We review two of the most recognizable super greens brands on the market, Athletic Greens (AG1) and Supergreen Tonik.
Both brands have formulas that are jam-packed with superfoods, but there’s a lot more to determining the best than just ingredients. Factors like transparency, money-back guarantees, and correct doses are all measuring sticks in choosing the best greens on the market.
Right, let’s delve in and take a closer look at both brands.
What Are Super Green Powders?
When it comes to diet and nutrition, it’s no secret that most of us don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. This is where greens powders come to the forefront.
Super greens powders are specifically developed dietary supplements designed to give you the benefits of getting your nutrients in one scoop a day. Many greens manufacturers claim their formulas can improve energy, improve sleep quality, boost your immune system, reduce stress and anxiety, and help overall health and well-being.
The ingredients used to make super greens powders are typically dried and ground into a fine powder, but on occasions, they may also be dehydrated and, in some cases, extracted from the food or plant itself.
Some greens can include as little as 10 ingredients, right up to 75; it’s important to note that more ingredients don’t necessarily mean it’s more effective. There’s a lot more to developing effective greens powders than just piling in as many ingredients as you can.
Some of the superfoods and nutrients that greens powders include are greens like spirulina and chlorella, adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, and vitamins such as A, C, B-12, and a heap of minerals including zinc and magnesium.
Prices range from $30 up to $100 and, depending on price, can be as little as $1.00 a scoop.
ROUND ONE
Who Makes it?
Founded by Chris Ashenden, Athletic Greens (now AG1) has grown to become one of the most recognizable greens on the market today. According to Chris, the brand really started out as a personal project in the hope of turning around his poor nutrition and lifestyle habits.
The brand has now grown and, since being founded in 2009, has gone on to collaborate with social media influencers and entrepreneurs such as Tim Ferris and Dan Churchill.
The logo, which is a green circle, is meant to represent the look of a glass, with the circle representing a holistic approach to overall health and well-being.
The packaging and website are clean and simple, emphasizing educational resources and other key pillars surrounding health and nutrition.
Adam Wright is the founder of Supergreen Tonik, who developed the brand in 2018. With an impressive background in Sports Science, Adam graduated with first-class honors in Sports Physiology and Nutrition.
He was also a successful long-distance runner and triathlete in his younger days until life-changing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome struck him down. These events led Adam to develop his own greens drink in the form of Supergreen Tonik.
The philosophy behind the brand is simple; “ offer full transparency on all ingredients, because people deserve to know exactly what’s inside.”
In an industry where proprietary formulas rule, Adam is breaking the trend and has developed a greens drink that does exactly what it promises to do.
The Summary: Both Athletic Greens and Supergreen Tonik have authentic and genuine stories behind them. Adam and Chris both founded their companies after struggling with personal health issues, which really lends a lot to the authenticity of both brands.
Verdict – DRAW
ROUND TWO
Serving Size And Effectiveness
Athletic Greens is made up of 75 vitamins, minerals, and superfoods sourced from whole foods. Both brands are very comparable in terms of serving size, with Athletic Greens weighing in at 12 grams.
Although Athletic Greens list 75 ingredients, they are unfortunately hidden behind a fancy term used far too often with supplements, “proprietary blend.” What does this actually mean?
Well, in simple terms, it means you don’t know the amount of each ingredient included in the formula, it could be 1 gram or 100 grams, but you’ll never know.
This, unfortunately, makes it very hard to compare the effectiveness to a brand like SuperGreen TONIK who has taken the approach of “transparency” and lists every ingredient and its dosage.
The formula that SuperGreen TONIK uses was developed over the course of two years in conjunction with some of the world’s leading supplement manufactures and experts.
With a combination of 38 scientifically proven superfoods, vitamins, and minerals, SuperGreen TONIK is the world’s first 7-1 optimized brain and body formula.
Unlike many of the leading brands where you need to take 2-3 scoops daily, SuperGreen TONIK has managed to pack all your essential nutrients into one simple scoop. One single scoop contains 18 vitamins and minerals and a powerful 16 superfoods.
The serving size is 11.5 grams, and every tub contains 30 servings or one month’s supply, making it not only convenient and effective but very affordable.
The Summary: SuperGreen TONIK offers optimal dosages of every ingredient and includes more than 16 superfoods and 18 vitamins and minerals in every single serving; this is more than many of the best multivitamins out on the market.
Winner – SuperGreen TONIK
ROUND THREE
Ingredients
Ah, the all-important ingredients. To be an effective super greens powder, the formula needs to contain several nutrients that help with improving energy, increasing focus, boosting immunity, and even reducing stress.
Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha have become incredibly popular for their positive effects on cognitive function, while other essential nutrients such as vitamin C should also be included.
Let’s have a look at how these two giants of the industry compare.
Athletic Greens
Athletic Greens contains 75 superfoods, vitamins, and minerals, which at first glance sounds impressive, but unlike SuperGreen TONIK, Athletic Greens do not disclose their full ingredient list or the dosages in which they are included. This makes it incredibly hard, in our opinion, to justify not only the price but also the effectiveness of Athletic Greens.
That being said, the formula does include some very high-premium ingredients that are known to help improve energy and boost overall health and well-being. They do have several professional athletes who act as “ambassadors,” so the formula cant be all that bad.
Included are spirulina, apple powder, digestive enzymes, and probiotics, all of which improve gut health and keeps your microbiome strong. Vitamin C, E, and B6 are included in generous amounts, which I can see would benefit athletes, who Athletic Greens primarily target.
SuperGreen TONIK
SuperGreen TONIK really does seem to offer an excellent selection of high premium ingredients and covers pretty much all the bases. The 7-1 optimized formula includes a brain blend, greens blend, and immunity blend, essential in today’s climate of uncertainty.
The brain blend includes powerful adaptogenic herbs such as ashwagandha, bacopa, and Rhodiola root. These ingredients are known to help reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and have been used for centuries for their medicinal properties.
The greens blend includes dark leafy greens like spirulina and kale while also taking advantage of superfoods like chlorella and spinach.
And finally, the immune blend includes dandelion leaf, olive extract, and garlic bulb.
The most crucial factor to consider here is transparency, and as mentioned earlier, SuperGreen TONIK has led the way.
It’s refreshing and gives the customers peace of mind knowing exactly what’s in their formula; even if one or two are under dosed, our experts agree, they’d still rather know what’s in the formula than what’s not.
SuperGreen TONIK not only offers a world-first 7-1 optimized formula but also offers fully transparent labeling allowing consumers to see exactly what’s inside. Because of this, SuperGreen TONIK takes the win.
Winner – SuperGreen TONIK
ROUND FOUR
Safety, side effects
Before taking any supplement, it’s paramount to conduct your own research on safety and possible side effects; luckily, we’ve done the homework for you.
Athletic Greens is made in New Zealand in a TGA-certified Good Manufacturing practice facility. The brand is also certified by the NSF and is third-party tested.
The brand also steers clear of GMOs and other pesticides, making it a very safe and responsible greens powder. As with SuperGreen TONIK, Athletic Greens clearly take the safety of their customers seriously and, because of this, provides peace of mind to the consumer.
SuperGreen Tonik takes the safety of their customers extremely seriously, and it’s easy to see why. Each batch of Supergreen Tonik is stringently third-party tested by the world-renowned Eurofins.
These third-party testing labs provide a non-biased expert opinion and give the customers confidence when purchasing supplements. SuperGreen Tonik is also made in the USA in a certified Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility.
Verdict – DRAW
ROUND FIVE
Price and Affordability
$77-97 + shipping
Athletic Greens is priced at the high end of the market, and this high price point may put some people off, particularly when you don’t get to see exactly what’s inside; it’s hard to justify such a high price point.
Athletic greens cost $79 per month on a subscription or $99 if you buy just one bag, quite pricey.
It’s also important to remember that shipping is not free, and the customer must foot the bill.
$62-87 + FREE shipping
SuperGreen TONIK is available in 1, 3, and 5 tub bundles. Each tub contains 30 servings or one month’s supply.
One tub bundle costs $87 or $2.85 per serving
Three tub bundle costs $227 or $2.49 per serving
Five tub bundle costs $327 or $2.17 per serving ($62 per tub)
When you consider the affordable price point per serving and the fact that shipping is free, SuperGreen TONIK is excellent value.
They offer 1, 3, and 5 tub bundles containing 30 serving in each tub, basically one month’s worth.
The price per serving is extremely affordable at just $2.17 if you purchase the 5-month bundle.
SuperGreeen TONIK offers free shipping within the continental US, saving you from burning a big hole in your wallet.
Winner – Supergreen Tonik
Scorecard
The lack of transparency regarding ingredients is the biggest negative point against Athletic Greens and makes it very hard to justify such a high price point.
All that being said, the company has a faithful following and it’s easy to find customers who rave about the supplement.
Safety, effectiveness, transparency, free shipping, a 365-day-money-back guarantee, and an affordable price point, SuperGreen TONIK comes out on top.
It’s hard to go past the transparency as being the biggest positive about this brand; knowing exactly what’s in your drink is paramount and provides for a safe and effective drink and one that tastes great too.