What exactly are ‘greens powders’ – and are they worth the hype?

A quick scan of the supplement or vitamin section in your local supermarket will reveal that most brands have a “greens powder”. They’re also marketed online, sometimes spruiked by models and influencers.

These packets or jars of vegie-packed goodness are sold as the key to health, disease prevention, anti-aging, and, well, the key to looking like a model.

So, what are greens powders? What do they do? Are they better than food, and should we all be adding one to our daily diet?

Why greens?

It is not by chance that supplement companies and influencers have focused on “greens” as the elixir of life. While all vegetables are good for us, adding dietary fibre, antioxidants and a range of vitamins and minerals to our diet, it is the leafy green vegetables, including kale, spinach, silverbeet and rocket, that are nutritional standouts thanks to the powerful anti-cancer molecules they contain.

They are especially high in a number of key nutrients, including folate, vitamin K, vitamin C and vitamin E. A high intake of these nutrients is associated with a reduced risk of developing a number of types of cancer, including colon and breast cancer. They also play a key role in protecting the body’s cells from damage on a day-to-day basis.

Ideally, we should consume at least two servings of green vegies a day, or the equivalent of a cup of leafy green vegetables, to reap these health benefits. As an alternative, greens powders have emerged as a convenient way to get concentrated amounts of greens, minus the need to chop, juice, blend, and cook up truckloads of vegies and fruit daily.

What are greens powders?

Greens powders are a supplement in which various vegetables, fruits and herbs have been dehydrated and ground into nutrient-rich, concentrated powder that can be added to smoothies or consumed as a supplement with water as a way to boost ones’ intake of nutrients.

While there are many different varieties of green powders, nutrient analysis shows that, on average, these powders contain relatively small amounts of protein and carbohydrate but relatively high amounts of essential nutrients, including beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium and vitamin K.

What does the science show?

While there is strong scientific evidence that associates a high intake of several of these key nutrients with improved immune function and a reduced risk of developing a number of lifestyle diseases, including some types of cancer, the direct relationship between supplementary forms of these nutrients and health outcomes is yet to be seen.

Specifically, there is very little research that has directly investigated the health outcomes associated with adding greens powder to the diet. Of the handful of studies that are available, the most significant positive outcomes have been related to blood pressure, with two small trials showing that those supplementing their diet with a daily greens powder had a significant reduction in blood pressure over a three-month period, as well as reductions in some markers of cell damage.

There is also some data to show that supplementing the diet with greens powders results in self-reported improvements in energy, although this may partially be explained by the fact some greens powders may contain added green tea extract, which is a source of caffeine.

Are they better than green vegetables?

While it may make sense that if greens are good for us, concentrated varieties must be better, this premise forgets that much of the benefit that comes from eating fresh, minimally processed foods lies in the synergistic effects of different nutrients working together.

While greens powders may have high amounts of some nutrients such as vitamin C, they do not have the dietary fibre or natural antioxidant content that comes from fresh, whole foods.

For this reason, while they may prove a viable supplement to superload your nutrient intake, they are not a replacement for fresh food, and as such, an upper intake of seven to 10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day is still encouraged for optimal health and wellbeing.

The potential issues

While some powders may be produced with baseline ingredients that are rich in nutrients, there is no regulation on this, and as such, the nutrient profile and benefits of greens powders differ widely.

Certainly, this is the case when it comes to price, with options ranging from $20 per bag to well over $100. What is certain, though, is that paying four times the amount for a similar formulation will not give you four times the nutritional benefits, given the proven nutritional benefits are nominal at best.

More importantly, whenever adding concentrated forms of nutrition into the diet via supplements, vitamins or greens powders, you need to check with your healthcare provider to ensure you are not at risk of any potential negative medication interactions.

The take-home message

If you are happy to spend a fair whack of cash on a greens powder to make you feel healthier and potentially reap some benefits from bumping up your intake of potassium and vitamins C and E, go for it.

Such a dietary addition is unlikely to have any negative consequences, and there may be some benefits, but ultimately, you are still better off eating your greens and grabbing a fresh green juice each day if you are really serious about optimising your nutrition.