Will ‘Superfood Powders’ Actually Make You Healthier?

You’ve probably noticed ads for these “superfood powders” scattered across social media or on your favorite podcast.

athletic greens, Daily Greens, super vegetables – just mix one scoop of these multivitamin powders in a glass of water or a shake, their marketing usually says, and you’ll get all the vitamins and minerals you need for the day, as well as added health benefits like a stronger immune system, less stress, better digestion, and more energy.

These “vegetable powders,” or “superfood powders,” as they’re sometimes called, usually contain a medley of vitamins and minerals, as well as other trendy ingredients like probiotics, ground kale, chia seeds, and ashwagandha.

But are they really a shortcut to better health?

“They’re so enticing,” says Dr. Marion Nestle, professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University. “You think, ‘Oh, this will be so easy.'”

But as with most things nutrition-related, you probably need more than a scoop of powder to improve your overall well-being, she said.

What’s in it?

The ingredient lists on websites and packaging for the powders can read like a word salad of wellness buzzwords.

You’ll usually find the usual array of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins E and C (which are antioxidants), biotin (or vitamin B7, which helps you metabolize food), and vitamin B12 (which is essential for blood and nerve cell health).

Many “superfood powders” also contain vegetable protein (such as pea protein or brown rice protein powder); ground vegetables and fruits such as broccoli, spinach and kale; and supplemental probiotics (gut-friendly microbes) and prebiotics (which act as food for the probiotics).

You can also find a cluster of plant compounds — including ashwagandha, reishi, ginseng, and rhodiola, which are called adaptogens and purported to help with a range of ailments, including stress relief and energy production — and dandelion root, rosehip, and milk thistle seed extract.

“This is like throwing the sink in a powder,” says Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School who studies supplements.

Will these powders make me healthier?

If you’re already eating a fairly balanced diet and aren’t deficient in vitamins or minerals, you probably don’t need to take multivitamin supplements like these, the experts said.

“Superfood powders” often contain far more than the daily recommended amounts of many vitamins and minerals – for example, a serving of AG1, the powder made by Athletic Greens, provides more than 550 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin E, and 1,100 percent of the daily recommended amount of biotin.

For the most part, your body can handle these excess nutrients, said Dr. Gerard Mullin, an associate professor of gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Your kidneys will break down and dispose of most of them, he said. But certain vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K, can cause harmful effects if taken in high enough levels, he added — although this is rare.

As for supplemental probiotics, there’s no clear evidence that already healthy people will get healthier by taking them regularly, said Dr. nestle. And prebiotic supplements can encourage regular bowel movements and promote gut health, she added, but likewise, the science about their necessity is far from established for most people.

Many adaptogens such as ashwagandha and ginseng have been used in Eastern medicine for centuries, in part for their supposed stress-relieving properties. But high-quality evidence on whether they can do things like stabilize your mood or relieve anxiety is lacking, said Dr. Cohen.

“There haven’t been any clinical trials showing how effective they are, just infomercials,” added Dr. Mullin to it.

Representatives for Athletic Greens and Huel (which makes the Daily Greens blend) said that while some scientific studies have found links between the individual ingredients in their products and certain health benefits, no rigorous, independent studies have evaluated the health benefits of the products themselves.

When manufacturers grind vegetables like broccoli or spinach into supplements or powders, some vitamins and other beneficial components are lost in the process, said Dr. Nestle, including some of their fiber, which is essential for regulating digestion and keeping your gut healthy. .

You can get better nutrients by eating whole, unprocessed foods straight, said Dr. Mullin.

And many of these powders can come with a hefty price tag — a 30-serving supply of Athletic Greens starts at $79, while Huel’s Daily Greens version costs $45, and Enso Superfoods’ Supergreens powder costs $59.99.

“Why don’t you just eat some spinach?” said Dr. Nestle. “I do not fully understand it.”

it comes down to

As with all supplements, the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these green powders for safety or efficacy, so you can’t be sure that what’s on the label is in the package.

When purchasing supplements, it is important to look for seals from trusted third-party certification programs such as the American Pharmacopoeia or NSFon their labels, said Dr. Cohen, which ensures the quality of the ingredient.

Experts say these powders probably don’t pose much of a risk to the average person, but they may not do much good either.

“If you want to take them, take them,” said Dr. nestle. “But it doesn’t solve the nutritional problems.”