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Greens and Protein Powders

Best Greens Powder for Protein

Whether you’re a vegetarian looking for a little extra protein in your diet or you’re constantly hitting the gym and need that extra boost of protein to recover and build muscle, choosing to consume a greens powder with protein is a great idea.

By consuming a greens powder that has a substantial amount of protein, you’re not only consuming the additional protein that you need daily, but you’re also receiving all of the essential nutrients you need for daily optimum health and benefitting from the wide range of health benefits provided by greens.

So, really, if you’re looking to increase your nutritional intake and protein consumption, a greens powder is a win-win solution for you.

The majority of greens powders do contain protein because of the natural ingredients within them, however, there are certain greens powders that are specially formulated to provide the consumer with added protein.

So, let’s take a look at some of the best greens powders for protein below! Towards the end of this article, I’ll also be answering some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to taking greens powders for protein.

Greens and Protein Powders

I tried over 40 brands: check out my round up of the best greens powders!).

The 5 Best Greens Powders with Protein

I have selected 4 powdered greens that contain a good serving of protein in each serving and included my brand as an alternative option. It's worth noting that some of the greens powders containing protein sacrifice the superfood part of the formula.

This is why it may be worth opting for a good quality greens powder to add to a separate whey protein powder.

1 Ka'chava Superfood – Best greens & Protein powder

Ka'chava Review

I am a huge fan of Ka'chava and if you're looking for a superfood protein supplement that contains lots of ingredients in a healthy serving size, then this is a great option.

Each serving includes a massive 27 grams of plant protein – this packs more of a protein punch than many protein-only brands!

There are a few downsides though, mostly in the form of the cost of $77-97 per 15-days, so for a month, it's going to cost you $140 per month.

The other downside is the inclusion of proprietary blends so we don't get to see the complete breakdown of the weights of individual ingredients.

The superfood blend is also on the tiny side, so if greens and protein are equally important you may wish to check out mixing a solid brand like SuperGreen TONIK with a protein powder.

Ka'chava has certainly hit on a market though as they have thousands of reviews from their tribe!

Pros

  • 27g plant-based protein
  • Is a complete meal replacement
  • Great reviews

Cons

  • Expensive as only 15-servings per pouch
  • Includes proprietary blends

2 Garden of Life Raw Protein & Greens

Garden of Life Protein and Greens

Garden of Life is a US-based supplement brand that specializes in producing raw, organic, wholefood supplements, with the majority of the ingredients coming from the Garden of Life USA farms.

The Raw Protein & Greens formula contains 6 organic super greens, probiotics, non-GMO enzymes, and fiber, as well as 20g of protein (with a 31g serving size).

The protein in this formula mainly comes from sprouted brown rice, peas, chia, navy beans, lentil beans, and garbanzo beans, all of which are USDA certified organic.

The formula is also Informed-Sport certified, meaning it’s a green powder great for athletes that want to be sure they’re not consuming any banned substances or filler ingredients.

The formula is also available in a variety of flavors, including Real RAW Vanilla, Chocolate Cacao, and Lightly Sweet, so consumers can choose which suits them best.

However, unfortunately, all of the ingredients within the Raw Protein & Greens formula exist within proprietary blends. But, it gets worse – the amount of each proprietary blend isn’t even shown on the ingredients label, so other than knowing there’s 20g of protein, the amount of each ingredient is unknown.

Nonetheless, the formula has a wide range of positive customer reviews, with over 2,000 reviews on Amazon with an average of 4.4 stars out of 5.

Pros

  • 20g of protein
  • Informed-Sport certified
  • Positive customer reviews

Cons

  • Proprietary blends
  • No information about the amounts of each blend

Garden of Life also do a version of their supplement without protein, check out my Perfect Food review here.

3 Zupa Protein Greenz – Greens & Whey Protein

Zupa Protein & Greenz

Zupa Protein Greenz is produced by Xtend-Life, a New Zealand based health and wellness brand that’s been in business for over two decades.

The formula contains an array of powerful ingredients such as super greens, superfruits, grasses, and herbal extracts. There’s 9g of protein within each 14.2g serving of the formula, and this protein comes from New Zealand whey protein.

So, unfortunately, this formula isn’t suitable for vegans or people that suffer from lactose-allergy and intolerance.

Although a selection of the ingredients, such as the green ingredients and the whey protein, have their amounts shown on the ingredients label, the rest of the superfood ingredients exist within a superfood proprietary blend that weighs 1.7g, so is likely underdosed.

However, this formula is a good option for those that want to gain health benefits from a select few super greens ingredients and benefit from an added dose of protein in the process!

Pros

  • 9g of protein
  • Some of the ingredients are sufficiently dosed and shown

Cons

  • Superfood ingredients in a proprietary blend
  • Not vegan/lactose-free

4 Orgain Organic Protein & Greens – 21g Protein with greens

Orgain Protein & Greens

Orgain is a US-based supplement brand that mainly produces protein supplements, specializing in producing protein supplements for those that stick to an organic diet, a vegan diet, or a keto diet. One of the most popular supplements that the brand produces is Organic Protein & Plant-based Protein Powder.

This formula contains an incredible 21g of protein per serving, with a serving size of 49g. This protein comes from the Orgain Organic Protein Blend that contains pea protein, brown rice protein, and chia seed.

It’s clear that Orgain has really focused on the amount of protein when it comes to this formula, as there are only three super greens ingredients – kale, spinach, and broccoli. Due to the fact that there’s not a wide variety of super greens, not all of the typical super greens benefits will be derived from this formula.

In addition, it’s bad enough that the ingredients all exist within proprietary blends, but the amounts of each proprietary blend aren’t even listed on the ingredients label, which is a real let-down.

However, this is a great formula for those that are more concerned with protein intake than super greens intake, especially because the formula is relatively cheap, with a cost per serving around $1.60.

Pros

  • 21g of protein
  • Relatively cheap
  • Tastes good – vanilla or chocolate flavor options

Cons

  • Proprietary blends
  • No information about the amounts of each blend
  • Lack of super greens ingredients

Orgain also do a version of their supplement without protein, check out my Orgain Superfood review here.

5 Supergreen Tonik – Optimally Dosed Greens

Supergreen tonik in the kitchen

Full disclosure (it’s incredibly important to me, and you’ll soon find that out when looking at this formula), this greens formula is one I have developed from the ground up.

This is the only greens powder that aims to fuel both your body and mind. It does this by including three blends; organic greens, nootropic (brain) nutrients, and immune blends – whilst also including 18 vitamins/minerals.

Although SuperGreen Tonik isn’t specifically targeted towards people that are looking for protein in a super greens formula, I think it’s important to mention the formula, because it does contain naturally occurring protein.

The SuperGreen Tonik formula contains the widest range of super greens ingredients in comparison to the other formulas in this article, so if you’re mainly looking for a super greens formula but would like the addition of protein too, this might be the formula for you.

The SuperGreen Tonik formula contains 3g of naturally occurring protein from the greens ingredients within the blend. All of the ingredients within the formula are fully disclosed and sufficiently dosed, so you can be certain you’re actually consuming the correct amount of nutrients.

I drink it every day, the greens formula tastes refreshing, has an array of positive customer reviews and is reasonably priced when considering the formula.

Pros

  • Fully disclosed ingredients label
  • Wide range of sufficiently dosed super greens ingredients
  • 3g of naturally occurring protein

Cons

  • Less protein than other protein-based formulas

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Frequently Asked Questions About Greens Powders For Protein – Answered!

Do Greens Powders Include Protein?

Obviously, one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to discussing greens powders and protein, is if green powders actually contain protein.

On average, according to Healthline, each scoop of greens powder will contain around 2g of protein.

Most of this protein comes from leafy greens such as kale, broccoli, and spinach. In fact, research has shown that broccoli contains the same amount of protein as steak per calorie, and spinach equals the same per calorie as chicken and fish (source).

So, pretty much every greens powder you take will contain protein, even if the brand doesn’t market it as having a lot of protein. If you’re curious to see if a greens powder contains protein, or how much it contains, check out the nutrients label on the back of the tub.

As you’ve seen by reading about the green powders in this article, some greens powders do have added protein. These powders are typically marketed towards athletes and people that frequently exercise.

Drinking SuperGreen TONIK from shaker

Who Needs A Greens Powder With Protein?

Everyone needs protein to function at their best possible state of health. The daily recommended amount of protein is 0.8g per kilo of bodyweight (source).

Protein is essential, as it produces, manages, and repairs muscles, tendons, organs, and skin. Proteins contain amino acids that are important in every aspect of bodily health, but they mainly help with growth, development, and energy levels.

So, it’s incredibly important to make sure you are consuming enough protein daily, which is why a greens powder with naturally occurring protein could help.

However, greens powders with added protein, or with a focus on protein, are typically marketed towards athletes, those that exercise frequently or those that aren’t receiving enough protein through their diet.

People that are frequently and regularly exercising, especially athletes, need to consume enough protein to aid with building muscle and muscle repair.

For example, The American College of Sports Medicine recommends athletes to consume 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilo of body weight daily (source).

Does Adding Protein Lower The Nutritional Content From Greens?

If you’re keen to consume a formula that provides you with protein, but you’re also wanting to gain the benefits from greens, you might be concerned that the nutritional intake from greens will be compromised to fit in the protein.

Unfortunately, if you are looking for a formula with both a sufficient amount of greens and protein, you might find that you’re seeing a lot of formulas without sufficiently dosed ingredients.

For example, in this article, I’ve spoken about the Orgain Protein & Greens formula, and whilst this formula has 21g of protein, it only contains 3 super greens ingredients. However, due to the fact the brand has still added these ingredients, they call it a super greens and protein formula!

There are formulas out there that have a sufficient amount of both protein and super greens, such as Kylea Greens or Raw Protein & Greens, but there aren’t many.

If you’re not searching for a formula with a huge amount of protein, but you definitely want the benefits from super greens, it might be a good idea to go with a formula that contains naturally occurring protein from the sufficiently dosed greens ingredients.

Ideas for Mixing Powdered Greens

Can You Make Your Own Protein and Greens Formula?

If you already have a greens powder and a separate protein powder, or you want to make sure you’re consuming a sufficient amount of both, it might be a good idea to mix a greens powder with a protein powder.

You can mix a serving size of a sufficiently dosed super greens formula with a serving size of a protein (whether that be whey protein or a vegan alternative) to create a nutrient-dense drink.

I always like to know how much of each ingredient I’m consuming and I like to be sure that what I’m consuming is actually benefiting me, so if you’re the same, creating your own super greens protein mix is a useful idea. This way, you know that you’re not missing out on anything.

The Bottom Line

Now that you know that the majority of super greens powders out there contain protein and that there are specific greens powders with added protein, it’s time for you to choose one that works for you!

If you can’t find the perfect formula, remember that mixing a high-quality super greens powder and a protein powder is also a great option.

Adam Author

About the LifeHacker Guy

Hi, I'm Adam the founder of the LifeHacker Guy.

I have a First Class Honours degree in Sports Science from Brighton University, specialising in exercise physiology and nutrition. In my youth I was a competitive Triathlete and long-distance runner placing top 10 in most triathlon races I completed.

Since suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I moved into web development, after a couple of years I then moved onto developing a number of online businesses. I've recently taken a sabbatical and I'm now looking to make big changes in my life, hopefully this may resonate with you - join me in my journey!

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