Does Athletic Greens Help You Lose Weight?

Powdered greens are becoming more and more popular and can be found everywhere, from the grocery store to online retailers.

They are a convenient and easy way for people to boost their nutrient intake, and most claim to be loaded with antioxidants and minerals to support better health.

But are they supposed to be used for weight loss?

Athletic Greens does not help you lose weight. It is not marketed as a meal replacement, and you’ll not lose weight just by incorporating it into your diet.

However, an adequate daily intake of nutrient-dense foods, like powdered greens, helps maintain weight when combined with a healthy lifestyle.

This article will explore how powdered greens can help with daily health goals and how they should be incorporated for maximum effect.

Athletic Greens, Dieting & Weight Loss?

A 2020 study of more than 20,000 people found that the majority of diets, including popular weight loss programs such as Atkins, will result in moderate weight loss after six months.

However, in almost all of the cases, weight loss significantly diminished at 12 months.

It has been proven that 30%-60% of fad dieters will regain any weight lost once they return to a conventional routine.

This is due to the restrictive nature of diets and how our bodies react to being deprived of certain foods.

Instead, it is far easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eating everything in moderation and incorporating more exercise into your daily routine.

Although there is little scientific proof behind a particular food boosting your metabolism, some changes can be made within your diet to potentially aid in weight loss.

This will include, for example, replacing fast food and sugary drinks with whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Some noticeable foods that have been proven to foster a healthier lifestyle—when incorporated into an overall healthy eating regime—include:

• Berries: They are high in fiber and antioxidants.
• Dark, leafy greens: They are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, along with calcium and fiber.
• Cruciferous vegetables: Cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, kale, and spinach are all high in various vitamins and fiber.

Per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, people should be seeking out nutrient-dense foods and drinks, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables.

The study also suggests the following when considering weight loss:

• Reduce the intake of added sugars, such as those found in carbonated drinks.
• Make healthy changes in your diet along with an increase in physical activity.
• Commit to long-term lifestyle changes rather than short-term solutions.

Two diets that have been proven effective are the Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets. Both of these include an emphasis on eating plant-based foods and healthy fats.

The critical factor in both of these approaches is that the primary source of daily calories must come from fruits and vegetables.

With that in mind, though Athletic Greens has not been proven to help you lose weight, incorporating it into your life may improve your overall health.

Given the high number of fruits and vegetables in each daily serving, consuming Athletic Greens might lead to weight loss when properly combined with a healthy and active lifestyle.

Is Athletic Greens Worth the Money?

Athletic Greens is one of the pricier green powders on the market. You can save by ordering via a subscription, and each pouch has a 30-day supply.

Let’s take a look at how it measures up to similar brands:

As you can see, Athletic Greens has a higher overall price and has fewer servings per pouch. However, the ingredient list is twice that of the others, providing double the nutrients per serving. Athletic Greens clearly states every ingredient used, and it is easy to check any that may be unfamiliar.

In general, their goal is not to replace meals but to help users take in their nutrients as efficiently as possible.

They make it clear in their nutrition label just how effective their formula is.

For example, with one serving of Athletic Greens, you will get 700% of your daily vitamin C intake.

Though Macro Greens provides 790% of your daily vitamin C intake, they only supply 50% of B12. Athletic Greens offers up to 367% of B12 in a single serving.

Athletic Greens is also NSF Certified. This means it has been subjected to rigorous testing to verify every ingredient on the list. It is also registered as Certified for Sport, which means it has been approved for use by top athletes. In order to gain this certification:

• The product must contain none of the 270+ banned substances identified by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
• The product must undergo annual lab testing.
• The product must contain zero unsafe contaminants.
• The manufacturing facility must undergo a yearly audit to ensure the quality and safety of the product and manufacturing process.

Per their website, the NSF Certified for Sport testing

“is the only independent third-party certification program recognized by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and the Canadian Football League.”

Their rigorous testing involves Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) registration, which includes examining the manufacturing facilities from their quality control measures and maintenance to their training and qualification programs.

The product itself is then tested, and the labeling is checked to ensure it is accurate and truthful. Within this process, the product is also examined for any contaminants that may be present, including pesticides.

Though Athletic Greens is more expensive, there is no denying that it has more to offer in a single serving. If money is not a concern, going for the more costly but more extensive option is a good idea.

That being said, adding any of these to your daily routine will help to promote better health.

What Nutrients Am I Missing in Athletic Greens?

Athletic Greens boasts several health benefits, including but not limited to:

• Higher energy levels
• Better immune system
• Improved gut health and digestion
• Keeps blood sugar in a normal range
• Supports proper liver function

It is suitable for vegans, lactose-free, gluten-free, paleo, and keto dieters, and contains no pesticides, herbicides, artificial colorings or sweeteners, or preservatives.

However, although it contains a significant number of nutrients and minerals, Athletic Greens does not claim to be a protein drink or supplement.

It does include pea protein, which consists of all nine essential amino acids, but the amount per serving is just 4% of your daily recommended intake.

For those looking to grow muscle by increasing their protein intake, this may not be the best choice.

What To Add to Athletic Greens

Per their website, Athletic Greens is best when mixed with cold water, but it can also be added to smoothies and combined with juice or milk.

Athletic Greens is intended to be part of a healthy eating routine and should be incorporated into your daily diet in addition to an adequate caloric intake.

Since it is not designed to be used as a meal replacement, it is best to mix it with protein powder to ensure you are getting enough calories from the drink.

Which Is Best: Athletic Greens or Total Greens?

MONAT Total Greens offers a superfood boost that they claim will support digestion, better immune health, and promote healthier-looking skin.

One of their most significant differences to Athletic Greens is that it is not gluten-free and boasts 4 grams (0.14 oz) of dietary oat fiber in each serving to aid in digestion compared to 2 grams (0.07 oz) per serving of Athletic Greens.

If you are looking for a daily superfood boost that is designed to aid in better health and fruit and vegetable intake, Total Greens is an excellent option.

It contains a blend of 37 fruits and vegetables, including goji, matcha green tea, papaya, and carrot, and can easily be added to smoothies or protein shakes.

However, it does not include the same level of nutrient and mineral intake as Athletic Greens.

For a more well-rounded, complete package, Athletic Greens is the better choice.

Final Thoughts

Athletic Greens is an excellent addition to your daily routine. It will provide a boost of nutrients and minerals that you may be lacking, and a single serving per day is enough to foster a healthier system.

Although it is designed to promote better health, it is not designed with weight loss in mind.

It can be mixed with meal replacement shakes to make a more well-rounded meal, but it is not explicitly designed for that. Instead, it should be consumed along with a healthy daily diet.