Greens powders are a scam.

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Hey everybody! Today we’re diving into the studies, science, and marketing behind greens powders. These are simply my opinions backed up with the current FDA regulations on supplements (spoiler: there are none) and how many of these products get made. Let me know your thoughts below!
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#greens #bloom #athleticgreens

[@Justcetriyaart]

The reason why I think people feel it works is just to show how unbalanced our diets are. I'm sure a lot of us is short in eating enough varieties of fruit and veggies.

[@JustinaErcole]

Absolutely!!

[@travisgoesthere]

Your diet

[@jasonborne5359]

Regardless of how “unbalanced” your diet is or how “organic” you eat.. our soil is shit compared to what it was in the 50’s. If you just look at the studies of soil samples and the produce grown in the soils 80 years ago vs today (as an example)… you would have to eat 53 bowls of TODAYS spinach to equal the same iron content as a bowl of spinach from 80 years ago. Balance your diet all you want. You are never going to get enough nutrients in the modern landscape. We have been robbed of that option. You are fooling yourself into “i just get all my nutrients from my food” no.. you don’t lol

[@rali5381]

​@@jasonborne5359if we follow your advise then we might as well become cannibals

"people feel" There is the problem. Anecdotal evidence isn't.

[@stephenharden6273]

Justina, I love your objective & scientific breakdown of product marketing. Keep it going.

[@JustinaErcole]

Thank you!

[@threelittlebirdsart9353]

I LOVED that you said, not financially accessible!!! Thanks for acknowledging the people struggling to afford adequate nutrition! It's also important for more people to hear the if it's working for you, GOOD for You! As someone with chronic illness living in an ableist world, you hear about so many "cures" and we are sought out by companies, influencers, and representatives to buy the products. Much of it starts with shaming of the people who can't afford the products or food, and for those who have assumably already tried doing everything short of eating worms (I know of people who have actually consumed worms looking for a cure) and nothing worked for us, we're told we must have done it wrong, not taken it long enough, not eaten enough, etc. I've known of one good green powder that my sister-in-law used to sell and never shame anyone over it, that I thought was pretty good. I can't afford it, but it was decently trustworthy. I felt some benefits, but did it cure me? No. I do have to use electrolytes and probiotics. So here's the interesting thing to know about the marketing with that- Me, as someone with chronic illness who belongs to a large community of others who also require electrolyte supplements like people with POTS or absorption problems, etc, I have multiple social media accounts and though I'm not a big deal, I do know a couple medium deals and I'm a daily social media user. People like me, reach out to a company, to see if we can get a code and promote it for a small discount or to earn product, they respond with We'd LOVE for you to be a brand ambassador! You have to have over a million followers and then we'll sign you up. Guess what? Most people with chronic illness don't have a million followers! There's a good reason for that! But, if you ask millions of people in groups or chronic illness communities how many of them use the product, at least 80% will say they do. Many of them have subscriptions. Many of them learned about the product they use because they heard it discussed as a favorite or because it won in a lot of social media polls. But because we're not the pretty, perky, popular person, we're not enough for them. Again, ableist world, so that's something else for people to consider when hearing these stories from so-called changed/cured influencers. Great video!

"if it's working for you, GOOD for You" Or maybe they should learn to tell feelings from reality. Because you can say that about pretty much all quackery (homeopathy for example). It's still quackery and it's still (potentially) bad for you.

[@shanaparkhurst3574]

You can afford to have adequate nutrition if you just buy whole foods instead of these supplements. Veggies are super cheap, and much more affordable than any prepackaged food you can buy.

[@OktoberJournal]

Thank you for doing this! I see so, so many people (very random inluencers mostly) rave about this and I've always wondered it if was really worth it or not.

[@JustinaErcole]

I can't speak for every single brand, but this is the industry standard for sure.

[@aawich]

I feel like greens powders are the ultimate placebo effect. It says green so it must be good for me! And I don’t have to chew vegetables- score!! LoL

[@JustinaErcole]

YES

[@Luziagz]

I was thinking this as well! What a great placebo. Besides, it tastes horrible, so it may be good for you lol

[@reliablethreat23]

"I don't have to chew vegetables - score!!" This is where you're wrong. Greens powders are supplements, not substitutes! You still have to eat a well balanced diet! It's not supposed to be a one-drink-fix-all solution!

[@citylemon7832]

It’s like the new skinny tea.

[@vanity243]

Well chewing vegetables everyday don’t even work either because it starts from the soil on the ground and from when your food come from the farms, it’s tampered with. Honestly good don’t even look like food these days, everything is Just fake that is why we deficient on many things smh.

[@djinbleu]

Something is better than nothing, simple as that.

[@laurieann2714]

Thanks again for your informed and common sense approach to fitness and nutrition. I had been a fitness instructor/personal trainer for 28 years and was also a registered dietitian, and find your content on point. Proprietary blend is the biggest scam on the market!!

[@JustinaErcole]

Thank you for watching!

[@aeroscout8409]

Very rare. A KZbin post that's clear, honest, up front, simply explained and easy to listen to. Funny thing is that an AG1 advert came on right after my view.. How ironic is that...

[@jenniferjones7283]

I had to rewatch this video since I caught myself thinking I needed to buy greens after seeing them popping up on my youtube non stop. Thanks for the video! Will probably have to rewatch when I think I need them again in a couple months lol

[@DarkVeracity]

I wished you had listed some example of high quality powders vs low quality. I saw AG1 in the picture but that wasn't mentioned in the video so now I'm wondering which category it falls into. Thank you for this video just the same! ❤❤❤❤

[@Piccolo_Re]

The ones that are considered meal replacements and not “supplements”are the good ones. Most are super expensive though. Anywhere from $85-120 for 15-30 servings.

[@therider4909]

Don't waste your money on processed powders, eat more whole, fresh food whenever possible. The less that has been 'done' to it the better. Greens, fruit, root veg, legumes... Frozen unprocessed products like berries can be useful.

[@TatooedDoc]

good video. I am an ER doc and have been taking AG for about 7 months. It seems to have improved my digestion at least, although I havent noticed any of the other claimed benefits(increased focus, energy, less sleep needed). I am curious, because I do eat fruits and veggies, like raspberries, blueberries, spinach, asparagus, broccoli cauliflower and carrots mainly. I used to have gi upset like IBS symptoms, and that is what improved on AG1....do u think its possible they some people need additional digestive support...such as is offered in some of these powders? I am guessing u would say yes. Thanks this was one of the more informative vids on the subject. Popular "influencers" are paid substantially, I believe commission based on purchases that use their code. So obviously a ton of that monthly cost is to pay those people and otherwise market...which means the product costs a fraction of the charge.

[@NoNo-en4cr]

Cool video 🎉 thanks for sharing. Someone shared your video in a fitness forum :)

[@JustinaErcole]

Oh amazing! Thanks for being here ❤️

[@0208lena]

I live in Germany and I was shown AG1 ads for the first time a few months ago. I did some research and the German consumer protection warns against these products. Once for your reasons mentioned and because often greens purchased on the Internet are poorly controlled. Thx for your video, Justina!

[@JustinaErcole]

You're so welcome!

[@leni0210]

I'm German as well and AG1 is ALL OVER social media, it's soo annoying. Every podcaster/Instamodel/KZbinr and their mother is advertising AG1 and gushing over how it changed their lives. They seem to forget how freaking expensive it is, like who wants to spend EUR 100per month on it?? Ridiculous, really.

[@leni0210]

@@cl5420 SAME! Thank god it's so ridiculously overpriced :D

[@proudbacteria1373]

​​​ You won't afford organic greens in German supermarkets. 😅 How much does it cost a tiny amount of microgreens on German shelves? 😮😂

[@zainmstudios]

Also in Germany here... So I agree with the video and the comments, AG1is just ridiculously overpriced, and constantly being shoved into my eye holes on social media... Question for others here in Germany: Is there a green powder here that is approved and meets regulatory standards of the "German consumer protection laws"? If I find some that are approved but The German Food Supplements Regulation (NemV), I will share them here thanks for the honest video

[@ArmednotTriggered]

My husband and I were supposed to host Christmas this year, and we got the flu on Christmas Eve. Everyone was already in town and my brother-in-law swore that if we used a green powder, we'd get better. I was miserable and the green powder tasted like trash. Keep in mind, hubby and I are both fit, we eat a balanced diet, and we don't rely on supplements often (apart from Omegas and protein powder). Spoiler alert: the green powder didn't fast-track our recovery time. It only served to make me more unhappy. 😅 And that's okay. I wasn't expecting anything else. Maybe it gave me a little something, maybe not. I just continued to listen to my body and eat what it wanted to heal. I still have some green powder and on those days where I'm not able to get in as many fresh fruits and veggies as I'd like, I don't mind choking some down (Okay, I'm being dramatic, but it's not great.) But full reliance is dangerous for the reasons you mentioned. This is such a perfect product to market towards Americans and I'm not surprised they're so successful. We're lazy and if we could find a "take this one pill and live forever because it's all you" supplement, we'd take it. Personally, I really love vegetables and fruits, so they're not a struggle for me to get in normally and the green powders are not nearly as kind on my gut. I'm tempted to send this to my brother-in-law. His wife is part of several MLMs. They pretty much live off of various powders and red meat. It's wild.

[@JustinaErcole]

thank you for sharing your experience!

[@FaithPresley]

Thanks for saving me a LOT of money. Greens powders are hard for me to drink (because they are GROSS LOL and often taste like fake sweetener too) but I felt like I was missing out on something I really "should" be adding to my diet. I have apples, brocolli, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans and blueberries in my fridge so I guess I'm good!

[@JustinaErcole]

You’re so welcome!

[@walterscott2286]

All that excellent fiber from the REAL fruits and vegetables you mention, will go a long way towards feeding your healthy gut bacteria. And the latest research shows that the healthiest people are actually proving to be those who have the widest variety of healthy gut bacteria.👍

[@nunyabeezwax6758]

They're worse for me to EAT let alone drink. Like veggies literally make me gag (and I can't process them digestive system wise either...)

[@brendamaxwell5939]

Great Video ! Thank you 🙏

[@jesus-on-demand]

Thanks because you saved me money on getting these. We love truth that protects us from scammer-corporations.

[@acstewart4]

The reason I was interested in the green powders was convenience. When I buy produce stuff goes bad quickly and it can be time consuming. I will try frozen then. Thanks for your input!

[@Observer-el1hq]

Great video and spot on

[@christomas7948]

As someone who uses a green powder, I loved this video. Not because it taught me anything I wasn't already aware of, but because it was honest, educated and factual while not tearing any one side down or criticizing. Thank you. It's irritating seeing all the fitness and nutrition videos out there that are just full of false information and or no information at all sometimes, just people pushing a product.

[@JustinaErcole]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@laurabrewer3702]

Hi Chris. Could you share which one you use and maybe any feedback on it? I’d love to find one for my daughter who can’t eat raw fruits and veggies because of allergies

[@traceymeister6039]

Excellent content!

[@annescholten9313]

I love your weekly common sense input, Justina! ❤

[@JustinaErcole]

Thanks Anne :)

[@sherryg1838]

Wow that is pricey! I hate these predatory companies. I’ve been taking fruit and veggie snacks to work and eating during the day. It keeps my energy level up!

[@JustinaErcole]

I love that tactic!

[@thefpvlife7785]

Every single thing you said was accurate and rational. Especially the point to which why wouldn't the company tell us the amounts if they truly want it to help us. I can only imagine what those $9.99 tubs of greens at Marshalls or TJ Max have in it.

[@junteefischer2104]

Thanks so much good to know 🙏💯

[@RuthieHanan]

Hi Justina! I'm a new viewer and not sure if you answer comments on old videos, but in case you do.... Do you have a recommendation for a high quality greens powder? I'm actually in the category of people who can't have raw fruits and veggies- I got my colon removed and live with a j pouch, so I have malabsorption and can usually only tolerate cooked spinach or juicing. Juicing takes SO LONG so I have been thinking about trying one the the green powders I see everywhere, but most of them make my scam radars go nuts which is how I found this video😆 anyways, any recs that you have would be greatly appreciated! thanks for the education😊

[@JustinaErcole]

Hey! Due to your unique situation, I would check with your medical team. I don’t want to recommend something that your system can’t handle. Happy to have you here Ruthie!

[@JackieOstick]

I was waiting for this video!!!!

[@JustinaErcole]

Ask and you shall receive!

[@seaflower1520]

Question what is your opinion on: Option 1) if you make your own greens powder. You buy organic vegetables save the green from the actual vegetables. Then you wash, then blanc to get rid of the oxalic acid and kill off the bacteria, then dehydrate low temperature at 110 deg F and slowly until dry. Then you powdered, then condition it to make sure the powder is dry, and then vacuum seal in a glass jar for long term storage until ready to use. I would consider this high content green powder. Option 2) if you buy variety of organic green vegetables, algae, mushrooms either already dehydrate leaves or powder green for that one ingredient from organic suppliers by the pound (ex. Spirulina, blue green algae, moringa leaves things you cannot normally buy at the farmers market, but can buy online)and mi-x them powders together to make your own mixture? What would you think of those 2 options or combinations of them together. Their are a bunch of videos from homesteaders that make their own greens powder from their own home grown crops. Or people like myself who hate eating green vegetables but does have access local farmers market who sell organic vegetables when in season. And we can pre-make so we have greens in a powdered to use when we cannot get local fresh vegetables. It takes a bit of work but wouldn’t it be much healthier then nothing from the sounds these pre-mix manufacture green powdered and a lot cheaper too?

[@Luziagz]

Thanks for another great video! Very interesting and well informed as always! By the way, I like making smoothies and mixing some pineapple with greens (even frozen!) can be a way of making a green drink fast, healthy, and without the disgusting flavour... And actually with the anti-oxidant properties and micro-nutrients that these things claim to have. BTW pineapple might actually reduce real (not imaginary) bloating, because it has some good digestive enzymes. I realise that not everyone can afford to do this, but if they can, it's one of the not very expensive ways of staying healthy.

[@JustinaErcole]

That sounds delicious!

[@SmIlE-nc4iw]

Justina, do you have a video in how you became a personal trainer? As an aspiring one or would be helpful!

[@JustinaErcole]

I have a video about taking the NASM CPT and some super old vlogs that kind of discuss it, but not a dedicated “journey” video. Maybe when I hit a big milestone 😊

[@violetash9597]

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Teami Blends. I’ve been using some of their products for years now. One of them happens to be their Greens Powder. Lol I only use it when I don’t want to drink coffee and/or I haven’t eaten vegetables in a long time. But I love their protein powders and their clay masks are my favorite products. Maybe you can do an arbitrary ranking video for health & wellness brands like Teami Blends and Bloom? I’m interested to see where Teami would end up.

[@JustinaErcole]

Isn't that the diet tea company? I know they put a lot of laxatives in their products.

[@violetash9597]

@@JustinaErcole yes, they do sell several bloating banish products and are most well known for the 30 day teatox program (I think). I didn’t think they had laxatives in the protein powders until I read your comment and looked at the ingredient list. I should read the ingredient lists better. 😂

[@miat1327]

Thank you for covering this. I’m so sick of influencers. Mari has no accreditation but for some reason people just trust her.

[@JustinaErcole]

She just launched the protein bar and since you have to disclose ingredients, people are APPALLED at them lol

[@tatty_bears2434]

It's mind-blowing to me how far of a reach Athletic Greens has. I consume content from different types of creators -- not just in the health and wellness space but creators in the DYI industry, Finance, and Music and they're all promoting it! It's really insane.

[@JustinaErcole]

Oh totally

[@sunshine-ue3nw]

Thank you for that 💞

[@Mandio14red]

Not me getting an ad for AG1 at the end of the video😂😂😂😂

[@JustinaErcole]

NOOOOOOOO LOL

[@janiceg7661]

Have you tried Grun. They keep popping up in my feed and I’m curious. Thank you ❤

[@19BiGRED74]

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the quality or quantity of ingredients, businesses successfully leverage the placebo effect to drive substantial revenue. Our inclination to believe in the effectiveness of such products leads to repeated purchases, as our perception is influenced by this psychological phenomenon. Nonetheless, it's reasonable to assume that consuming greens is preferable to not receiving essential nutrients at all, right? I totally see your point though Justina!!! Great video! I feel your frustration. 😎

[@thatbberg]

I know they're popular with neurodivergent people who have sensory issues with actual fruits & vegetables. I have the same issues but take capsule supplements to help. Are there any reputable green powder brands you recommend?

[@JustinaErcole]

Great point! I don’t know of any (simply haven’t don’t the research) but Abbey Sharp made a video about some she trusts!

[@pimpbernard]

Thank you for this. It really bums me out when I see people who normally do good things make their sad drinks with green sawdust and a mini whisk, and then tell me how great it tastes. We all know it does not taste great.

[@JustinaErcole]

hahahahaha

[@allbthatmom2153]

Have you tasted it?

[@NAGOL4043]

Why do so many people think powdered greens should taste like ice cream??

[@elainas2197]

What are your thoughts on Tonic Greens & it's claims of curing Herpes????

[@CocoLicious]

It's mind-boggling to me that people in the US can't find out what's specifically in their food/supplements. I just learned last year that packages in the US don't use grams or anything to compare but "portion sizes".

[@JustinaErcole]

Yeahhh it's a shame!

[@travisgoesthere]

Not sure where you are getting your info from but all my food has grams on it

[@Paul-yk7ds]

Interesting point about the ingredient amounts. I would appreciate a more detailed look at more brands, so we could identify which brands are in fact "high quality."

[@JustinaErcole]

It's definitely not my expertise since I'm not an RD, but Abbey Sharpe made a video about some she recommends :)

[@Paul-yk7ds]

@@JustinaErcole Thanks for mentioning that, but I just searched and I was unable to find any of her videos with recommendations. If you can quickly share the title or link, I would appreciate it! Thank you

[@ohmycatvideos]

Hello Justina, beautiful as always. Before I played the video, I thought: isn't everything a scam in today's fitness? Sadly, yes. Anyway, as always I appreciate your honesty and I hope this will help people who tend to buy these products.

[@JustinaErcole]

Not everything, but unfortunately many things :)

[@MrRKWRIGHT]

Good Wednesday morning Justina. Excellent video with super production values. Thanks for sharing. I most certainly agree that green powders are an absolute scam!! 😊😊👍👍

[@JustinaErcole]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@MrRKWRIGHT]

@@JustinaErcole I absolutely did of course, Nicole. I'm happy to be your newest subscriber. 😉😉

[@pollybish2988]

I totally understand what you're saying but my reason for trying one is that I truly hate most vegetables! So I hoped the powder would help me in that respect. However I found the powder to taste terrible AND it's too expensive! Now what do I do?

[@JustinaErcole]

Hey! I'd really focus on the veggies you DO like and find ways to diversify them. Also try adding sneaky veggies into sauces, smoothies, etc. And I'd recommend getting a blood panel done to figure out if you're deficient in any vitamins. Then your doctor can recommend a supplement from there.

[@Uvvibes]

Is Huel a good brand?

[@roxiw66]

I would prefer to eat fruits and veggies personally. Thanks again for wonderful information as always.

[@JustinaErcole]

You are so welcome!

[@salomepleines5319]

I didn't read the comments so this may already be there but one of the reasons these companies do not list any vitamin and/or mineral amounts is because labeling law for these is pretty strict (at least in Europe) and usually that also means regular testing of the amounts of vitamins which are some of the most expensive tests you can do on food products (I know I work in food manufacturing). Vitamin and mineral labelling is complicated but the companies listing blends instead of vitamin/mineral amounts are trying to save money on lab tests and possible corrective actions due to too low/high amounts as well as inconsistent amounts in the final product. Should you believe everything a label says, NO but if vitamins and minerals are listed on a label, it means it is tested regularly (again at least in Europe) and that's a bigger effort to give accurate information to consumers than just listing blends.

[@annedrager9303]

I rarely post anything, but I struggle with this. I'm a bariatric patient. Most of meals have to be protein heavy and I seriously can't fit in full servings of fruits and veggies. I eat a little bit at each meal and take multi vitamins every day. My doc does track my blood levels and everything appears fine, but I have been drinking greens to try to boost nutrients some. How do I know I'm getting a high quality one? The one I currently use does list the daily value of the vitamins in it.

[@JustinaErcole]

Hi! You're definitely in a different situation than most, so my advice in this video isn't really for you unfortunately. Unfortunately it's difficult to figure out which brands are "high enough quality", but I'd start by avoiding any that use proprietary blends. I'd also recommend asking an RD since they have far more nutrition training than MDs.

[@NicksHEAT1995]

Makes sense the way she put it, especially in the end. She makes a valid argument. These supplements are likely healthy, and worth a look. If you like the product as she said, and you have the money, and you want to put something with health benefits into your body (although not fully knowing those benefits) then do it.

[@arravolleyball]

"I'm not trying to deter you from buying a green powder" also, "Green powders are a scam."

[@jamesjamerson5518]

Well I for one who doesn’t eat greens or veggies I can tell a huge difference in how I feel after a couple weeks I guess it’s all in my head

[@aubreyprice6889]

Thank you for this, you just saved me $50 a month😊

[@JustinaErcole]

Glad I could help!

[@simplyblessed7036]

How do you eat fruits and vegetables once a person has had to have denture surgery? I have been trying for 8 months and ready to give up and just rely on fruit smoothies for nutrition

[@anonymike4608]

What is a high quality greens powder?

[@elizabethsell4221]

Thank you!

[@JustinaErcole]

You’re so welcome!

[@steveneger8819]

I don't eat vegetables that often so it's mostly for convenience. That's why I take one.

[@DQ-su6qf]

Are any ingredients Pasteurized?

[@silvannaveltri9518]

Well I think you r totally honest and a beautiful young lady❤

[@JustinaErcole]

❤️

[@anikoborsi8670]

AG1 commercial before during and after the video, I can't!! Lol

[@JustinaErcole]

LOL

[@DebbieHerbert]

Thanks for de influencing me to buy these expensive powders!

[@JustinaErcole]

You’re so welcome :)

[@Rebeccaac]

I loathe proprietary ingredients and don't trust a company if they are not transparent. I'm allergic to chemical fragrance and therefore flavor additives because artificial flavor always is perfume and natural flavor often is too--but is unregulated so it doesn't have to be listed--and hot oils like cinnamon and clove are chemically similar to fragrance and not ideal for me to ingest but are in all kinds of products marketed as healthy. I find it bizarre a company can't provide an ingredient list just in the service of reporting potential allergens. I've tried greens powders when my diet has been lacking at times due to poor appetite from endometriosis but some taste so bad I couldn't drink them in smoothies anyway! I also admittedly got a Nutribullet when their infomercial was in heavy rotation in 2013 and they were making outlandish claims about nutrient absorption from pulverized fruits and vegetables before the FTC made them put a visual disclaimer visible during the infomercial, but it broke pretty quickly so I didn't keep it and got a knockoff Blendtec instead for green smoothies.

[@nopahrefa4466]

One of the things that waves massive red flags to me about greens powders (and reds, and those musrhoom supplements that were popular a few years ago, and pretty much any "holistic health and wellness" supplement) that I don't think people in general twig as being a red flag is when the product claims both anti-inflammatory properties and 'immune support'/'immune boosting'/whatever - it can't be both, inflammation is a function of the immune system, if it's suppressing inflammation it's immune suppressing. (immune 'boosting' also gets me, that's autoimmunity babes, but I assume that's fluffier language for 'supporting t-cell production' or something like that). Either of the effects are fine, there are reasons one would want that, but it can't be BOTH. They are opposing mechanisms! And that tells me the company is full of shit about their products.

[@JustinaErcole]

Ooh good points!

[@sainsworth42]

thank you so much for sharing this! we need more people sharing what’s true.

[@Luziagz]

You are wrong, sorry, food and vitamins can be anti-oxidants, hence decreasing inflammation, without reducing the ability of the immune system to protect the body. They don't act like ibuprofen and other medicines. Also, you can definitely boost the immune system without causing auto-immune reactions. Auto-immunity is a dysfunctional reaction of the immune system.

[@jen6089]

If your immune system is functioning properly and efficiently inflammation should be low (ie can mount a defense and clear the pathogen without getting a lot of players involved - such as an antibody binding a virus and preventing from invading a cell which would then require a larger inflammatory response to eliminate)

[@cheryllewman]

I have a 15 year old son who refuses to eat vegetables. I realize that greens powders are not ideal, but his doctor recommended it along with a good multivitamin. I also have a son leaving for college in 5 days. I just bought him some because he isn’t likely to eat anything more than donuts and chips for the next 4 years. How can I make sure that I am getting them a higher quality product? (I have to note here, my kids grew up vegetarians and they both loved vegetables until recently.)

[@benlee3071]

Find ones low in heavy metals and organic ones

[@kaylacatchpole9327]

Definitely don’t tell people they could get freeze dried veggies/fruits and blend it into a powder or dehydrate their own to make a cheaper green powder. One that you may actually be able to trust

[@JustinaErcole]

….what?

[@kaylacatchpole9327]

There are a few dehydrator/ food preserving/homesteading channels that have great green powder recipes that cost significantly less then buying it from a large company if you invest a little time and a trip to a local thrift shop for a cheap dehydrator or use your oven if it gets low enough

[@Orion9856]

Does anyone have a recommendation on finding high quality greens powders? Are there any products that are transparent about the ingredients and production process? TBH, I use greens powders because I just hate the taste and texture of most vegetables. I've found that putting a scope of powder into my daily fruit smoothie is the most realistic way to regularly get it into my body. I realize that "eat vegetables" is an easy answer a lot of people are giving, but that's kinda like saying "abstinence is the safest form of sex".

[@sarahwelch5413]

I agree with most of this! However, I do not think Athletic Greens is a scam but I DO think it is way overly marketed and the majority of people do not need it for the price. Athletic greens is for athletes, and part of the reason why it is so expensive is that it is certified Safe for Sport, i.e. the ingredients are independently tested to make sure it contains what it says it does, and not any banned substances. As someone who could be drug tested in endurance sports, that is really important for me! Anecdotally I've seen improvements in my blood work after taking AG1, and optimal levels of these vitamins and minerals can differ for athletes vs the general population. But yeah, all of the influencer marketing doesn't sit well...

[@JustinaErcole]

Well they certainly don’t market to athletes.

[@StikiFing4z]

I take a cheaper version of AG1 one its called FS Greens. It's marketed here in UK. Since I been taking. I threw away my Anti Depressants and experienced less noticeable withdrawal effects coming off them, and my sleep has gotten better drastically. Coming off Venlafaxine is hell and let me tell you now it is no placebo for me.

[@Lulu-xl5cm]

I just bought a green powder xD At least they list how much of each is in it on the ingredient list.

[@dc100dc100]

There are brands that are transparent on their ingredients. (supergreen tonik is an example… no affiliation)

[@JustinaErcole]

ok

[@lenacochrane4892]

I have dried them ground up greens (kale, spinach,etc) to add to my food. A little sprinkle in pasta sauce, in soups/stews, whatever. Not sure how many vitamins are retained, but it is a cheap way to make me feel like I am doing something healthy for me and my family. It would probably be disgusting to drink though.

[@JustinaErcole]

Hahaha you’d need a lot of sweetener

[@joyceadegboyega8524]

Process vegetables are process foods not good for us ?

[@hameedabegum9908]

Yes I have been asking fS greens for a while and they still have not got back to me about how much of everything there is in their package

[@ParrotPuppetMaster]

Thanks for the advice, the steamer & juicer is just gonna get taken out the cupboard instead. Reboot time 👍🏻

[@nunyabeezwax6758]

I would need a high quality powder I could simply shove in some sort of fake sugar with etc. But AG1? Or subscription based whatever? No WAY! But is there a way to get one that has scientific validity to at least kinda substitute?

[@DavidSantos-ix1hu]

I have a issue with how little it shows whats in it,if they were honest id buy it more often.

[@nikkibleh8045]

I did bloom greens for quite a few months. I started having nothing but diarrhea for 3 straight months. Stopped the greens and then got a regular poop back

[@nikkibleh8045]

Don't know if there's a correlation but.. Haven't bought any since.

[@JustinaErcole]

HOLY CRAP! (literally lol)

[@nikkibleh8045]

​@@JustinaErcole literally. Went to my gastro and then quit the greens and then didn't end up needing anything because we found what was probably causing it.

[@joyrogers5385]

I'm scaling back on the supplements I take and was going to keep my supergreen gummies but I think I'll stop these as well.

[@JustinaErcole]

If you enjoy them, keep on at it!

[@ninamatthews8747]

There’s a lot of evidence for the health benfits of spirulina and Chlorella even for people who eat a balanced diet. but idk about these blend things.

[@lorenatreichler5877]

Guess what ad was playing before your video? Athletic Greens 😂 I see it so often on KZbin, but it doesn‘t interest me in the least. Thank you for talking about thomese things!

[@JustinaErcole]

LOL NOOOOOO

[@sergioknuf]

@@JustinaErcole STOP!

[@juliabutler9837]

LOL at the greens powder ad that played before this video

[@JustinaErcole]

Hahaha nooooo

[@thehomelessproject3784]

4:38 well yes and no... because if they just told everyone how much of all the ingredients they put in there would be nothing stopping another company just copying the formula.... but im also not niave enough to believe that the other reason is because they don't really have optimal dosages of the specific ingredients in them to make a scientific provable difference.... 🤔

[@cdplayerjunkie]

I recently bought a protein powder to help with my calcium and protein intake. I could only find protein powder with greens. I guess it couldn't hurt to get more greens but I'd love recommendations for normal protein powder😊

[@JustinaErcole]

Honestly I'm not too picky about protein powders. I love Gainful but I'm sure the one you have is great :)

[@cdplayerjunkie]

@@JustinaErcole okay I got Vega cause it was on sale and that stuff is expensive lol. Also I found the calcium was lower on the brands. But I'll try that one next time! It is overwhelming the amount of choices out there.

[@Justcetriyaart]

Collegen or whey can come in simple unflavored powder. If you don't mind, simple plain greek yogurt will give you the protein and calcium and good gut bacteria

[@CelestialFist]

Most protein powders don’t have greens…

[@travisgoesthere]

You cant just eat protein powder and expect it to be absorbed into your system. if you need more protein then eat food higher in protein

[@nikhilgoyal007]

thank you!

[@JustinaErcole]

You're welcome!

[@ivey6042]

Something I think is extremely insidious about greens is that along with advertising "wellness" benefits, they prey on the very normal phenomena of being ~bloated~. Absolutely wild that so many influencers advertise a product that essentially makes something that's not usually a problem and makes it a problem 🥴

[@JustinaErcole]

Ughhhhh they'll just slap on whatever wellness topic is trendy

[@75JayLady]

I've also seen people say it helps with their menstrual cycle...not sure I buy that.

[@1katcab]

I never thought of being "bloated" was a problema until I saw it on social media lol

[@Asrg]

@@1katcab what if some people feel bloated all the time?

[@1katcab]

@@Asrg they should go to a medical doctor not to an influencer endorsed brand. As far as I know, you're not suppose to be umconfortable *all the time*

[@paulharvey9961]

Thank you for bringing ALL this out. So, is there a greens powder that actually delivers all the nutrients that they claim and has been scientifically proven to be beneficial? Please anyone, especially Influencers that doesn’t have sincere scientific evidence with old from replying.

[@DrVee-pi2ub]

Hi, thanks for educating us. Pls share your thoughts on this: Grown American Superfood - 31 Organic Whole Fruits and Vegetables Concentrated Green Powder Increase Energy and Performance - 100% Certified Organic and Vegan Non-GMO (14 Servings, 1 Bag)

[@IzzysTravelDiaries]

Tried one 10+ years ago. Was supposed to help with weight loss. The only thing it did was make me hate mornings, it was so foul.

[@JustinaErcole]

Ooooof no!

[@milenaw5890]

I literally got an AG1 ad on this video 😭😂

[@JustinaErcole]

LOL. NOOOOO

[@FrugallyGorgeous]

😂 I agree 100% and could not have laughed harder after the video when my ads where AG1 and kachava omg. Too funny.

[@JustinaErcole]

oh noooooooo

[@subtleworkings1164]

Yuuuup. I literally got a Bloom ad immediately after, and can't begin to count the number of times I get that freaking Kachava ad on a Justina video....

[@danabee3775]

I was super ticked to get some of those but after some research since the price of these products is not exactly in my price range, I am sticking to my time and energy demanding preparing these mixes myself. I do not like that proprietary blend where you have zero information of how much of what. RED FLAG

[@xkristixx]

I shit you not, before this video played, I got an ad for AG1. 😂

[@JustinaErcole]

Hahahahahah noooooo

[@Phoenix11720]

Had an AG1 ad for this video lol

[@corncorner]

I'm one of those people that don't have time, insane schedule. So I need to supplement. Which greens powders do you think are high quality enough?

[@JustinaErcole]

Legion is probably the best IMO, mostly bc they don’t use proprietary blends.

[@corncorner]

@@JustinaErcole thank you!

[@nickankers4258]

@@JustinaErcoledo u have one u recommend that I can buy in the Uk that’s good ?

[@chikara2392]

to be honest as a european is since covid I'm hearing about AG and thought it was crazy, but then seeing the price and media coverage by sponsorship even by professionals (like Huberman) I though I was the mad one. If you want to pay 100$ to not eat your broccoli not gonna complain

[@JustinaErcole]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@anniemal8030]

I looked into ag1 once and saw how high the % of vitamins were, including fat soluble vitamins… taking that every day gives you way to much very quickly. You would get negative effects rather quick if you take over 200% of vitamins every single day… I’ll stick to actual veggies thank you

[@bbl_m4951]

I’m not surprised because they do the same with skin care. Brands do this all the time and though it’s wrong, they literally can’t get in trouble for it unless their sued

[@ahayden6677]

My first ad was for athletic greens😂

[@JustinaErcole]

Bahahahahha

[@DoritoWorldOrder]

I don't think you can scroll on KZbin any more without seeing some strategically placed ad reads for Skillshare at the front of the video...

[@JustinaErcole]

Hahahahha touché

[@PieOnPot]

Well said.