparison between Bloom Greens and Live it Up Super Greens, the results are tight. In my opinion and for many other customers, both of these greens have done a great job in the flavor department—with a few caveats.

Bloom Greens Taste

Bloom Greens makes waves in the greens product category by providing an astounding number of flavors. The company provides customers with eight different choices, from zingy citrus flavors and kiwi-strawberry to berry and coconut. 

Most customers find Bloom Greens to be a refreshing drink and enjoy the flavors, saying that they taste good when mixed with juice or milk. However, most do not seem to enjoy it as much when mixed in water.

“I love the berry flavor! It does have that “vitamin” taste. But it’s understandable due to everything it has. I still love the flavor, and I find it really refreshing in the morning.” ~Ben

“I really like how it tastes! It is very sweet and a little sour from the mango flavor. I don't prefer to drink it by mixing it into water; it can be a little gritty. It tastes really really good in smoothies though. I like to add a scoop to a blender with some frozen bananas, yogurt, and a little water.” ~zerovertical

Others find Bloom Greens a bit gritty and difficult to dissolve, and a few are not as pleased with the taste:

“I didn’t expect this to taste good by any means, but it is awful. On top of the fact that it made me very bloated and horribly dizzy (not sure if there is a caffeine content that caused this?). I only tried it twice, but you can’t return if it’s been opened. :| terrible product and customer service.” ~Made

“Powder does not easily dissolve! You will be stirring every minute before being able to actually sip and enjoy!” ~Ivonne

Personally, I enjoy that there are many flavors to choose from, though it’s a bit on the too-sweet side for me. I also am not a big fan of the aftertaste of stevia leaf extract. I agree that the product is a bit sandy and difficult to mix.

Live it Up Super Greens Taste

While Super Greens does not have the library of flavors that Bloom Greens makes available, they do have two that are well-received: Original with a subtly mint flavor and Wild Berries with a tart cherry and citrus zing.

The majority of customers find Super Greens tasty and easy to add to their daily routine.

“Love it. Amazing product, great taste, easy to mix. Just like drinking mint-flavored water. I will keep using this product for years to come.” ~Timothy

“Great taste! The mint + the little bit of sweetness makes for excellent taste, much better than AG. When mixed with the rest of my nutritional drink, I can't even taste the mint.” ~Elly 

While customers who dislike the greens flavor are harder to come by, there are certainly people who are not a fan. Admittedly, taste is quite subjective. While most customers feel Super Greens mixes into beverages easily, a few have commented on it being a bit grainy.

“Very happy. Been using it every day for about 5 months. I'll admit, I do not enjoy the taste, but I feel the benefits outweigh the bad taste, so I drink it every morning before my workout. I feel a sense of better health being on it.” ~Amy

“My biggest issue is the taste. It's like minty toothpaste made of grass. I mix it with a little water then usually add a citrus juice to make it more palatable (less gaggy). I finally switched my subscription to the berry (I haven't gotten it yet) to see if it's any better. I'm not a fan of raspberry anything so hopefully that's not the dominant flavor.” ~Jon S.

My own review of Live it Up Super Greens is similar to their core customer base. I enjoy the subtle sweetness, especially since it uses monk fruit, so the aftertaste doesn’t bother me. While I did enjoy the Original mint flavor, the Wild Berries brought the taste to another level. I did notice a bit of graininess that required a few more stirs of the spoon, but not as much as from Bloom Greens.

Bloom Greens vs. Live it Up: Are They Worth It?

While I will always recommend that my clients eat lots of whole foods, vegetables, and fruit to help get the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they need for overall health, a daily greens powder can be a great way to help when maintaining a balanced diet gets tough.

Bloom Greens has a strong lean into fiber, grasses, and fruit. While it’s difficult to say how many probiotics the product provides, it does contain six digestive enzymes. Overall, Bloom is an excellent product for those looking for several flavor options, who may not need quite as high a dose of greens superfoods, who are not as focused on vitamin content, and who are on a tighter budget. Bloom is also a bit limited since it is geared toward women consumers.

Live it Up Super Greens is an all-natural greens powder that contains an array of superfoods the typical consumer is not getting and comes in a scoop size that likely allows for closer to an effective dose. While they do not have the flavor variety of Bloom Greens, they have a hefty dose of probiotics and a multitude of vitamins and minerals. Overall, Super Greens stands firm in its commitment to quality and safety.

While both Bloom Greens and Live it Up Super Greens could make a good addition to an overall diet, I would be more likely to recommend Live it Up as it provides a higher nutritional quality, all organic vegetables, and has a broader appeal. 

In your search for the best greens powder for your goals, remember that everyone has individual needs and unique health concerns. What works for someone else may not be the best choice for you. Do your research and reach out to a registered dietitian for a more comprehensive dietary assessment and recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best greens powder?

Each greens powder provides slightly different benefits to help meet individual needs and goals. Popular greens powders include Live it Up Super Greens, Bloom Greens, AG1, Vibrant Health Green Vibrance, and Amazing Grass Greens Blend. When looking for the best greens powders, cost, taste, third-party testing, organic greens, artificial sweeteners, and nutritional profile are important factors to consider.

When should I take a greens powder?

Many companies recommend taking greens powders in the morning to help get the day started with a flood of nutrients and energy. However, it is critical to take a greens powder daily to gain benefits, so ultimately the best time to take it is whenever you remember.

Greens can be added to your beverage of choice or blended into a smoothie with protein, nut butter, and frozen berries.

Are powdered greens worth it?

Most Americans are not meeting their recommended vegetable intake. While nothing can replace eating whole produce, taking a daily greens can help increase vegetable and nutrient intake when you're not able to eat all your greens.

Do greens help with weight loss?

Weight loss is generally dependent upon a calorie deficit. Drinking greens powders is a great way to help increase your nutrition while working toward weight management by focusing on a healthy diet, whole foods, and increasing exercise.

Can greens powders help with bloating?

Daily greens powders that contain an adequate amount of probiotics and digestive enzymes may be beneficial for soothing bloating discomfort.

Resources

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