AG1 Review: Does it live up to the hype?

Whether you’re an athlete, student, busy parent, or business executive, there are many reasons you might be interested in nutritional supplements — and you’re far from alone. The global dietary supplements market grew by 26.9% in 2020 and is far from slowing down.1 One type of supplement, greens powders, has recently become more and more popular; the greens powder market is expected to be worth 673.1 million dollars by 2028.2

Greens powders are typically drink mixes made of powdered fruits, vegetables, and plant-based nutrients intended for easy absorption by the body. Brands like AG1 (formerly known as Athletic Greens) have been around for years but have only recently catapulted to the forefront of the supplement industry.

Is AG1 the right greens powder for you? Read our comprehensive review below to see our thoughts on AG1 — from safety and cost to taste, efficacy, convenience, and more.

While no greens powder or supplement is a replacement for a healthy diet, AG1 from Athletic Greens can help to fill nutritional gaps. It boasts high vitamin and mineral content from 75 ingredients, like spirulina, pea protein, probiotics, and more. AG1 tastes decent for a greens powder, but it wasn’t our testers’ favorite — the addition of Stevia may be a turn-off for some people. If you don’t mind paying the higher price, then AG1 is an excellent choice for a greens powder.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions involving staying healthy and living healthier lifestyles.

For this review of AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens), we spent over 70 hours conducting thorough research into the details surrounding the product. We looked into the company itself, including its certifications and the measures taken to ensure customer safety. Our team also pored over dozens of scientific studies on the ingredients in AG1 and their potential for bringing you the drink’s purported benefits. And, to top it all off, our testers purchased and tried AG1 to gain hands-on experience and evaluate its taste and ease of use.

Additionally, like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy.

To evaluate AG1, we examined it based on four criteria that we felt would matter most to the average consumer:

• Is AG1 safe?
• Is AG1 effective?
• How much does AG1 cost?
• Will AG1 be convenient for most people to use?

Safety

AG1 isn’t made in the U.S. — it’s a product made in New Zealand and distributed by the company’s U.S. locations. This means that evaluating AG1 for safety requires a bit of a different approach. Fortunately, Athletic Greens is highly transparent about the safety measures it takes. Here are the ways the company works to ensure its product is safe:

• It’s Certified for Sport by NSF International; this means that AG1 is third-party tested for banned substances and contaminants (like heavy metals), and to make sure that what’s on the label is actually in the supplement.3
• AG1 is manufactured in a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) registered facility that is compliant with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The TGA is an Australian government agency, similar to the FDA, that works jointly with New Zealand.4

In terms of the product itself, AG1’s vitamin and mineral content is robust but doesn’t get close to dangerous levels for most adults.5 (Just be careful if you’re also taking other vitamins or supplements.)

AG1 is also free of almost all major allergens. The only allergen that AG1 does contain is soy, so those with allergies might want to try an alternative like Nested Naturals or Amazing Grass. These products also go through similar safety precautions. For example, Nested Naturals is third-party lab-tested, and Amazing Grass is manufactured in FDA-registered facilities and only uses BPA-free plastic for its containers.7

Effectiveness

Interestingly, for a product that contains so many vitamins and minerals, AG1 doesn’t have any iron or vitamin D in it. Even though deficiency is “extremely common,”8 leaving out iron could actually be a blessing in disguise for some people, especially since side effects of iron supplementation range from stomach pain and nausea to damage to the esophagus and stomach.9 10 The exclusion of vitamin D, however, is a bit more disappointing.

Nearly one billion people worldwide are deficient in vitamin D, and roughly 50% of the population, at the very least, has vitamin D insufficiency. Looking at just the U.S., about 35% of adults have a deficiency.11 So, if you’re looking for a way to cut down on taking vitamins and supplements in pill form by drinking AG1, you’ll still be missing out on this essential nutrient.12

However, it’s worth mentioning that none of the competitors we mention in this guide include vitamin D, but they do all have some iron.

Also, with only 2g of dietary fiber per serving, you won’t get nearly as much fiber from AG1 (or other greens powders) as you would from actually eating these vegetables. For example, AG1 contains broccoli flower powder; eating a cup of cooked broccoli would net you 5.2g of dietary fiber — over two times the total amount in a glass of AG1.13 With a mere 5% of the U.S. population actually meeting their daily fiber recommendations, we’d prefer to see more fiber out of something that’s trying to be a sort of all-in-one nutritional supplement.14

Otherwise, AG1’s ingredients and vitamin and mineral content should act as a nice, effective supplement to the average diet of the American adult. Most U.S. adults are deficient in at least one micronutrient,15 and only about 60% eat a serving of fruit per day.16 And some research supports the effectiveness of certain ingredients for AG1’s purported benefits. For instance, probiotics, such as the included Lactobacillus acidophilus, may be able to lower cholesterol, improve gastrointestinal concerns, and reduce the risk of lactose intolerance.17

Cost

The major drawback to AG1 is that it’s quite expensive, a decent amount more than most competitors on the market. Here’s how some of the costs break down (we delve into more detail about the various packages and costs in the “How much does AG1 cost?” section).

• The Pouch (30 servings): one-time purchase ($99), single subscription ($79)
• Travel Packs (30 servings): one-time purchase ($109), single subscription ($89)

Going off of one-time, 30-serving purchases, the chart below compares the cost per serving of AG1 versus its competitors.

AG1 does contain a lot more ingredients than its competitors, but we’re not sure if this warrants a nearly $50 price difference for a one-time purchase. If AG1 was around $60 or so, we might be more understanding. The higher cost does make sense for purchasing a subscription, however, due to the inclusion of extras like a bottle, metal scoop, and storage container.

With the subscription, you can technically save money (18-20% off) versus purchasing AG1 once every time you run out, but this still makes it more expensive than most others. And this is especially true when you take into account that many competitors offer subscription savings as well, making them even less expensive than AG1. For instance, both Nested Naturals and Amazing Grass take 20% off, and Bloom takes off 10%.

Convenience

Overall, the concept of greens powders is a fairly convenient one — you can get a bunch of vegetables, herbs, vitamins, minerals, and more, all by mixing a scoop of powder into a liquid of your choice.

Additionally, many companies that make greens powders also offer subscriptions, including AG1. This means that you’ll receive your order at your chosen interval (like every 30 or 60 days) without having to remember to reorder.

AG1 also offers individually packed Travel Pouches (which you get a small box of in your first subscription package) that allow you to take your greens on the go. Out of our competitors mentioned in this guide, Bloom and Amazing Grass offer something similar in the form of individual packets.

It’s worth noting that you will have to refrigerate your AG1 pouch (not the travel packs) once it’s opened. This may be inconvenient for some people, but it’s also a common recommendation for greens powders to preserve the freshness of the ingredients. Both Nested Naturals and Amazing Grass note on the packaging that their greens should be either refrigerated or “stored in a cool, dry place.”

The biggest potential inconvenience for greens powders, in general, is that they need to be mixed into a liquid. Some come in a pill form, too, like Amazing Grass, but you need to take five (kind of large) capsules — and you’ll still need to have a liquid on hand to take them. These could be a good idea for people who just can’t stomach the taste of greens powders, though.

AG1, formerly known as Athletic Greens, is a greens powder from the New Zealand company Athletic Greens (the company and the product used to share a name). This product is one of many greens powders on the market offering vitamins, minerals, adaptogens, and other supplements in the form of dried, plant-based ingredients that are dissolved in liquid and consumed daily.

Its purported benefits include things like gut health, immunity support, increased energy, mental clarity, and maintaining normal blood sugar levels. AG1 aims to be a sort of catch-all for your nutritional supplementation, replacing the need for daily multivitamins, probiotics, and herbal extracts.

What distinguishes AG1 from the competition is the sheer number of ingredients (75) in its proprietary greens blend, including 21 vitamins and minerals, whole-food sourced nutrients, probiotics, and adaptogens. For comparison, competitor Amazing Greens has around 30 total ingredients.

AG1 is NSF Certified for Sport, which means that it’s third-party tested and does not contain any substances banned by the USADA, MLB, NHL, and other professional sports organizations.3 AG1 is also manufactured in a TGA-registered, GMP-compliant facility, showing that the company has some pretty high standards for safety.

We delve further into the ingredients of AG1 in their dedicated section, but one daily serving of AG1 provides you with:

• 50 calories,
• 6g total carbohydrates,
• Less than 1g of total sugars (no added sugars)
• 2g dietary fiber
• 2g protein

AG1 greens powder is free from gluten, dairy, corn, eggs, peanuts, and lactose. It also contains no GMOs, herbicides, pesticides, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners. And, for those on certain diets, AG1 is vegetarian, vegan, paleo, and keto-friendly.

Athletic Greens company standing

The Athletic Greens company page on the Better Business Bureau website has minimal information; there are only two customer reviews and one complaint within the past three years. The company is not BBB accredited, has a B- grade, and a 1-star rating out of a potential five. Both of the reviews are from customers frustrated with the subscription process — one had difficulty canceling, and the other didn’t know they were enrolled in a subscription. And the single complaint is from someone who ordered eight bags but experienced difficulty in getting them delivered due to the order “getting flagged.”

There isn’t much more information to be found on the company’s two Trustpilot pages, either; there’s one page for the default “.com” website and a separate one for the “.co.uk” website. Both pages have reviews culminating in an “Average” score. The Athletic Greens UK website page (29 reviews) has a 2.8-star rating out of five, and the other page for the default website (43 reviews) has a 3.5-star rating. Athletic Greens rarely replies to negative feedback on either page, and most of those negative reviews are about either not liking the taste or not having a good customer experience.

Overall, though, neither the BBB nor Trustpilot has enough information to accurately evaluate the company.

AG1 can be for anyone looking to supplement their diet with some more vitamins and minerals from non-synthetic sources (actual plants, vegetables, and so on). When you take a vitamin or other supplement in pill or gummy form, it’s a synthetic version of the nutrient.18 For example, the vitamin C you get from an orange is not the same vitamin C you’d get from a multivitamin.

It’s important to clarify that synthetic nutrients aren’t necessarily inferior or worse than the natural variety; in fact, some research shows that the bioavailability is comparable.19 20 There are some differences noted in the research, however. For example, synthetic vitamin B didn’t demonstrate the same sustained decrease in oxidative stress as natural vitamin B.20

AG1 can also be a good option for people who aren’t fans of fruits and vegetables. In 2019, only 10% of American adults met the suggested intake of vegetables, and 12.3% met the recommendations for fruit.21 While AG1 isn’t a replacement for actually eating fruits and vegetables, it may at least help to fill in the gap.

Who should look elsewhere?

While AG1 should be safe for most adults over 18, there are a few circumstances where you may wish to look elsewhere:

• AG1 contains soy, so those with allergies should avoid it
• The product isn’t recommended for people who are pregnant or nursing
• Those with certain chronic conditions, like autoimmune illnesses or chronic kidney disease, may experience complications from the ingredients in AG1

AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) technically falls into the category of “supplement,” which means we judged its safety just as we would a supplement in pill form. In the U.S., the FDA doesn’t play a major role in regulating supplements; the organization inspects facilities, reviews labels, and steps in if consumers end up in danger, but it doesn’t check supplements for safety (or efficacy) beforehand.22

Because of this lack of FDA regulation, we appreciate that AG1 is NSF Certified for Sport. This certification means that:3

• Third-party testing is used to ensure there are no unsafe levels of heavy metals or other contaminants
• What’s on the label is what’s actually in the product
• The product doesn’t contain any of the 290 substances banned by major athletic organizations
• The product is produced in a GMP-compliant facility that is audited annually or bi-annually

Additionally, AG1 is free of GMOs and almost all major allergens (and more), including:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Corn
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Lactose
• Animal byproducts
• Herbicides and pesticides
• Artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and sweeteners

AG1 does include soy, so people with allergies may want to try a soy-free alternative, like those we mention in this review — the greens from Nested Naturals, Amazing Grass, and Bloom are all soy-free.

A small percentage of people have experienced temporary stomach upset when beginning their AG1 regimen. For those individuals, Athletic Greens suggests starting with a lower dose of one teaspoon for four days, increasing to two teaspoons for four days, and then moving up to the full scoop each day.

Ultimately, AG1 should be safe for most adults over 18. It is, however, unsuitable for children or those who are pregnant or nursing. Additionally, people with certain conditions may want to avoid AG1 due to the inclusion of certain ingredients. For example, spirulina, chlorella, and alfalfa might lead to flares in some autoimmune skin diseases,6 and it’s recommended that some supplementary vitamins, like A and E, be avoided by those with chronic kidney disease.23

As always, we recommend speaking with your doctor before starting any supplement, including AG1, whether or not you have a chronic condition.

The answer to whether or not AG1 works ultimately depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a quick way to get a good quantity of vitamins, minerals, vegetables, herbs, and more, then it should work for most people.

However, other greens powders will work for that purpose, too, depending on how many inclusions you’d like there to be in your greens. AG1 does have more ingredients (75 total) than most competitors, so it may “work” better in the sense that you’d be consuming a higher quantity of potentially beneficial ingredients. But, if you’re just looking for a boost of greens in your diet, then less-expensive competitors, like Amazing Grass, should “work” just as well for that purpose.

When it comes to the specific claims Athletic Greens makes about AG1, there is some evidence to suggest it may help. Of course, AG1 is not a substitute for a healthy diet, so the benefits of a supplement versus actually eating the foods and vegetables may be less apparent.

• Gut and digestive health: AG1 contains prebiotics, such as inulin,24 and probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum), which can support gut health.17 25
• Immunity support: There are several sources of antioxidants in AG1,26 including green tea extract, citrus bioflavonoids, polyphenols, and more.27 Antioxidants can support immune function.28
• Increased energy: The inclusion of B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium should support energy through their ability to “extract energy from food” and make it usable by the body.29
• Brain function and mental clarity: The same vitamins as stated above (plus zinc) also play a role in the creation, maintenance, and modification of neurotransmitters, neuronal membranes, and brain receptors.29
• Maintaining normal blood sugar levels: There’s no added sugar in AG1, and ingredients like magnesium and Reishi may be able to promote insulin sensitivity and reduce fasting blood glucose, respectively.30 31

Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients included in each serving and how they may be able to promote better health in various ways. Athletic Greens breaks down AG1’s 75 ingredients into five categories, which we’ll discuss below. Besides the vitamins and minerals, we’ll be focusing on the top three ingredients in each blend, as the first ingredients listed are the most prominent ones.32

Unfortunately, the blends of ingredients don’t have specific quantities attached to each individual addition — you only see how much of the entire blend is in a serving of the powder. However, we do know the amount of each vitamin and mineral:

Out of those vitamins and minerals, the following reach 100% or more of the recommended percent Daily Value (% DV):

• Vitamin C: 467%
• Vitamin E: 553%
• Thiamin (B1): 250%
• Riboflavin (B2): 154%
• Niacin: 125%
• Vitamin B6: 176%
• Folate: 170%
• Vitamin B12: 917%
• Biotin (B7): 1,100%
• Zinc: 136%

Additionally, three other vitamins — vitamin A (62%), pantothenic acid (80%), and chromium (71%) — are in quantities of more than half of your recommended percent Daily Value.

To take AG1, add a 12g scoop of powder or one travel packet to 8-12 ounces of cold water (or another cold liquid of your choice), shake it until it’s fully mixed, and then drink it any time during your day. While the company recommends drinking it on an empty stomach, it also mentions that it can be consumed at any point. Since some vitamins are water-soluble, they’ll absorb into your system no matter what is or isn’t in your stomach, but fat-soluble vitamins actually absorb better if you’ve eaten something with some fat in it.48 Ultimately, though, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you take AG1 on an empty stomach.

Athletic Greens suggests adding the liquid first and then the powder, which allows the powder to mix more easily (and our testers found this to be true). After opening a pouch of AG1 powder, it should be refrigerated to preserve the integrity and efficacy of the probiotics within the mixture. Individual travel packs are single-use and do not need to be refrigerated.

How does AG1 taste?

At the end of the day, AG1 is a greens powder — and greens powders aren’t exactly everyone’s idea of a “pleasure beverage.” Some people may adore the taste of it, while others might think it tastes like eating lawn clippings. Our testers did, however, find AG1 to be one of the more palatable options out of the ones they tried (Amazing Grass was their favorite).

When mixed with plain, cold water (as instructed on the packaging), you’ll likely notice the taste of the natural sweetener, Stevia, is front and center. If you’re not a fan of Stevia, AG1 may not be the choice for you (this applies even more to the greens powders from Bloom). Otherwise, AG1 has a mildly fruity taste; there are vague hints of pineapple, cherry, papaya, and apple, likely due to their inclusion in the mix. Nonetheless, AG1 does still taste notably “green,” though maybe a bit less so than some other options on the market.

As a side note, one of our testers felt that AG1 had a bit of a bitter, onion-like aftertaste that lingered in the back of their mouth. This wasn’t experienced by our other testers, but it’s worth noting. The particular tester who noticed the aftertaste has a strong sensitivity to bitter flavors, so that may have something to do with it.

If AG1 isn’t palatable enough for you to drink in plain water, then we recommend mixing it in a concoction of some water and either apple or orange juice; this masks the “green” taste even further and reduces how noticeable the Stevia is.

You can purchase AG1 products individually or through the company’s subscription service, which offers significant savings if you plan on drinking it regularly. You can only purchase the products directly from the AG1 website; any listings on Amazon are from third-party resellers and may not be legitimate or safe (on top of that, it’s also more expensive).

Subscriptions can be personalized for delivery every 15, 30, 45, or 60 days and can be modified, paused, or canceled at any time without penalty. To alter your subscription, you can simply make changes from your customer dashboard. In a few clicks, you can modify your AG1 deliveries however you’d like.

Besides “The Pouch,” you can purchase AG1 in individual packs for convenient use. These single-use packets don’t require refrigeration, making them more convenient when on the go (like for work, school, or travel).

Payments, shipping, and returns

Athletic Greens accepts major credit cards and PayPal as payment. Delivery in the U.S., Canada, and Australia costs a flat shipping rate of $9; shipment rates vary by country in Europe.

Additionally, Athletic Greens offers a generous 90-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with AG1, simply contact customer service within 90 days of your first order for a full refund. The only competitor policy better than this is the one from Nested Naturals, which lets you initiate a refund “at any point” for a full refund, no questions asked. Amazing Grass has a 30-day full-refund return policy, and Bloom’s policy is 15 days (both of these companies require all products to be unopened for returns).

We’ve touched on some details of a few AG1 competitors, but in this section, we’ll delve into some more information on these potential alternatives. However, for the full breakdown of our top picks for greens powders (including the products mentioned in this review), you can check out our full guide to the best greens powders.

Before looking at alternatives, it’s worth noting beforehand that none of them match the vitamin and mineral doses of AG1. However, some people may not need the amount of vitamins and minerals found in AG1 and might just be looking for a small boost to complement their already nutrient-rich diet.

Bloom Nutrition Greens & Superfoods

Overall, our testers liked Bloom’s greens ($39.99 for 30 servings), but there were some complaints. They purchased the coconut flavor, which contains a whopping 95mg of Stevia — this makes it a very sweet greens powder. If you tried AG1 and found the Stevia to be a bit much, then we recommend steering clear of Bloom (even the original flavor contains 57mg of Stevia). We do appreciate the variety of flavors available from Bloom, however; it’s the only greens powder we’ve found with so many options (currently seven).

As with AG1, most of the 40+ ingredients (mainly with a focus on digestive health) in Bloom’s Greens & Superfoods are housed in its seven different blends, making it difficult to tell how much of each ingredient is in the mix. And, in terms of allergens, this greens powder is free from gluten, dairy, and soy.

While we stated that Bloom (like the other alternatives) doesn’t have nearly the same amount of vitamins and minerals as AG1, it’s hard to judge this one since the nutrition label doesn’t actually list vitamin and mineral content. The only related supplement facts are for calories, total carbs, dietary fiber, iron, and sodium. (Bloom’s greens do at least have 0.6mg of iron versus AG1’s none.)

Amazing Grass Greens Blend

Amazing Grass Greens Blend ($39.99 for 30 servings) was our testers’ choice for the best-tasting plain greens powder. Amazing Grass has fewer ingredients than any of the other competitors mentioned in this review (only 27), but it does cover a lot of the basics of a greens powder — like blends focused on fiber, various green grasses, antioxidants, and a collection of prebiotics and probiotics. And, unlike AG1, Bloom, and Nested Naturals, Amazing Grass doesn’t contain any sweeteners, sugar or otherwise.

The vitamin and mineral content is significantly lower than AG1, but Amazing Grass does contain vitamin K (70mcg) and iron (1.5mg), which AG1 doesn’t. Additionally, like Nested Naturals, Amazing Grass is certified organic.

Nested Naturals Super Greens

Nested Naturals Super Greens ($29.99 for 30 servings) is a certified organic greens powder with 30 total ingredients. This product is free from gluten, dairy, nuts, soy, and GMOs.

Its blends are focused on alkalizing ingredients, fiber, antioxidants, probiotics, and enzymes. And Nested Naturals Super Greens is available in original and chocolate flavors (the latter is actually a bit less expensive, and it contains more antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium). We also appreciate that the company lists the amounts of a couple common greens ingredients: spirulina (667mg) and chlorella (400mg). No other greens powder in this review, even AG1, lists the quantities for specific blend ingredients, and though it’s only two of them, it’s still nice to see.

Like Bloom and AG1, Nested Naturals contains a natural sweetener — in this case, monk fruit. Testers noted that the monk fruit didn’t have a noticeable aftertaste like the Stevia in the others. This made it one of the better-tasting options, in their opinion.