If you’re on social media, chances are you’ve come across trendy green supplements, such as Bloom Nutrition. But they’ve actually been around for a bit longer than just a few years. Popular AG1, a nutritional green powder, for example, was first launched in 2010 and now has a handful of competitors dying to be the ultimate drinkable solution to help boost health. AG1 knows the competition is fierce, which is exactly why they just dropped a new formula—Next Gen—that’s looking to impress consumers with added probiotics for gut health benefits, vitamins for immunity, and supposedly improved flavors (there have been complaints in the past).
As a fitness editor and wellness junkie who eats fruits and vegetables weekly (i.e. whole foods and not just ultra processed foods), I admit I’m most likely still lacking select vitamins and minerals (thank God for my multivitamin). I’m not a huge fan of green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, and prefer to eat fruit overall. Unless I’m eating my usual salad for lunch, I’m unlikely to go out of my way to ingest all the colors of the rainbow—bad, I know. But, after recovering from a running-related injury, I made a pact with myself to clean up my diet and to start taking my nutrition seriously to help aid with recovery. Since eating my greens feels like a chore, I figured maybe sipping them could be more enjoyable.
AG1 Next Gen
Pros
Comprehensive, all-in-one formula to support immune, brain, gut, and overall healthNSF Certified for Sport, a reputable certification for quality, purity, and safetyConvenient travel packs for easy, on-the-go nutritionCons
Uses proprietary blends, so exact ingredient amounts aren’t disclosedThe pouch—not the travel packs—needs refrigeration after opening, which may not be convenient for someHigher price point than many other green productsFeatures at a GlanceIngredientsActive Superfood and Prebiotic Complex, Daily Phytonutrient Complex, Dairy-Free Probiotic Blend, natural flavors, citric acid, stevia leaf extract, silica, soyFormPowderDose1 ½ tbspThird-Party TestingYesPrice Per Serving$3.30
Green supplements are a concentrated blend of vegetables, fruits, and other nutrient-dense ingredients often in the form of powder. They’re designed to help fill nutritional gaps—not to replace whole foods. I admittedly don’t take many supplements aside from a multivitamin and protein powder, but after colleagues raved about AG1 Next Gen, I was game to try it.
What’s In AG1 Next Gen?
AG1 Next Gen is formulated with a blend of greens (spirulina, chlorella, broccoli, alfalfa, wheatgrass), vitamins and minerals, mushrooms (reishi and shiitake), and probiotics. Compared to the older edition, this formula added five probiotic strains to help boost gut health, has higher levels of select vitamins and minerals, including B12 and folate, and a sweeter flavor profile. It markets that it helps support energy, immunity, focus, and digestion, but it’s important to be wary of its actual effects.
“It can help supplement them to a point, but not by very much,” says Abby Langer, RD, and a Men’s Health Nutrition Advisory Board member. “Whole foods contain fiber as well as compounds that humans haven’t replicated yet—they’re also far more satiating.” While scientific research on green powders is minimal because they’re still relatively new, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth taking for a small boost. Just don’t expect mind-blowing results.
Read more: Best Greens Supplements
My Experience: It’s not my favorite, but I appreciate its nutritional profile.
To be completely transparent, the thought of drinking green powder mixed into water didn’t sound appetizing. And I was right, it’s not. But as I said, I’m on my wellness journey and need my greens. For 30 days, every morning—both fasted and with breakfast—I forced down a 13-gram scoop mixed into some form of liquid. While the immediate notes that hit my tongue were close to a spinach-pineapple flavor, the aftertaste is oddly sweet. I think the formula is overdone with the stevia. There’s barely one gram of sugar, so I think the taste could’ve benefited from more natural sweetness from fruit.
For a week, I shook a serving into 10 ounces of cold water using the included water bottle (a nice touch), but I needed another way to drink it for the next three weeks. Instead of water, I made a morning mocktail using orange juice. I’m not a mixologist, but I must say the OJ has made the experience a lot more enjoyable. Since my experience, there are now three other flavors available besides the OG—citrus, berry, and tropical—so perhaps I’d enjoy those more.
I did feel less bloated after about two weeks. I don’t have the best digestion and can’t pinpoint any pain or puffiness I felt after eating this past month, which is rare. It could be because of a select food I didn’t eat much of or the 10 billion CFU probiotic blend (Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum) formulated into the powder—it’s hard to say. And yes, a shelf-stable powdered probiotic can be effective for gut health, “if they’re made to withstand the acidic environment of the stomach,” according to Langer. It’s also worth noting that if you have a sensitive stomach, you should drink this with food. I found the formula to upset my stomach when I didn’t eat first.
AG1 also boasts its superpowers for immune health with 420 mg of vitamin C per serving and other hefty doses of essential vitamins. I didn’t catch a cold at all during this experiment, but I can’t pin that on this product since I don’t get them frequently. But I guess you could say I mentally felt healthier, given I was drinking this every day.
Nutritional profile: It’s packed with beneficial antioxidants, but select ingredient amounts are a mystery.
Many ingredients make up AG1 Next Gen—83 to be exact. But not all have the same importance. In Sydney Lappe’s, RDN, WH best greens supplements guide, she highlighted its “choline for nervous system health, cocoa powder for antioxidant support, and boron, which helps your body use calcium and magnesium better”, while also taking note of the “more bioavailable forms of key nutrients like B vitamins and magnesium malate”. Other additional vitamins and minerals worth pointing out are vitamins A, C, folate, zinc, and iron. While its nutritional profile looks jam-packed, Langer is wary about its effectiveness and thinks its benefits are overhyped. “It has antioxidants, but it’s not going to make anyone significantly healthier or replace fruits and vegetables,” she says.
Specific amounts of vitamins and minerals are disclosed in the nutrition label, but blends such as the daily phytonutrient complex and probiotics only list the amount as a whole. This is considered a con, since overdosing on a specific nutrient can cause negative effects, especially if a medication you’re taking interferes. If that’s important to you, this may not be the best option. On the bright side, it’s NSF Certified for Sport, meaning it’s third-party tested for banned substances like stimulants.
As with all supplements, it’s best to consult your doctor first if you’re uneasy or if you have any pre-existing conditions. Lappe noted pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid adaptogens since they can be harmful, while high doses of vitamin K can potentially interfere with select medications or blood thinners. “If you have a clotting disorder, I’d stay away from any green drinks,” adds Langer.
Final Verdict: It’s a good addition to a whole foods diet, but I wouldn’t drink it every day.
I think AG1 Next Gen can be a helpful supplement if you’re looking for a nutritious drink to complement your diet, but it’s not something I’d constantly reach for (given the taste and that whole foods are the better option). With that, here are some pros and cons for deciding for yourself:
Pros: It’s an easy way to get additional vitamins and minerals, it’s NSF Certified for Sport, and it integrates probiotics into the formula.
Cons: The taste isn’t my favorite, the proprietary blends are not transparent about exact ingredient amounts, and it may cause digestive discomfort.
AG1 Next Gen
ProsComprehensive, all-in-one formula to support immune, brain, gut, and overall healthNSF Certified for Sport, a reputable certification for quality, purity, and safetyConvenient travel packs for easy, on-the-go nutritionConsUses proprietary blends, so exact ingredient amounts aren’t disclosedThe pouch—not the travel packs—needs refrigeration after opening, which may not be convenient for someHigher price point than many other green productsFeatures at a GlanceIngredientsActive Superfood and Prebiotic Complex, Daily Phytonutrient Complex, Dairy-Free Probiotic Blend, natural flavors, citric acid, stevia leaf extract, silica, soyFormPowderDose1 ½ tbspThird-Party TestingYesPrice Per Serving$3.30
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Nicolette Accardi is the Fitness Commerce Editor at Women’s Health with a specialty in running content and athleisure. She likes to chase her next best time by testing out shoes and other running gear, and styling her athleisureure as streetwear. She’s also a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Nicolette studied journalism and health sociology at Rutgers University. She has written for NJ.com, VICE, Rolling Stone, NBC News Select, and U.S. News & World Report.