2024 Update: I no longer recommend Athletic Greens as the best super greens powder you can get. The rising price increase has made it not a great value. $99+ every month for one package just isn’t worth it. The products and ingredients are still good but there is better value for your money out there. And there are other greens powders that taste better too.
The Athletic Greens company has recently received funding from big investors ($100+ million), drastically increased their marketing and has since rebranded its supplement as “AG1” even though it’s the same product as before. Just because Athletic Greens is now paying internet celebs like Tim Ferriss and Joe Rogan big bucks to promote it doesn’t make it worth it.
I recommend MetaboGreens or Green Vibrance instead now. It’s just as good (if not better), has superior taste and you’ll save a lot of money too…
Get MetaboGreens (Save 51% OFF)
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In my Athletic Greens review, I’m going to give you my thoughts on this popular super greens supplement. After trying many other superfood powder products out there I’ll let you know how Athletic Greens compares to the competition or if it’s just fairy dust.
If I could only recommend taking just one supplement it would be that of super greens based one. I’d recommend a super greens like Athletic Greens, Green Vibrance, or MetaboGreens because most people aren’t getting the needed vegetables and micronutrients from their diet.
While there are a lot of junk greens superfood powders out there I’ll break down Athletic Greens for you here so you know if it’s the real deal of not…
Breaking It Down In My Athletic Greens Review
So what is Athletic Greens?
It can be hard for most to keep track of too many supplements. And from my experience, the one thing is it can be difficult for them to take it if there are too many supplements needed to be taken.
This is why I start my clients with one super green supplement to increase performance and that’s Athletic Greens. The most important factor of any fitness and diet program is consistency. You can have the best workout program and the greatest diet in the world but if you don’t do it then there’s no point.
Finding something good that works for you is going to be the #1 factor for any fitness, weight loss, and health program.
Super green powders like Athletic Greens are good for you since they contain an abundance of all-natural ingredients made from real whole foods and natural extracts herbs. Nothing chemical or synthetic is used in the making of this super greens powder.
What Are The Ingredients In Athletic Greens?
Athletic Greens and super greens powders are known as a “superfood cocktail,” because they pack in as much nutrition as they can into them. Think of them as a whole foods derived super multivitamin that isn’t jam-packed with artificial and chemical ingredients.
There are only technically 50 calories per serving of Athletic Greens but these are micronutrient calories so these calories shouldn’t add to your daily count.
Athletic Greens doesn’t need to be refrigerated and if you don’t like eating vegetables then they’ll help a lot to get you towards your full servings of vegetables for the day. Plus it’s also gluten and dairy-free, paleo, kept, and vegan-friendly. You’ll notice an energy boost when taking Athletic Greens but don’t have to worry about getting the jitters since it contains no caffeine.
The Athletic Greens ingredients contain a host of health benefits superior to other super greens powders to better your performance in the gym and in life. Their product and company get raving customer reviews. Athletic Greens ingredients are going to give you way more health benefits than drinking sugary fruit juice and blends.
Another benefit of taking Athletic Greens is it’s packed with over 75 whole food ingredients. They’re great for your health too since they’re whole foods based. You don’t have to worry about injecting your body with some artificial synthetic compounds manufactured in China.
You’ll only find high-performance greens ingredients from organic spirulina to lactobacillus acidophilus to reishi mushroom (super mushroom complex) in Athletic Greens. Don’t worry about the fancy names I’ll break it all down for you in this Athletic Greens review.
If you’re looking to not only slim down your belly but also reverse aging and energetic then you’ll want to be taking a high-performance greens powder like Athletic Greens that provides you with these types of whole food ingredients.
I don’t know any other alternative greens superfood powders out there that have all of these powerful whole foods-based ingredients that you’ll find in Athletic Greens.
Is Athletic Greens Legit?
Sometimes supplements, powders, and super greens blends can get a bad rap, and to be honest I don’t blame them.
There are lots of bad supplement companies out there who use cheap ingredients and make false claims. A few bad apples can indeed spoil the whole lot and end up ruining your performance.
There was a time when I was really against taking supplements because I felt so swindled from the whole industry.
It wasn’t until I started feeling more and more tired all the time that I looked back into supplements in my search for a solution. I was fatigued all the time to the point I found myself napping multiple times during the day.
This is when I first came across Athletic Greens, and it not only help improve my energy levels again it made me feel better.
There were some missing micronutrients in my body causing the fatigue that was being replenished by taking it.
Now I’m still not big on taking a ton of supplements, but a powerful greens-based one like Athletic Greens is one everybody should be taking.
I’ll be the first one to admit there’s no supplement or magic pill out there that will do miracles. Just by taking one superfood supplement like Athletic Greens you can not only expect to feel better but have more energy, better digestion, stronger immune system and it’ll help you stay young.
To top it off Athletic Greens also is based on whole foods, which is outstanding since most of the green powders you’ll find on store shelves use cheap artificial ingredients that I wouldn’t let my dog eat in a million years.
Health Benefits of Taking Athletic Greens (Top 8)
Micronutrients. Unless your nutrition is 100% on point then everybody should be taking a multivitamin but even then studies find it’s still far too easy to become deficient (1). The big reason you need to be taking one is to ensure you’re meeting all your micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) needs.
If you’re not getting enough of these vital vitamins and minerals from your diet then your body won’t run efficiently. Studies have found this is most likely a major contributor to cancer, obesity and other serious health problems (2,3,4). The carrot root powder alone will instantly help to improve your energy production.
Boosts Energy. The big cause of lack of energy is a deficiency in micronutrients (5,6). It’s kinda like trying to drive your car with some spark plugs missing & a hole in your gas tank. Athletic Greens daily as it contains all of these vital micronutrients from real whole foods. It’s kinda like a “multivitamin on steroids.” Plus it contains Ashwagandha root extract which will help to melt away the negative stress in your body so you can use that lost energy for better things (7). If you’re looking to improve your brain function and energy production then these ingredients will do the job.
Fights Aging. Antioxidants are one of those buzzwords that have been going around in the health and dieting industry for years, and for good reason. As we age we naturally produce “free radicals,” which cause damage in your body leading it to age faster (8). Not only does this make you age more rapidly, but it also can cause health problems.
This oxidative stress on your body is something that needs to be overcome. Antioxidants essentially kill off these damage-causing free radicals so they can’t cause damage to your body (9).
Athletic Greens rates at an astoundingly high 5000 on the ORAC scale, which is used to measure the number of antioxidants contained in food. We all know green tea is a powerful anti-aging antioxidant and Athletic Greens contains cocoa bean polyphenol extract and green tea leaf extract just for this (10). Taking this is a good way to make sure you’re getting enough of these daily antioxidants to fight off these damage-causing free radicals.
Better Gut Health. If your gut health and digestive system is out of whack then the rest of your body will suffer. Your gut health can deteriorate from eating too many processed foods that your digestive tract wasn’t meant to have in there (11). For many people, grains, dairy, processed foods, sugar, sweeteners, GMO’s, and soy cause the most damage inside their bellies.
Fixing your gut will help shed deep belly fat, increase your energy, stop brain fog, fix bloating and improve your immune system (12,13,14). Research in Sweden has found a link to poor gut health and an increase in belly fat (15).
Athletic Greens contains gut-boosting prebiotics, probiotics, elm bark powder, licorice root powder, ginger rhizome powder and digestive enzymes to help fix your gut. I was super impressed and excited to see this supplement had inulin and organic apple powder for prebiotics (16,17). The digestive enzyme super mushroom complex is a game-changer for reversing poor gut health quickly. It’s hard to find a digestive enzyme super mushroom complex like this anywhere else.
Hormonal Support. Your hormones play a vital role in not only your health but also weight loss and your energy levels (18). It’s way to easy for hormonal imbalances to develop in your body as the years go by. Cortisol, insulin, ghrelin, thyroid, menopause & Low T in men are all responsible for weight gain yet most people do nothing to balance hormone function (19,20,21,22,23,24). Athletic Greens does a great job of offering hormone-balancing ingredients like Rhodiola Rosea.
Detoxes Your Body. It’s no surprise at the amount of toxic junk that can build up in you and then wreak havoc on your body. Junk foods, contaminated water, plastics, air pollution are just some of the toxins lurking in your home. When we come into contact with these toxins they can disrupt your body, cause hormonal imbalances and cause you to gain weight and feel sluggish (25,26,27). Athletic Greens contains natural ingredients like milk thistle seed extract to help detoxify your body from this toxic junk and improve liver function (28). Going through a detoxification process will do wonders for your energy and mood.
Stronger Immune System. One of the big concerns in the world today is failing immune systems. People seem to be getting sicker and sicker all the time. It’s way too easy for viruses and bacteria to spread but having a strong immune system will fight them off. Athletic Greens contains a powerful balance of ingredients like chlorella powder, reishi mushroom (super mushroom complex), and Eleuthero root extract to strengthen your immune system (29,30). The burdock root powder is also included to help “purify” your blood and kill the germs that cause sickness (31). Plus Athletic Greens will help support your nervous system so you’ll be less likely to suffer through headaches or experience pain in your body (32).
Reduces Inflammation. Chronic inflammation in the body can not only make you age faster but it can also lead to serious health problems like heart disease, obesity, and depression (33,34,35,36). Hawthorn root extract helps to lower inflammation so you can better fight off the chances of a heart attack (37). Athletic Greens also contains Red Beet Root Powder which has been proven in studies to increase blood flow which will help to lower your blood pressure (38). The included astragalus root powder and barley leaf powder are powerful anti-aging ingredients that have a powerful anti-inflammatory impact on your body (39).
But Does Athletic Greens Taste Good?
So what does Athletic Greens taste like?
I’ll admit when I first tried Athletic Greens years ago it wasn’t very appetizing. But I’ll be the first to say in my greens review they’ve come a long way with improving the taste of Athletic Greens. I quite enjoy drinking it in the morning now. What do you mix Athletic Greens with? I just add a serving full to a glass of water and enjoy the health benefits that come with drinking this super “juice.”
Naturally, it isn’t like drinking a sweet soda in the morning but to me, it tastes good enough now. Sometimes I’ll even mix it into my protein powder to take after my morning workout. Then you can’t even tell it’s there.
I’ve tried quite a few different green supplements out there and to be 100% honest I’ve never had a “delicious tasting” one. But Athletic Greens definitely isn’t the worst but they’re also not the best. There weird gritty texture as you start to drink the last half of it. Kind of like there’s some fine sand in it. If your taste buds are sensitive to flavor then Athletic Greens might not be a good choice.
How Much To Take Daily (For Results)
I tell my clients to take Athletic Greens first thing in the morning to give themselves an energy boost. Your body is also in a fasted state after waking up so it’s an optimal time to absorb all the nutrients inside. The Gotu kola extract in Athletic Greens will also give you a mood boost and help with cognitive function.
If you just don’t like drinking it first thing in the morning then I’d recommend mixing it in with your post-workout protein shake.
If you’re following an Intermittent Fasting dieting plan then Athletic Greens will be great to use. It’ll provide your body with vital nutrients to improve your metabolism during your fast. Along with lots of water, you can use it as a meal replacement during your fasting window. Taking Athletic Greens technically won’t break your fast since it doesn’t cause an insulinemic response in your body.
I usually only take 1 serving per day and for me, it’s first thing in the morning. It’s become a part of my morning routine.
It’s a great way to get your body on the right track. It’s amazing how much productive you feel when taking it in the morning as a part of your routine. I’ll use it as a meal replacement which not only saves on money but it’ll help me lose more pounds too.
Athletic Greens Negative Review (Pros and Cons)
Athletic Greens sure isn’t perfect and there are some things you should be aware of before you consider buying. The big one is the price as it can run rather pricey if you’ve never taken a supplement like this before.
You have to know you’re getting high-quality ingredients in a high-quality product. This isn’t a cheap “Made in China” supplement you’ll find on the shelves of your local Wal-Mart. The amount of natural whole food vitamins per serving in Athletic Greens has been found to be superior to synthetic ones and better absorbed by the body (39).
If you were going to try to replicate the whole foods-based ingredients inside Athletic Greens from other supplements you could easily start outspending what you’re going to pay. You’d also then have to start popping a ton of pills daily to try and replicate the health benefits from just a single serving of this powerful greens powder.
I like to think of taking a supplement like Athletic Greens as an investment in not only my health but also my business and lifestyle. While thoroughly testing for this review of Athletic Greens I’ve noticed I have a lot more energy so I can be more productive to get work done.
Also like I mentioned earlier in my greens review by taking it along with the fruits and vegetables in my diet I’m in a much happier mood throughout the day. This itself is enough for me to keep getting Athletic Greens every month. I’ve noticed no side effects from taking it.
So in all fairness, Athletic Greens does run more expensive than most cheaper greens powder you’ll find on store shelves, and even though it contains good quality ingredients it doesn’t make it worth it. If money is no object to you then yeah I’d go ahead and get some. But if you value your money then I’d go with a value-friendly option like MetaboGreens that is just as good (if not better) than Athletic Greens and save some money.
Unfortunately, the way Athletic Greens is set up you can only order it through the internet and have them ship it to your house. So there’s no driving down to your local health or supplement store to pick some up. It’s hard to invest that much money into something you can’t try first or at least see it in your hands before buying.
Online only can be inconvenient because I know there are plenty of times I don’t feel like waiting for shipping, and want it right now. Athletic Greens also doesn’t ship everywhere in the world so if you’re not in one of their shippable countries then you’re going to be out of luck. I have noticed they’re rather quick after placing your order to ship out so you can get it as soon as possible.
Does Athletic Greens Help You Lose Weight?
Most people aren’t aware there are hidden causes other than a healthy lifestyle that is keeping them from losing weight.
The health of your gut plays a major role in the weight loss process. There are both good and bad bacteria in your gut that are in a constant battle with the winner helping you lose or gain weight.
The more good bacteria in your gut the better your food will be digested and nutrients absorbed into your body. If your body isn’t absorbing enough nutrients then your metabolism will not run nearly as efficiently as it should.
If your gut health is out-of-whack then your body will have higher levels of inflammation too. Studies have found chronic inflammation to be linked to weight gain and insulin resistance both of which lead to obesity (40).
Athletic Greens also contains micronutrients your body needs to enhance your metabolism so you can lose more weight and feel better with more energy (41).
How Much Does Athletic Greens Cost?
It’ll cost more if you just want to get a single pack of Athletic Greens but you can save 21% off by getting a pack every month. When you consider the cost of Athletic Greens you’re saving money.
It’ll easily cost 10X more if you were to buy all the foods necessary to get near the same amount of ingredients. Or if you wanted to get all these supplements individually then that price would be through the roof (and most use synthetic chemicals, they’re not from real whole foods). Getting it all in this one-stop shop is a good deal if you ask me.
But compared to other greens powders you’ll be paying more for Athletic Greens. Athletic Greens does contain a good amount of ingredients but there are other greens powders that contain the same if not more but at half the price.
It’s hard to justify paying 90-something dollars every month for this when there are other just as good options out there. And to be honest it might be a while before you even tell the difference from taking Athletic Greens. I’ve talked to many who have stopped taking it after a few months simply because of the monthly price and from lack of results.
Is Athletic Greens Worth the Money?
With the cons above considered Athletic Greens is like the Apple computer of greens powders. Their marketing is top notch and has the funding dollars to back it.
But all-in-all it’s a really good supplement that covers just about all your bases. There are antioxidants, probiotics, greens, anti-aging, alkalinizing, and more packed into a convenient powder they can just mix up every morning. It really is the superfood cocktail and everybody should be taking a super greens powder daily as nutritional insurance.
Sure you should be getting the majority of these ingredients from your diet, but that isn’t always realistic. Just by taking this every morning, I feel amazing knowing I’ve gotten these vital nutrients for the day. Plus it uses Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) so you know you’re only getting the best of the best (which is more than I can say for the rest of the supplement industry).
With that said there is no magic pill out there. With all the great things Athletic Greens can do for you you can’t expect to walk on water from taking it. Have realistic expectations for improvement from taking it and don’t expect it to work miracles.
But recently I’ve realized the high price of Athletic Greens just isn’t worth it anymore. I’ve switched to using MetaboGreens which is a lot more price-friendly but provides the same benefits and results…
The Last Word
So to finish off this review of Athletic Greens there are a lot of junk alternative greens powders out there on the market today, and after trying a good amount of them I have to give Athletic Greens a great rating if you can afford it.
The crazy amount of high-quality whole foods derived Athletic Greens ingredients can do so much more than most greens powder out there today. It’s truly the one-stop shop for your nutritional needs.
It’s so important to me that whenever I travel I’ll always bring my bag of Athletic Greens with me. I like to have a double hit of bot energy production and boosted brain function when on the road.
Sure, there are some negatives you’ll find in Athletic Greens reviews to it like for some the price and the fact it can only be purchased online. Athletic Greens might not be the right choice for you but I’d for sure take a super greens powder as an investment for your health.
It’s going to be a heck of a lot easier to take Athletic Greens every day as opposed to the cost, energy and negative health effects you could suffer from not taking it. Cancer and heart disease treatment last I checked was a whole lot more expensive than investing in a greens supplement.
So if what you’ve read so far makes sense to you then I’d recommend picking up Athletic Greens AG1 if money is no object to you. Take it daily either in the morning or after your workout. And with a total money-back guarantee there really isn’t anything to lose.
I tried to be as thorough as possible in this review of Athletic Greens so hopefully, it helped you out to decide whether or not you’re going to go with it. Overall Athletic Greens is a great supplement but if you’re looking for more value for your money then there are other options.
Josh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition Science. He’s a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and he’s a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) by American Council on Exercise. He’s worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at the high school and college levels. He has over 15 years of experience as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. He strives to bring inspiration and results for people to live healthier lives through smart diet and exercise.