Powdered wellness drinks are all over the Internet and social media.
Nutritional supplement greens powder such as Athletic greens boast about their rich nutrient contents. But are these powders worth it? Are they healthy? Are they safe?
What is Greens powder?
Greens powder is a new trending food fad. It is a wellness drink available in powder form. Several companies are producing these powders for health and nutrition.
Athletic Greens is one of them. It supposedly enhances health with every sip of the drink. Their website states that you get comprehensive nutrition and gut health support in one daily drink.
Greens powder (Source: very well fit)These incorporate a large number of ingredients such as vitamins and minerals, superfood complex (antioxidants), dairy-free probiotics, herbs, other plant extracts and phytochemicals, several enzymes to aid body processes and digestion, and immune-boosting mushrooms.
They claim that just a scoop of this powder every day can provide us with a lot of health benefits and it is an all-in-one health drink.
Chris Ashenden, founder, and CEO of Athletic Greens claims:
“At Athletic Greens we believe that food is first and know there are no shortcuts to a healthful life. No hacks. Just daily habits compounded for the benefit of our bodies,”
“Those habits include eating whole foods, exercise and being mindful daily. AG1 compliments and compounds these lifestyle choices with 75 science-backed ingredients including vitamins, minerals, probiotics from whole-food sources.”
But Jenna Litt, a dietitian from New York opines:
“While powered wellness drinks are very popular, seem convenient and may be portrayed as being ‘healthier’ than alternatives, a lot of the time these drinks are purely marketing ploys,”
What do experts say?
Jenna adds:
“Drinks like Athletic Greens are designed to show the consumer that they can meet their micronutrient needs in a small volume drink, however, typically that is not the case,”
“While these drinks may provide additional micronutrients, they are not providing anyone with all of their daily micronutrient needs.”
Powder for nutrition (Source: Healthline)Laura, another dietitian feels the same. She believes that it is a marketing ploy and that people pay a high price for it.
She stresses good food intake rather than consuming greens powders. Furthermore, she urges people to consume more fruits and vegetables.
Additionally, Jenna emphasizes:
“Food is the primary source for a majority of vitamins and minerals,”
“If one has difficulty meeting these micronutrient needs, the first recommendation is usually to start taking a multivitamin and rechecking deficiencies with their physicians as needed,”
Laura feels that these powders are good for people who are traveling or who are unable to chew. It has a high shelf life.
Are these powders safe?
There is no proper labeling of the amount of each of the nutrients in one scoop of the powder. Laura explains:
“It is unclear how much is in each product, meaning it’s hard to know the health benefits,”
There may be an excess of some vitamins or minerals in it and this could cause toxicity. Jenna warns:
“Certain vitamins can be toxic if they are consumed in excess. Many of these powdered wellness drinks (if taken in excess), could provide excessive amounts of certain micronutrients, thus increasing risk of possible toxicity,”
Greens powder (Source: Eat this, not that)They may also have unknown harmful substances such as heavy metals in them. This could be dangerous. Hence in choosing a product it would be good to buy those that are tested by third parties.
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Laura feels that even if celebrities endorse them, what works for them might not suit you. And these promoters might not have even tasted the products. They might be only endorsing it for money.