The other day I came across Balance of Nature Fruits and Veggies on the same day I was watching a movie with my eldest kid. The movie involved a futuristic version of society, in which the characters no longer needed to eat.
Instead, they got all the nutrition they needed from pills. “But won’t they be hungry?” she wisely pitched in. I can only imagine, I told her, that they also take a pill to make them feel full.
It can’t just be me who feels that this is exactly where, as a society, we are heading? Supplement makers are and have been for a while, selling to customers the idea of something as easy as a pill that will cut out all of the ‘hassle’ of eating whole foods and deriving nature’s bountiful health benefits.
This is why I think it’s really important, before parting with your hard-earned dollars, to do some research into what it really is that you receive in return. So here is my Balance of Nature review in full.
I tried over 77 brands: check out my round-up of the best powdered greens!).
What is Balance of Nature?
It’s not just standard vitamin pills anymore. In searching for this new wave of fruit and veggies superfood powders I’ve stumbled across a product called Balance of Nature, which comprises two forms of capsules of fruits and veggies powders.
The claim – which is by no means a new one – is that they are doing what all the others do only somehow better. The makers say that they don’t use heat to dehydrate their fruits and veggies, therefore retaining more of the ‘goodness’ and nutrition of the product. This is very intriguing and I’d like to know more.
Claiming to be ‘serious nutrition’ I’d like to know how Balance of Nature can deliver on the promises they make, so here’s my full Balance of Nature review.
Background on Balance of Nature
In 1996, Dr. Douglas Howard developed a form of dehydration called ‘flash drying’ which, it is claimed, retains 99% of the nutrients within fresh produce when reduced to a powdered form.
It is proposed that the whole process – which is done in low levels of heat, light, and air – purposefully limits the amount of oxidation from the produce and therefore all the goodness goes directly to you when you consume the powder.
Balance of Nature capsules come in fruit and veggie varieties, and the idea is that you take three a day, one alongside each meal, as a supplement to enable you to derive fruit and vegetable nutrition but without the hassle of preparing whole foods to eat.
But what about the fiber, I ask myself…
Their fiber products (Fiber & Spice) neatly package precisely the fiber you are missing out on by taking powdered fruits and vegetables.
The ‘whole health system’ (taking the fruit, veggie, and fiber all together) says it will simplify your life. Everything that your doctor or nutritionist says you should be getting more of, in terms of whole foods, you can buy from Balance of Nature and take in capsule (and powder) form. How neat!
How modern!
But how is this any different from the other green superfoods competition?
Not only do they set out to help you to eat more healthily, but Balance of Nature also offers a Health Coaching service that keeps you accountable for your health and fitness lifestyle choices, another aspect of the company which gives “added value” to the products.
Balance of Nature Ingredients
The fruit capsules contain a blend of the following ingredients:
The veggies capsules contain a blend of the following ingredients:
Now, rather than go into great detail about the health benefits of each individual fruit and vegetable, I’m going to talk about how the makers of this product have pitched the benefits to customers, and what my take is on this.
Firstly, they don’t give any amounts for their nutritional information. That means that how much of each ingredient is included in their blend is actually hidden from the customer.
This is disappointing. I’d like to know if I’m getting a full portion of cranberries in this blend, to say nothing of the amount of kale in the veggie blend.
It’s also a shame that so much of the information about this product is hidden inside their FAQ page of the website. There is very little up-front which tries to inform the customer about their preparation methods and the added value they claim to be giving customers.
What Balance of Nature says is that ‘how’ they have prepared the ingredients in the blend is as important as what actually goes into it. But my main concern is that this whole product line is actually missing the added benefits of eating whole foods.
As opposed to encouraging people to explore a diverse range of fresh foods in their diet, and thereby benefiting from the phytonutrients from each individual fruit or vegetable directly by eating them, we are being convinced to pay someone for their efforts in preparing these foods for us.
It seems slightly absurd. Especially when fruits and vegetables are so delicious!
How Does Balance of Nature Taste?
Because the formulation is enclosed in a capsule there is unlikely to be any discernible taste.
Side Effects
I would say that apart from the lack of fiber in the fruit and vegetable capsules there is unlikely to be a side effect to taking these capsules.
The only side effect I can foresee is if it actively prevents you from eating as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you ordinarily would, in which case you should increase your fiber intake.
Does Balance of Nature Actually Work?
The suggested serving size is 3 of each capsule; three fruits, and three veggies, so that means you are supposed to take six capsules per day. Now I am personally not keen on this. I don’t like (or even want to be) taking capsules at the best of times, so six per day is a stretch for me.
Each serving is a tiny 2.4grams.
What is included is a proprietary blend, so in not declaring exactly how much of each ingredient is included in the blend, the makers are also not able to really tell us what it can do.
This is my bottom line on all blends. They are not being transparent about the powerful ingredients they have included, and therefore I can’t be sure whether I’m really getting enough of each individual ingredient, apart from going on what the manufacturers have told me.
We are told that when we take Balance of Nature capsules we derive all the nutrition from 10 servings of a salad containing 31 ingredients. The equivalent – we are told – of eating a large fruit salad and a large vegetable salad. We are further told why this ‘nutritional equivalence’ is not a trick.
We are informed, in quite frankly a bizarre tangent from actual nutritional science, that this is a matter of “Total Surface Area” and that the nutrition of each food is enhanced by the process of powdering it.
I assume this to be more than a little misleading.
What you miss out on by taking only a supplement in place of fruit and vegetables includes more than just micronutrition (vitamins and minerals). Dietitians are often asked whether vegetable powders are as good as eating the real thing.
There is limited research into these products and therefore most ‘scientific’ findings are conveniently made by the manufacturers themselves. I don’t find this at all convincing.
I’ll say it again because it bears repeating, these proprietary blends just don’t cut it for me in terms of transparency and really knowing what’s inside the capsule.
Balance of Nature Reviews
The four customer reviews I found on Amazon range from one to five stars:
great products5 star
waste of time and money1 star
Money Back Guarantee / Returns Policy
You get a 30-day money-back guarantee as a Preferred Customer (see below for an explanation of the buying options).
Where to Buy Balance of Nature
You can buy Balance of Nature online on their website or on Amazon.
Is It Worth the Price?
At three capsules per day, 30 capsules are only going to last you ten days. This represents pretty poor value for money. But don’t forget, what you are buying is not just the product, you are also paying for a personal health coach to keep you on track with your goals. So, in pitching this as an added value, the makers of this simple powder-in-capsule-form have sold you something so much more valuable than just the health benefits of what is inside the pills.
You can buy as a Preferred Customer or as a Retail Customer. The price quoted online is currently $69.95 as a Preferred Customer. This gets you 90 capsules of each fruit and veggie type – a 30-day supply.
For $2.33 per day, this isn’t cheap as an alternative to eating fresh fruit and veggies, but as I said above it depends on what you are replacing the whole foods in your diet.
Pills like this shouldn’t be a meal replacement as they don’t represent the full nutritional scope of a varied diet. This is why if I am looking to supplement my diet with greens I prefer consuming powders over capsules – you simply get much more of the dosages of the ingredients you need.
Balance of Nature Verdict
I’m still wary of the concept of completely replacing whole foods with powders or capsules, although I definitely believe in the power of supplements to fulfill a nutritional need where the basics are not being met.
I don’t agree that you need to pay someone to dehydrate all your fruits and veggies, but I do think that supplementation can add powerful nutrients that may be missing from an otherwise healthy diet.
For me, these pills would only be a short stop-gap if my nutrition was under par and I was struggling to get any fresh fruits or veggies in my diet, but I’ll keep looking for a premium product that provides more bang for my buck.
LifeHacker Guy Greens Recommendation
Some Call This An "Extreme" Step...
Most super greens supplements are disappointing.
I learned this the hard way. After creating this blog in 2018, I spent months buying and testing all the most popular brands.
I wasn’t happy with the results so I did something you might call "extreme"....
In 2019 I created my own brand that ticks every single box of what I look for in a super greens product:
- No hidden ingredient amounts - we have full disclosure labelling, so you know EXACTLY whats inside
- Ingredient amounts that make a difference - we include the minimum effective amounts supported by research, and most of the time, MORE
- Ingredients that help immunity, boost mental clarity and shake off brain fog - making for a much more productive and happy lifestyle
No more worrying about ineffective ingredients or too low dosages. I finally have a product I KNOW does the job it’s made to do.
I use it every day and, after years of battling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), I now have my energy (and my life!) back.
The good news? I made my brand available to the public so you can see and feel the difference for yourself.
I am trying to discontinue my order, I can not find any place to do this on this internet browser.
E.C. Contos
[personal details removed]
Hey EC,
We are not affiliated with the company and you would need to contact their support team to ensure your order is discontinued.
Adam
Thank you for your insight and providing a platform for others to share their views and experience. It seemed to me that 6 tiny capsules a day could never equate to the amount of nutrition Balance of Nature implies their products supply. Without explicit display of actual nutritional value, their claims have to be taken with a grain of salt.
I laugh every time I see the commercial and someone claims these capsules give them the “energy” they need to get through the day. Energy from powdered fruits and vegetables? I don’t think so! Show me the kcal of “energy” in these pills. I’ll agree that folks that don’t normally eat fresh fruits and vegetables may feel better, but providing energy? Someone should call them on this lie.
If you haven’t tried them, you can’t call it a lie. As a subscriber and user of Balance of Nature, they actually DO provide you with energy and a healthier lifestyle. I used to drink 1-2 energy drinks a day—I now drink none. That is worth the money for me right there. However, there’s more: one bottle contains 90 PILLS, which is a 30 day supply, not 30 pills for a 10 day supply. Finally, as someone who has actually taken these pills, there IS a discernible taste—it’s not great, but most of that comes from the greens and not the fruits.
I found this article to be strictly opinion based on someone who hasn’t actually tried the product, but instead was trying to convince readers to buy their sponsored product instead.
Thanks Don for your reply.
So if BoN works for you then please carry on and enjoy it.
I have years of experience in nutrition and the supplement field and so I can evaluate a product on the information provided by a manufacturer. Will this be absolutely 100% the case every time, of course not!
That said, I evaluate products by looking at the research.
The effectiveness of supplements is straightforward; ingredients and their dosages.
If you can provide an argument based on these two points then it would be much more persuasive.
Adam
Don H.
Would love for you to come back and address the issues regarding the specific product, the Fruits and Vegetable capsules.
Here is your problem, unless you refuse to address the facts listed on the labels and statments by Dr. Howard, the founder of the company.
The 3 fruit capsules weigh 2 grams (2,000mg).
The 3 veggie capsules weigh 2 grams (2,000mg)
That is a total daily dose of 4 grams (4,000mg)
The founder of the company tells us in hour long infomercials on radio, that they get that 4 grams of powder AFTER removing the “90%” water weight from the fresh produce.
Now do the math, according to Dr. Howard’s own figures.
If the 4 grams represents the 10% powder, then simple math indicates they only started with 40 grams of fresh fruit and vegetables. 40 grams fresh total prior to their stated dehydration process (dehydration is the removal of water).
40 grams fresh produce is only 1.7 ounces.
Let me repeat that….”40 grams is only 1.7 ounces”
The problem is that the company repeatedly says the daily dose, the six capsules, gives the user “10 servings of fruits and vegetables” OR sometimes they say “all your daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables”
Again, that is what Dr. Howard, the founder says.
So Dr. Howard himself is telling us that 1.7 ounces of fresh produce is equal to 10 servings of fruits and vegetabes.
NOW… Don H. do you realize how little 1.7 ounces (40 grams) is equal to.
A single medium apple is 5 ounces (140 grams)
A single serving of fresh broccoli is 80 grams.
Don H. —- read the following from the Balance of Nature web site…. a exact quote.,
“Ten servings of fruit for you could look like 10 medium-sized apples, 10 small oranges, 20 medium carrots, or 50 strawberries!”
Now Don, look at what you get… powder weighing 4 grams, derived according to Dr. Howard, from only 40 grams of fresh produce…. 40 grams, equaling only 1.7 ounces..
Whereas a single medium apple is 5 ounces.,..
Whereas the Balance of Nature website says their claimed “ten servings” is equal to “10 medium-sized apples”….
Don H.
Following the above math, supplied by Dr. Howard and the Balance of Nature web site, means, they are telling us that 10 medium sized apples weigh a combined total of 1.7 ounces.
Don H. Do you believe that the six capsules, the daily dose, give you the equivalent of 10 medium sized apples?
Because that is what Dr. Howard, the founder of Balance of Nature is telling us.
Don H., seriously, come back here and explain how the above math works… with YOU using the figures on the labels, and YOU doing the math.
Why is it that none of the promoters and advocates of Balance of Nature can ever explain the math problem.
Call the company, ask the reps or “health coaches” to explain the math, using the figures on the labels.
NO ONE will explain how the claims of “all your daily recommened servings of fruits and vegetables” makes any sense.
Unless you count sincere placebo responses as actual science. “Feels good, so it must be real”…
Who cares what it really is if it convinces my mind?
We await your response Don H.
$70 to $100 a month for what?
I found the “warning letter” from the FDA to Balance of Nature, which addresses this issue, I believe, along with a multitude of other issues which appears to be putting BON into a very dangerous position with the FDA. If you read the whole letter (which appears as a link on one of the “older” letters below), you will find it shocking. And I bet you will never, ever order this product. I know I won’t.
Agree- I have also started using it and I find it helps me feel more alert and less fatigued- I am an overall healthy person who eats a healthy diet – but as I’m getting older I felt I needed a boost and for me it’s been effective
I’m sorry Don, but your comment about taste doesn’t work with a capsule, unless you have taste buds in your stomach.
A lot of the comments here are valid and suspicion towards any online product or any product is warranted. What Balance of Nature seems to do is capitalize on something called photonutrition. A concept that has been well studied since the 1980’s. There are few disputes about the product being simply fruits and vegetables. The advertising I’ve seen doesn’t suggest discontinuing your usual intake of fruits and vegetables.
For me, I’ve been using for a year and have had one cold when I usually get 5 or more per year (I have 4 kids). Yes, this is probably expensive for a lot of people but for me, when I don’t eat properly knowing that the nutrition I should get can be gotten it was foolish for me not to try.
Having worked in the federal government, the FDA temper tantrum about this product I place in context in light of what they say about actual synthetic medicines like COVID “vaccines.”
This is a natural alternative for improving and strengthening the immune system. And that’s what the USDA says about eating fruits and vegetables in the food pyramid. I agree we should eat more fruits and vegetables but it’s tough to get that many. The logic behind the capsules appears sound and I’ll continue to use it.
Mike, I think you mean “phytonutrition” not “photonutrition”.
Yes, you can continue to take these expensive capsules, but it would seem you’ve never done the math to see how super tiny the amount of produce was used to get the 4 grams that come with the combined 6 capsules.
Perhaps it would help to look at it from the labels on the bottles.
But first you must know ( or look up) that when fruit and vegetables are dehydrated (freeze dried) and turned into a powder, that NO CALORIES ARE REMOVED.
That is the key point as you look at the labels. (look that up)
3 fruit capsules combined have a total of 10 calories.
3 vegetable capsules have a combine total of only 5 calories.
Says so right on the label.
So Mike, in the daily dose of 6 capsules you only get a total of 15 calories.
How much fruit or veggies does it take to end up with 15 calories.
Shockingly little!
A single medium apple has 95 calories.
A single average carrot has 25 calories.
So, 10 fruit calories doesn’t even equal 1/9 th of a apple.
So, 5 vegetable calories only equals 1/5 th of a carrot.
That, when you examine it, proves that Balance of Nature only starts with a fraction of a single serving even when you take 6 capsules a day.
Mike, the numbers don’t lie. But Balance of Nature does make huge false claims.. such as the following.
“6 capsules gives you 10 servings of fruits and vegetables”
and
“6 capsules gives you ALL your daily servings of fruits and vegetables”
Lies… flat out lies.
The totals 6 capsules combined, don’t even give you one single serving of produce.
You, Mike, are being fleeced.
There are NO MAGICAL properties that turn less than one serving into ten servings.
Only massive advertising makes people believe such falsehoods.
Please do the math, then come back and tell us your results of such calculations.
REMEMBER. Dehydration, (in all its forms and terms, freeze drying, etc) Does NOT remove calories.
Yet the combined daily dose of 6 capsules ONLY gives you 15 calories.
Do the math… stop being fooled by the disinformation.
Great analysis Timbo. If anyone experiences noticeable benefit from the BON’s minuscule nutrient content it is likely due to the “placebo effect.”
And this is why they advertise this product on FoxNews continuously, because of the gullibility of viewers. Btw, this scam product is run by Church of Scientology. So there’s that too.
I would like to see a % of each fruit and veggie in each pill. My understanding is you use more soy than anything.
Has anyone ever looked into the manufacturing process of the capsule itself without the fruits and veggies? Where is it manufactured and what is in that plastic crap ? or whatever it is we’re swallowing
Hmmmmmmm!!!
They advertise it as “just like eating real fruits and vegetables,” so my question is why not just eat real fruits and vegetables? Cut out the middle man who is ripping you off for some small amount of freeze dried crap jammed into some tiny capsules that aren’t what you’d call very filling. Eat the tasty real thing and enjoy your life. Sheesh.
Anyone with food allergies needs to specifically search out the ingredients for both the fruit and vegetables bottles. I carry an Epi Pen, due to an anaphylaxis response for raspberries and mushrooms. Good thing I did not order it! Ingredients should be listed up front for this very reason.
Their marketing, website layout and billing process makes me suspicious of the company. Every panel has an “Order Now” box. Talk about being pushy. If the product is so good, it will sell itself. And if the product is so good and selling so well, why can’t they get their customer service operation in shape?
I am bothered by non-disclosure of the mix of ingredients. You never know what you are really buying or even if the formulation is consistent or just a mix of available foods that month.
Yes the “order now” buttons are everywhere. And too, I understand the concept of a proprietary blend, but at the same time I find it disturbing that you have no way of even knowing if the proportions change from order to order. e.g. Are profits down? Then just cut back on the more expensive items. Or is something unavailable? – just substitute with cornstarch. Who knows. And read the terms very carefully. They seem to be extraordinarily consumer unfriendly.
If you have a problem with this company( Balance of Nature), and try to reach out to them they will not call you back.
Balance of Nature is a con! Customer services is horrible!
https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/evig-llc-dba-balance-nature-580888-08202019
What is the calcium amount for the 6 capsules you take daily?
Been taking this product for 45 days, at the same time cut my caffiene intake in half. Did not notice a change in my energy so cost wise its a wash. What i did notice was the pain in my middle finger went away. I am a plumber i work with my hands and this finger has bothered me for years. On days with more use it would hurt more especially when bending it. Some may say this is the placebo affect,which could be true, but i had no expectation this would happen. I did not start taking to help my finger, but was a pleasant surprise ,count me thankful
Middle finger might indicate it lowered your stress level.
Middle finger pain is a symptom of nerve compression or pinching in the neck. I have had cervical stenosis most of my adult life and suffer from this too.
because of your “forced” auto ordering(an insult to me as a consumer) and the bad reviews from customers that had REAL issues with your system,either trying to cancel auto ordering or get refunds,I’ll pass.Sell your product on a monthly order if I want without penalizing us by no discount.A deplorable tactic
LifeHacker Guy, why don’t you mention the FDA condemnation of Balance of Nature products. According to FDA, this company is a total sham and scam. I think everyone needs to know that our own government claims that the product is worthless.
https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/evig-llc-dba-balance-nature-580888-08202019
If you read the FDA statement, ( from 2 years ago), it’s all about not crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s in their labeling and brochures. They didn’t have the correct lines around the nutritional info, didn’t have the FDA statement that it’s a supplement, etc. Typical government agency. Reminds me of a product called Dermatend several years ago, bought it, used it, worked great. FDA made them pull it, because of pressure from dermatologist ( they were losing business). And government agencies ALWAYS find problems on their first visit to ANY company, because they can charge excessive fees for a re-inspection. Don’t always believe your government, think for yourself.
I want to buy this product don’t have a phone number please call me Fayleen huffstetler
i was looking at my banking account and you charged me 3 times for my order,why is that
How many calories are in each fruit and each vegetable capsule?
I have, basically, short bowel syndrome due to sever Crohn’s. So, I actually need easily digested supplements such as Balance of Nature. But, I can’t swallow a capsule that size. I’ve tried a few options where as I dust the contents of the capsule onto other food items such as applesauce and toast – food items I eat every day without adding too many calories. The contents of the capsules is so large that it is too much to add onto these food items. I guess the only option is to a smoothie. That said, I’d sure like to know if anyone else has a solution.
You don’t give any more nutritional information than Balance of Nature.
I agree, nothing replaces a balanced wholesome diet. In this age of “ quick fixes” people look for some sort of pill for every thing. Can a pill actually replace the flavor and enjoyment of eating a nice crisp apple? Or a bowl of fresh salad greens? We are blessed to live ina country of abundance. Why no be grateful and eat real food?
I completely agree Carol but sometimes getting everything you need in your diet every day can be a challenge. Then, taking a supplement, but one that you can be confident in to contain the right ingredients in the right dosages can certainly be useful. Sometimes it is worth remembering the word “supplement” is as it says, it’s not a complete replacement for a well-balanced diet.
Adam
Buy an apple and eat some carrots …