A girlfriend recently asked me if I still took greens and if I recommended the brand I used, and I shared my review of Athletic Greens aka AG1 with her. I of course like many others was susceptible to the marketing on Instagram. This brand has infiltrated the influencer community.
I am someone who has taken a variety of supplements over the years. I’m also aware that you have to be an educated consumer when choosing which brands you trust, because as the research shows (see this Harvard article), many of the vitamins don’t actually contain what they claim to. Some have been found to not even include the main active ingredient they are being sold for.
At one point I was taking vitamin B complex, Vitamin D, a hair/skin/nails supplement and a couple others I can’t remember. Have I ever felt a physical difference with any vitamin I took? No. My hope is that they work, and they are having a positive effect on my body on a molecular level that I just don’t see/feel consciously.
I had seen the Athletic Greens advertising for a long time, and thought it could be an opportunity for me to consolidate how many pills I was taking, and instead just drink the greens once. Especially since AG’s site listed so many. Also, I wasn’t exactly spending top dollar on and doing research on the supplements I was buying, so I had a feeling they may not all be the best quality.
I was hesitant to buy Athletic Greens because I do not like green juices, I think they taste terrible. One time I tried to do one of those over-priced 3 day juice cleanses and I could only drink the almond milk juice because the others that included kale, spinach or other greens, I could not stomach. Before I bought AG1, I researched endlessly “what does AG taste like?” “Does athletic greens taste bad?” – and all the influencers claimed they thought it tasted good! A likely story.
What does Athletic Greens taste like?
I decided to go for it and purchase, their site also won me over about the high quality standards they have for ingredient sourcing + manufacturing. The first time I tried it I gagged. I’ll be the first to be honest, it does not taste good. And I’m not a picky eater/turned off easily by textures or taste. AG recommends mixing it with 12 oz of water. That’s a hard pass. I only made that mistake the first time. I now mix it with about 3 oz water (so it’s more of a two sip shot), and hold my breath. It actually doesn’t smell bad, which will fool you at first into thinking it may actually taste ok.
I don’t know how to describe the flavor – like any other green juice if you’ve every had it? Mossy, dirt like may be a couple descriptors. I tried adding a squeeze of lime juice and that does not do much for the flavor.
The texture
There have been protein powders or other juices I’ve tried in the past that are very grainy or gritty. That texture does bother me and I can’t drink it. However, if you stir/shake up the AG mix, it does smooth out. Not completely, but not as bad as other powders on the market. The texture isn’t an issue for me, however I’m not someone super sensitive to that about foods in general.
Benefits
My first purchase of Athletic Greens was in mid-2021, and I have religiously taken it nearly every day since then. I’ve had some short periods, a week or two here and there, where I ran out/on vacation and didn’t take it. Did I feel any difference when I stopped? No.
AG’s site FAQs says “Many members report feeling sustained energy, having fewer cravings, and more balanced gut health over the course of the first month or so. Other common benefits include healthy skin, promoting hair and nail growth, improved concentration, and support recovery after physical activity.”
My skin and nails ARE healthy, but is that as a result of AG? It’s likely a combination of aspects in my lifestyle. I also want to say that all the benefits the site lists come with a * that leads to “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.” The FDA does not regulate vitamins which is why the industry has the problems it does.
However, AG’s site also doesn’t back up any of its claims with any clinical study results, which is ideally what we’d want to see. The TLDR here, I’m sure my body is better off taking this supplement, they just aren’t “felt/seen”. And with supplements that claim such benefits we all need to be educated consumers.
Cost
A downside is they charge $10 to ship it every month, on top of the $80 price tag. Making this a $100/month supplement. It’s not cheap. However, I am a believer that you get what you pay for. So I’ve thought about purchasing a cheaper brand, but I do have concerns from what I previously mentioned – quality standards. Is athletic greens worth the cost? I think that’s down to the individual.
In summary, if you’re committed enough to suffer through the taste, and pay the cost – AG may have some benefits, it could be a placebo. You have to make the call for your-self. At the end of the day though, the best thing we could actually do is eat a well-balanced diet that includes lots of vegetables and fruits.
If you’re inclined to go down a rabbit hole of research on this topic, another good read is the NY Times Article, Will ‘Superfood Powders’ Actually Make You Healthier?.