Greens powders are all the rage, now that everyone and their neighbors are into not just a healthier diet and lifestyle, but also trying to build immunity. Just like your typical supplement, there are a lot of greens powders available for the health conscious. And just like your typical supplement, not all greens powders are created equal.
Because everyone’s trying to be as healthy as possible, it makes sense that every supplement company is trying to cash in on this year’s surge of health conscious people with their own brand of greens powder. The problem is, a lot of these companies will sell anything for a quick buck, at the expense of the unwary customer.
However, we did our research and found at least two of the best in the greens powders business in the form of Athletic Greens and Supergreen Tonik. The question now is, between Athletic Greens vs Supergreen Tonik, who is superior over the other? Which one should you get? Which greens powder gives you more bang for your buck?
Why Take Supergreens Supplements?
Before we compare these two amazing greens powders, let’s first answer WHY people should take supergreens.
Nutritiously Richer than an Average Meal
Let’s take a look at the obvious: Greens powders are just a whole bottle of concentrated vegetables and fruits extracts. Some have more to offer, but the gist of a greens powder is that they are filled with potent and naturally sourced ingredients that could offer health benefits when consumed.
Most people buy greens powders as a means of substituting a snack or a meal. While they’re not exactly a supplement that could go toe-to-toe with something like a whole bowl of salad, they’re definitely more nutritious than your average French fries or pizza slice (or two)!
However, we do have to insist that you should always consume vegetables and fruits as “whole” as possible i.e. eating the actual stuff that greens powders are made of. This will always be the best way to incorporate a good balance of nutrients in your body, and greens powders should only supplement them whenever possible.
Improves Overall Health and Immunity
Due to the nutrient density of greens powders, it’s no secret that a good chunk of its market are people who don’t want to get sick or at least have the right immunity to fend off disease. We believe all greens powders start off as immune boosters, and the bells and whistles are simply how companies try to compete and differentiate themselves.
The ingredients greens powders regularly are often cited for immunity benefits, but also for other types of potential health benefits such as gut health and inflammation. There’s also an angle on antioxidant benefits, particularly due to the number of concentrated vegetable extracts known to contain high-potency antioxidants such as green tea and its EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) [1].
Give an Energy Boost
A lot of fitness buffs love pre workouts, mainly due to the stimulation they get. The problem is, the kind of stimulation many pre workouts give is not only short-lived, but isn’t exactly free of side effects. This is why there is an entire category of pre workouts that label themselves as stim-free.
In a way, you can say greens powders are “stim-free” supplements mainly because they don’t usually contain compounds that were synthetically added to stimulate the senses. However, the vitamins, minerals, as well as the natural compounds found in greens powders could help give users an energy boost. This energy boost may not peak as much as your typical pre workout supplement (or cup of coffee), but this won’t give you a bad crash or headache.
May Stave off Chronic Diseases
Many of the ingredients found in greens powders have had their fair share of research on them, especially with how they help the body fight common diseases.
The usual ingredients found in greens powders are anti-inflammatory, pro-gut health, and of course nutrient dense. So the idea is if you combine all these ingredients together, they should synergize and create this blend of active compounds that can give our body a metaphorical barrier against chronic diseases.
What is Athletic Greens?
Athletic Greens professes to be a pioneering superfood green powder and claims to be the ultimate daily supplement.
With a formula containing 75 ingredients it claims to cover off all of your nutritional base requirements.
The formula has been updated since it first came to market in 2010 and is used by personalities including Joe Rogan.
- Premium vitamins and minerals
- Thoughtful probiotic touch
- Good dosing and serving size overall
- NSF Certified for Sport
- Made with pro athletes in mind
- Use of proprietary blend
- Needs more standardization
- Pricey
What is SuperGreen TONIK?
Created by self proclaimed “lifehacker” Adam Wright, SuperGreen TONIK is quite new in the greens powder market.
Adam created the formula in SuperGreen TONIK after suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for over 25 years.
The formula suggests a high dosage of antioxidants, adaptogenic herbs, and an abundance of super greens.
- Vitamins and Minerals scope is wide
- High doses of greens ingredients
- Multi-functional
- Could be seen as a bit expensive
- Some generic forms of vitamins and minerals
Athletic Greens vs SuperGreen TONIK Benefits
Both Athletic Greens and Supergreen TONIK boast of being the best in the business of greens powders. They both claim to contain immune benefits as well as ingredients with high antioxidant potential. In fact, they’re so similar that it’s going to be really difficult to go for one over the other.
Athletic Greens
Some of the benefits of Athletic Greens are:
- Helpful for gut health, especially with digestive enzymes
- Can boost energy levels without stimulants
- Can help lower stress levels
- Has ingredients that can positively affect the immune system
- Good daily dose of vitamins and minerals.
SuperGreen TONIK
Some of the benefits of SuperGreen TONIK are:
- Higher energy levels throughout the day
- Good for focus and stress
- Can improve immunity
- High potency antioxidants
Ingredients – Head to Head
Athletic Greens Ingredients
The most impressive part of Athletic Greens is their vitamins and minerals blend. Compared to what SuperGreen Tonik offers, we’re getting more bang for our buck in both quantity and quality of vitamins and minerals. The blend is also transparent, something we can’t say the same for the rest of the formula.
The Alkaline, Nutrient-Dense Raw Superfood Complex is their main greens blend and pretty much checks all the boxes for the usual ingredients found in a standard greens formula. Notable ones are spirulina, inulin, and grapeseed due to their standardized forms.
The Nutrient Dense Natural Extracts, Herbs & Antioxidants is both their antioxidant and anti-stress blend, which is a great combination because a lot of antioxidants also function as anti-stress compounds.
Lastly, their Digestive Enzyme & Super Mushroom Complex and the Dairy Free Probiotics 7.2 billion CFU blends are both pro-gut health which not only improves digestion and nutrient absorption, but also helps your body respond to infections and other unwanted foreign bodies better.
SuperGreen TONIK Ingredients
In terms of quantity, SuperGreen TONIK’s overall formula is simpler than Athletic Greens’, but it’s not low-impact at all.
The vitamins and minerals blend is more or less similar to what Athletic Greens has to offer, but admittedly, SuperGreen TONIK’s version is a few steps below in terms of quality. By quality, we mean the ingredient forms are not that premium or in their “poor bioavailability” forms.
The Organic Greens Blend is really short, but they make up for it with dosage. They have several ingredients in the “grams,” which is important for a greens supplement as greens aren’t exactly what you can call concentrated. So, the more you have the better.
The Nootropic Blend is their focus and anti-stress blend, containing really high quality ingredients like ashwagandha and bacopa.
The Immune Blend is their shortest blend, but it could easily be the most important as the three ingredients here are all known to help improve immunity, especially garlic bulb.
Garlic supplements are really good, but are notorious for giving you garlic breath or odor which can be hit or miss depending on who you’re with. However, as part of a greens supplement, SuperGreen TONIK helps users bypass this odd side effect, making garlic supplementation tolerable and more importantly, discreet.
Athletic Greens vs SuperGreen TONIK: Cost Comparison
Which greens product can give you more bang for your buck? Let’s have a look at their pricing options. Prices are in USD $ for ease of comparison to avoid fluctuations in currency conversions. However, both products are available to customers in the UK, but beware potential high shipping costs.
Athletic Greens
- One bottle of Athletic Greens: $97.00
- Monthly Subscription: $77.00
SuperGreen TONIK
- One tub of SuperGreen Tonik : $87.00
- Three tubs: $227.00
- Five tubs: $327.00
If we compare the pricing of the two greens powders and extrapolate their costs over a period of 12 months, and using SuperGreen Tonik’s “3-tub” option and Athletic Greens’ Monthly Subscription price:
Athletic Greens will cost consumers a total of $924.00
SuperGreen Tonik will cost consumers a total of $908.00
So from there, we can say that as far as bang for buck is concerned, SuperGreen Tonik comes out on top. Its case for the “better value overall” gets so much better if users avail of its “5-tub” option, bringing down the price all the way to about $785.00 for 12 bottles.
Which is better: Athletic Greens or SuperGreen TONIK?
Athletic Greens has the premiums and fancy ingredients which can definitely entice those looking for a greens powder that’s not only good for the body, but also really high in quality. Then, there’s also the angle of it being really safe for pro athletes. Being NSF For Sport Certified isn’t easy, and compliance can come at a high price especially for quality testing, but at least athletes know the product is good to take.
The problem is, Athletic Greens does not disclose the dosages for each of its ingredients and the number of ingredients in one serving can easily upset a stomach if they’re sensitive.
SuperGreen TONIK, on the other hand, doesn’t boast of many ingredients let alone premium forms, but it does have transparency which is arguably the most important aspect of any supplement. After all, we are putting these powders inside our body not just for a day or two, but potentially for months at a minimum. It is therefore imperative that we know EXACTLY what we’re drinking or eating.
Between the two products, we think SuperGreen Tonik is a better option for consumers. It may not have the fancy premiums Athletic Greens has, but it more than makes up for it with a transparent, focused, and high-dosed blend plus just an overall greater value for long-term users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Athletic Greens any good?
Athletic Greens is a great greens powder and it’s really premium. However, it’s not the most transparent product out there and the number of ingredients may be too much for some users, especially because it’s meant to be taken on an empty stomach.
If you’re looking for something that will less likely give you an upset stomach, stick to something like SuperGreen TONIK as it doesn’t have as many ingredients.
What is comparable to Athletic Greens?
We think SuperGreen TONIK is not only comparable, but also superior in terms of overall quality. Good pricing, ingredient synergy and dosage, and transparency are all the qualities you look for in a supplement, and SuperGreen TONIK has got them all.
Is Athletic Greens a meal replacement?
No. Athletic Greens is not meant to be a meal replacer and neither is SuperGreen TONIK. That’s because they lack protein and fats; two macronutrients necessary to warrant a supplement to be called a meal replacer.
Greens powders in general are meant to be consumed as a “snack” or something that helps give you a good jolt of energy, similar to energy drinks or caffeinated beverages. Imagine those fancy and expensive lattes, but healthier and good for you!
Do you have to refrigerate Athletic Greens?
Yes. According to their official website, once the package is opened, Athletic Greens needs to be kept refrigerated. This helps to preserve the integrity and efficacy of the ingredients.
Do green powders actually work?
Greens powders “work” in a sense that the ingredients used to make them have all been studied for their potential health benefits to the body. The general idea is to combine all those amazing ingredients together so they can all combine to work together.
Unfortunately, a lot of companies think just adding everything equals function. It doesn’t. When it comes to supplement formulation, you have to always be a bit biased towards simple formulas because the fewer the ingredients, the more likely are they to work together and not cancel each other out. Not to mention that fewer ingredients means lower risks of weird side effects.
