What are green supplements?  

What are green supplements?

With many of us struggling to reach our five-a-day, these supplements are designed to help us reach our target. Available in the form of a powder, you simply mix a scoopful with water or another liquid, shake and drink.

Marketing claims for these products would have us believe they help support our immune system, energy levels and detoxification. As a powder they also claim to be highly absorbable, and as such, help your body meet its nutritional needs. But how true are these claims and does the evidence support their use?

In reality there is limited research on these increasingly popular supplements and much of what there is tends to be funded by the manufacturers themselves or is based on individual ingredients, assessed in isolation.

Check out our vitamins and minerals hub to learn more about key nutrients – from the top 10 healthiest sources of vitamin C to vital minerals you need in your diet.

What ingredients are in green supplements?

These vibrant coloured powders include nutrients from the wide variety of ingredients they contain. These ingredients will vary by brand but you can expect to see various plant-derived extracts from vegetables, fruit and grasses. There may be as many as 25-40 of these different plant-based ingredients combined with additions such as prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes and added vitamins and minerals. Some products also add medicinal mushrooms and nutritional extracts such as green tea or grape seed extract.

When prepared and ready to drink the taste and smell can be a little grassy so some manufacturers add natural sweeteners like stevia, to improve the flavour of their product and increase its palatability.

These are some of the ingredients you’re likely to see listed on the label:

• Grasses – barley grass, wheatgrass, oat grass and alfalfa
• Leafy greens – spinach, kale, parsley, broccoli
• Fruit – apple, berries, papaya, pineapple, bilberry, acai berries, baobab, camu camu
• Algae – spirulina, chlorella, marine algae
• Mushroom – reishi, chaga, cordyceps, shiitake, Lion’s mane
• Added fibre – inulin, psyllium husk, rice bran
• Other – ashwagandha, licorice, ginger, moringa, maca, green tea, matcha, grape seed extract
• Beneficial bacteria – Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Enyzmes – amylase, lipase, papain, bromelain, cellulase
• Sweeteners – stevia, agave powder

Each ingredient is likely to be either dried and ground into a powder, juiced and dehydrated or certain components of the whole food may be added as an extract.

What are the benefits of green supplements?

Green powders are typically high in protective plant compounds such as polyphenols, these have a valuable antioxidant and possible anti-inflammatory effect and may help reduce the risk of chronic disease. Powders may also be high in vitamins, such as A and C, which help support immunity.

Some green powders claim to help with energy levels, they do this by including ingredients like green tea extract, that appear to support metabolism. However, whether the product contains sufficient levels of an ingredient to achieve these outcomes remains to be seen.

What to look out for on the label?

If you are taking a powder as a dietary supplement, check nutrient levels to the nutrient reference values (NRV) to assess the product’s contribution. This is especially relevant if you take other dietary supplements which may put you at risk of a nutrient excess. Check to see if the product is subject to independent testing, this certifies that the product contains what it claims on the label and that it is free of other substances and contaminants.

If your chosen product includes beneficial bacteria, look at the number of bacteria it provides – this will be expressed as the number of ‘colony forming units’ (CFU) – ideally the number claimed should be at the expiration date of the product and not at the date of manufacture.

Routinely consuming one of these products is NOT a substitute for a balanced, varied diet and these powders should not be used as a replacement for whole foods such as a plentiful variety of fruit and vegetables. Eating whole foods is more satisfying and nourishing and helps manage appetite so you avoid over-eating.

Should I take a green supplement?

Those on certain prescribed medication, such as anti-coagulants, should check with their GP before taking a green powder. This is because these products tend to contain vitamin K, and this vitamin interacts with certain medication, including blood thinners. You should be aware that many of these products contain herbs and concentrated extracts and if you are on medication they may pose a risk of interaction – so always check with your GP. Pregnant and breast-feeding women and children should avoid their use.

Finally, if you are a competing athlete, check that the product you use has been certified free of substances that are banned by competitive organisations.

Enjoyed this? Now read…

Do supplements work?
How to get the most out of supplements
What supplements should I take?
Collagen supplements: do they work?
Five nutrients every woman needs

Try adding one a powder to our smoothie recipes.

Find out more about how to eat well in our healthy eating section.

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This page was last reviewed on 11^th September 2024 by Kerry Torrens.

A qualified nutritionist (MBANT), Kerry Torrens is a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food magazine. Kerry is a member of the The Royal Society of Medicine, Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT).

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