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Every morning I pack my kids’ lunches in cute bento-style lunchboxes. I neatly arrange a serving of fresh fruit, veggies (sweet summer carrots are a fave now), some sort of “main dish” like a sandwich and a sweet treat to round things out. Admittedly, I’m a little extra when it comes to my kids’ nutrition, but for good reason. Turns out their behavior, attitude and energy level is directly linked to their gut health and what they eat.
The irony is that while I make my kids' nutrition a priority, the same can’t be said for my own. I read recently that adults should be eating 5 servings of vegetables and fruit every day (ideally, this would break down to two servings of fruit and three servings of veggies). But clearly this recommendation is a bit harder to follow when you’re a busy mom like me. Case in point: this morning I had a cup of cold coffee, leftover toast crusts and a bite of watermelon that apparently had too many seeds.
I know I’m not getting enough vitamins and nutrients and I’m not alone. So, when I came across two daily supplements—Grüns (a daily pack of eight tasty gummies) and AG1 (a greens-packed daily drink)—I figured it was time to stop surviving on scraps and actually take care of myself to set a good example for my kids. Both Grüns and AG1 claim to support immunity, digestion, energy, and overall nutrition, but in totally different formats. I tried both. Here’s how they stack up.
Form Factor
Whether you’re 5 years old or 95, we all have some pretty ingrained ideas about what looks good for us versus what looks like a treat. Just last week, I spent an unreasonable amount of time convincing my kindergartener that the cauliflower on his plate was the same vegetable that we put in his strawberry smoothie—one that he promptly gulped down.
The same goes for supplements: many of us are guilty of believing that something that is cute and tastes good couldn’t possibly be good for us.
Grüns is proving all of us wrong (me included). Gummies have long had a reputation for being candy in disguise. My kids actually call their daily multivitamin “candy,” which has definitely earned me a few side-eyes from my mother when they beg for it at 8am. But, cute looks aside, Grüns isn’t your average sugar-laden chew. Each serving packs 21+ vitamins and minerals, and unlike many gummy vitamins they only use pectin as a base, never fillers. And if you’re concerned about sugar content, they also offer a sugar-free version that tastes just as satisfying.
On the flip side, AG1’s powdered greens look more what my kids would consider “healthy,” but that aesthetic comes with tradeoffs: you’ll need a dedicated morning ritual to prep, shake, and then refrigerate your powder, plus a palate willing to embrace its grassy, acquired taste (more on all of this below).
Winner: Grüns
Ultimately, form factor is all about preference. But it’s worth pointing out that form factor can shape your perception of effectiveness. Grüns is nutrient-dense and while it may look (and taste) more approachable than AG1’s green powder, the ingredients and science behind it is anything but gimmicky.
Ingredients
I always like to peek at the nutritional labels of my kids’ food so why shouldn’t I do the same for something I plan to take daily?
Each daily pack of Grüns is packed with 60 ingredients and 21+ essential vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and antioxidants. You’ll find familiar names here: Vitamin C, D3, B12, Folate, Zinc, and Iron, along with dozens of organic and nutrient-dense ingredients such as whole fruits and veggies, super mushrooms, prebiotics, adaptogens, and antioxidants. Further, Grüns contains two critical nutrients that AG1 neglects or sprinkles: iron and Vitamin D3, the former which is the most common deficiency in the world. Another comparison point worth calling out: Grüns packs 3x more prebiotics than AG1.* I recently learned that our bodies need prebiotics to effectively feed probiotics. In other words, without prebiotics, probiotics struggle to survive and support a healthy gut.
The ingredient list is readable and free of artificial colors and flavors. It’s vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free and there are four options: a kids’ low-sugar version, kids’ sugar-free selection, an adult low-sugar option and an adult sugar-free version, with no drop-off in flavor. Plus, they even drop special limited-edition flavors from time to time, like their Raspberry Lemonade.
What’s more: Grüns is precisely dosed and contains 100% of your daily needs for safe vitamins and 25% of your daily needs for certain minerals that are known to be potentially toxic at excessive levels over an extended period of exposure.*
AG1 is a blend of 75+ vitamins, minerals and probiotics that is similarly vegan. Its nutritional label is quite complex and does provide over 100% daily value of certain nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin B12. It includes proprietary blends labeled as “Active Superfood and Prebiotic Complex,” “Daily Phytonutrient Complex” and “Dairy-Free Probiotic Blend,” all which sound beneficial, but whose exact quantities of each ingredient are not disclosed. When I looked at the AG1 label I was personally overwhelmed, and a little apprehensive: did I really need over 100% DV of all these vitamins and minerals?
Each serving of sugar-free Grüns has 20 calories, while AG1 has 40. Further, Grüns features 6 grams of dietary fiber, while AG1 has 2 grams. When it comes to iron, Grüns provides 4.5 mg (25% DV) with AG1 providing 1 mg (6% DV).* I like that Grüns focuses on active and bioavailable ingredients that my body can absorb immediately.
Winner: Grüns
While both deliver a range of mind and body benefits, Grüns wins for transparency and ease of understanding. Its ingredients are clearly listed without overwhelming you with terms the lay customer wouldn’t understand. Unlike AG1, which often relies on inactive forms that need to be converted first, the ingredients in Grüns are all ready to use, and quickly and directly absorbed.
Benefits
I remember watching my grandmother meticulously sort her vitamins, each serving a different purpose. She was way ahead of her time leaning into wellness before it was considered cool or even necessary. Today’s supplements are much more efficient, with many like Grüns and AG1 offering whole body health benefits that would blow my grandmother away.
Grüns supports improved gut health, immunity, energy and body and brain health, while AG1 also claims similar benefits such as improved gut health, energy production, healthy brain and mood, and immunity defense.
Both are backed by scientific studies. Just this year a leading third-party research lab tested Grüns in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which revealed 20% increase in Folate levels in the blood, 40% increase in Vitamin C levels in the blood. Similarly, AG1 leaned on a study by third-party experts, which found increased folate and Vitamin C levels and an increase in healthy gut bacteria.
Winner: Tie
On paper both Grüns and AG1 are fairly comparable in terms of the whole body benefits they promote.
Taste
A big portion of my diet consists of my kids' leftovers, so I’m not exactly operating with a discerning five-star palate. And, if I’m going to commit to a daily nutritional supplement, I do want it to at least be…palatable. Or, even enjoyable?
Grüns surprised me in all the best ways. With its deeply dark green color, I was expecting the gummies to taste like eating a head of raw kale. Instead, I was happy to find that it almost tasted like candy with the familiar slightly fruity flavor and smooth texture. The gummies were sweet (but not overly so) and didn’t leave any strange aftertaste, nor did it give me that jolt of sugar that some gummies tend to do.
AG1, on the other hand, is an acquired taste. And, if you’re a newbie like me, it’s not something you’ll gulp down immediately with zeal. The first thing I noticed was the slightly chalky consistency, so much in fact that I decided to throw the concoction into my Ninja blender (which did help marginally with the consistency). It had hints of pineapple and a slightly bitter taste I couldn’t ignore.
Winner: Grüns
Grüns wins hands down for taste. It’s pleasant, tasty and feels more like a mid-day treat than a supplement you have to grin and bear.
Cost
At first glance, I considered both Grüns and AG1 pricey. But, when I dug a little deeper, the two brands are actually on-par with similar, high-quality multivitamins. For example, the current top-selling multivitamin on Amazon is almost $80 for a month’s worth, which comes out to roughly $2.40 per daily serving with subscribe and save. Note that a lot of greens brands that are more affordable come with lower quality — not methylated, a smaller dosage of each vitamin and mineral, or not third-party tested.
A subscribe and save plan with Grüns will cost you $1.71 per day for their low-sugar option and $1.89 per day for the sugar-free packs.
On the other hand, AG1 will set you back $2.63 per serving with their subscribe and save plan.
Winner: Grüns
While both brands offer convenient subscribe-and-save options, Grüns is notably more cost-effective and comes in at a lower price point than AG1, and even outperforms the top-selling multivitamin on Amazon in terms of value.
Convenience
I’m at a stage in life where even the best product in the world won’t make it into my daily routine unless it’s convenient. These days, convenience ranks right up there with cost and efficacy—and honestly, it might even be a dealbreaker.
Each shipment of Grüns includes 28 individually packaged daily servings, with 8 gummies per pouch. Instead of fishing around in a sticky bottle of half-melted vitamins, I can grab a pouch and go. I especially appreciate the thoughtful packaging design—the little notch on the side of each pack makes it easy to tear it open without spilling the gummies all over, whether I’m walking my dog or driving to pick up my kids from school. Grüns also offers a kids version and sugar-free options (which, to my surprise, taste just as good as their popular low-sugar gummies).
AG1, on the other hand, requires a bit more effort. It’s a powdered supplement you mix with cold water (ideally first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for maximum benefits). The starter kit includes a shaker bottle, scooper and a countertop canister for storage. Since the powder has live probiotics culture, it must be stored in a refrigerator after opening. And, the last thing I want to do is add another thing I have to wash daily (on top of my kids’ dishes and lunchboxes and dozens of water bottles they've somehow collected).
Winner: Grüns
The barrier to making AG1 a daily habit is a bit higher than Grüns. It requires getting the supplies out, mixing it up and drinking it first thing in the morning. For a busy parent like myself (or anyone who finds mornings rushed), simply grabbing a bag of Grüns to take at any time during the day is much more easy and convenient.
Final Verdict: Grüns Is the Daily Habit I’ll Actually Keep
No matter your age or stage of life, the best nutritional supplement is the one you’ll stick to consistently. For me, that’s Grüns. Between the grab-and-go convenience, delicious flavor profile, options for sugar-free and low-sugar, and impressive nutritional profile backed by science, Grüns seamlessly fit into my very busy life. AG1 may have solid benefits, but the extra prep, taste, and storage demands made it harder to stick with (or even look forward to). Grüns feels like a small, satisfying treat each day and a true wellness ritual that works with my routine, not against it.
