How To Choose The Best Greens Powder For Your Body—And The Planet

There's never been a better time to stock up on a nutrient-laden greens powder: It's a great way to load up on the nutrient goodness of veggies, and support your immune system with extra antioxidants, probiotics, and ingredients that encourage digestion and detoxification.*

But shopping for a new supplement, especially one like a greens powder, can be overwhelming because there are so many kinds, with lots of variation in the formulas and ingredients. Not to mention, it's important to know that not all greens powders are as good for the environment as others.

While you may already be sure to shop organic in the produce section, it's important not to neglect that practice when it comes to picking a greens powder. "It's really a shame, but the way we grow crops these days is a disaster," said Rountree.

"The ones that seem to be the biggest deal these days are the organophosphates, which are just a kind of pesticide," explained Rountree. "It has been shown that if you put kids on an organic vegetable diet1 and you measure organophosphates in their urine, within three days, the levels dropped by something like 90%."

While "greens" may bring to mind images of leafy greens like kale, there's another type of veggie you should be thinking about for your greens powder. Sea veggies like chlorella, kelp and nori have their own set of benefits that can enhance any diet, even one that's already packing in the land vegetables.*

"They're very high in nutrients," said Rountree. "They have a particular type of polysaccharide in them that actually binds to heavy metals and toxins." We are inundated with these toxic chemical compounds called organochlorines, Rountree explained. Our bodies are doing their best to get rid of them and the sea veggies help bind to these chemicals, which in turn helps our body eliminate them.* Nori, a type of seaweed, has been shown to bind to dioxin2, an organochlorine.

After you've checked for sea veggies in the blend and the organic label on the bottle, what else should we be searching for in our greens powders? Rountree had a few gut-healthy suggestions.

"I want to see some digestive enzymes to help me break down my food,"* Rountree said of shopping for an effective option. "I also want to see some pre- and probiotics."