Are green powders really the health fix they claim to be?

Green juice

Credit: Getty

Strong Women


Are green powders really the health fix they claim to be?

By Alice Porter

Updated 1 year ago

4 min read

Everyone’s talking about greens powders on social media. But are they really worth the hype? We asked a dietitian to unpack what exactly they are.


If you’ve spent any time on social media recently, you might have noticed a lot of influencers sipping on dark green liquids. They might not look appetising, but people online are raving about their health benefits.

These unusual liquids are water mixed with ‘greens powders’ – the latest health product to take over the internet. But what are these powders, and are they really worth trying?

What are greens powders?

First off, green powders aren’t the same as green juices or smoothies. We’re talking about powder that you add to drinks, as opposed to blitzed fruits and vegetables. They’re classed as a supplement and fans claim that adding a scoop to a glass of water or smoothie mixture can help you to reach your daily veg goal, boost your vitamin and mineral intake and offer a host of other health benefits.

The powder mixes generally contain a mixture of leafy greens, algae like spirulina, green vegetables and high-antioxidant fruits, among other plant-based ingredients. These fresh ingredients are dried and then ground into powder. Many popular greens powders also contain probiotic bacteria and yeasts.

Greens powders claim to boost immunity, support better energy and improve gut health, among other health claims depending on the brand. Under the TikTok tag #GreensPowder, which has over 140 million views, consumers have been sharing their own experiences of how these supplements have helped to decrease bloating among other benefits. But it’s worth noting that the majority of these posts have been sponsored by companies that produce greens powders.

Do greens powders have any nutritional benefits? 

According to Sophie Medlin, director and a specialist dietitian at CityDietitians, greens powders might not be all they’re cracked up to be from a nutritional perspective. “There isn’t any research to suggest there are any benefits to taking them,” she says.

The only studies looking into how effective greens powder supplements are have fewer than 100 participants, which means they aren’t expansive enough to provide conclusive evidence.

Medlin’s main worry is that, with no evidence to suggest that greens powders can benefit you nutritionally, people might use them instead of eating a balanced diet. “If people are having them instead of fresh fruits and vegetables, that is an issue, and there have been some case studies suggesting that compounds such as spirulina – a popular ingredient in greens powders – may over-activate the immune system, making autoimmune conditions worse or even activating them in the first place,” Medlin explains.

But there are also health risks if you are eating a balanced diet and using greens powder on top of that: “The main worry with greens powders is that if you are also consuming a balanced diet, you may be consuming too many fat-soluble vitamins.”

As is usually the case, getting vitamins, minerals and nutrients from your diet is far better than doing so from a supplement and this is no different when it comes to greens powders.

You may be consuming too many fat-soluble vitamins

Sophie Medlin

Could greens powders help with digestion? 

One of the main claims people make about greens powders is that they can help with digestion and bloating. However, Medlin doubts their de-bloating power because drying plants removes most of their fibre content.

“The main difference between whole foods and greens powders is that nearly all of the fibre content is removed during processing,” she explains. “We know that the majority of us struggle to meet the daily fibre recommendation in the UK so it can’t be stressed enough that removing further sources of fibre from our diet is far from ideal.

“The industry lacks thorough research into the exact composition of macro and micronutrients found in greens powders. Furthermore, the delicate polyphenols which are such an important component of fruits and vegetables are unlikely to keep their benefits after they’ve been processed into powders,” Medlin continues to explain.

Many greens powders do contain probiotics, which is why some people are likely to have seen improved digestion from taking them. However, probiotic supplements can be taken on their own and Medlin explains that taking them within greens powders might not be particularly helpful: “Probiotics are a great asset when trying to improve overall gut health and have a wealth of studies to ascertain their safety but the lack of fibre in greens powders is something to note given that fibre is advantageous for probiotics. Additionally, probiotics have particular storage requirements to ensure they stay alive, which greens powders may not provide.”

Are greens powders worth trying? 

Overall, there isn’t very much evidence to show that greens powders can benefit your health. If you are following a healthy diet, there’s probably no need for them and using them could even mean you end up having too many vitamins in your system.

Plus, greens powders are expensive, with the most affordable products starting at around the £15 mark, with others that claim to have higher quality ingredients costing as much as £95. Following a healthy diet made up of whole foods is therefore not only better for your health, with far more evidence to show that this can improve things like immunity and digestion, but for your bank balance too.

If you are struggling to get your fruit and veg in, Medlin recommends trying homemade soups and smoothies rather than greens powders, as fresh products are far more beneficial for your health.

Images: Getty

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