Improving the Taste of Greens Powders: Helpful Tips

Greens powders are all the rage, but their flavor profile leaves something to be desired. No one should ever compromise taste, even if the nutritional profile is excellent. Health and taste are equally important.

The good news is, the earthy or even slightly bitter flavor can be mixed with other foods to enhance the eating experience. Learn how to choose the right green powder, as well as various techniques to help improve the flavor, along with numerous recipe ideas.

Many greens powders are made up of dried and/or ground vegetables. They also may contain fruits, grasses, and additional nutrients like fiber or pre-and probiotics.

'However, due to the ingredients, these powders tend to be earthy, grassy-like, and bitter, which is not a flavor profile we tend to enjoy,' explains Kelly Springer, MS, RD, CDN, founder & CEO of Kelly's Choice Nutrition LLC. Understanding the flavor profile can allow you to utilize various flavors to help balance out the taste.

Springer says that bitter foods can be balanced by sweet and fatty flavors. Even saltiness or spice can reduce the taste of bitterness. However, keep in mind when you mix multiple bitter flavors, like greens with chocolate or citrus, you can create an unfavorable taste or smell combination.

Jim White, RDN, ACSM, EX-P, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios suggests reading product reviews online to determine if a green powder has a pleasant taste profile and how these customers prefer to consume it. If you're not sure about the flavor, try purchasing a small sample size or the smallest available portion for purchase before committing to a larger purchase. 'Taste is subjective and can vary from person to person,' he says.

In order to select a high-quality powder, White suggests taking measures to ensure there are no harmful substances in the products and to verify that what is in the bottle is what is on the label. This is why it is important to check for third-party testing. Testing helps to ensure that the ingredient list is honest and free of undesired ingredients or even contaminants.

'Third-party testing means the supplement was tested, scrutinized, and certified by an independent company with no direct involvement in producing the product being tested,' he explains.

In addition to third-party testing, White also recommends looking for these additional criteria to ensure high-quality ingredients like organic ingredients, fiber content, no artificial ingredients like sweeteners, colors, and flavors, and ample amounts of vitamins and minerals.

It should also be noted that some green powders contain adaptogens and other ingredients that can interact with medications and health conditions. If you plan on taking them regularly, speak with a healthcare provider such as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RD) before doing so.

There are various ways that you can mix your greens powder. If you prefer the earthy taste, Springer suggests simply adding the greens to water and giving it a hearty shake. Other folks may need to add more to their greens to get a more palatable beverage.

In this case, Springer recommends making a smoothie by blending a scoop of the greens powder with various ingredients that can help cut the bitterness and even add antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. For example, blending a scoop of greens powder with yogurt, ice, and bananas, or mixing it with orange juice or papaya juice can cut the bitterness. Acidic ingredients such as lemon help minimize that bitter taste, too.

An additional technique Springer suggests is blending the greens powder with strong flavors and taste sensations, like in soups and sauces, as that earthy taste can be masked while still providing key nutrients.

There are many ingredients that are likely already in your kitchen that you can use to help boost the flavor of greens powders. Some of these mix-ins include:

You can also use fresh herbs and spices to add a fresh flavor. Mint, cilantro, basil, or parsley can add freshness and be used together with an acidic ingredient like lemon, orange, or lime juice. Spices like cinnamon pair well with cacao powder and maple syrup while cayenne adds a nice kick.

Sylvia Fountaine, chef and author of Feasting at Home provides several combinations of ingredients to make a sweet or savory green powder drink. For a sweet combination, she recommends making a fruit smoothie with honey, maple syrup, dates, banana, berries, and a splash of acid such as orange juice.

You can also make a savory green juice blend using celery, cucumber, and spinach juice and blending with cilantro and lime. Fountaine also recommends mixing greens powders into salad dressings, swirling it into dips like hummus, or making popsicles.

Meanwhile, White recommends mixing your greens powder into hot cereal like oats or quinoa, adding it to your pancake batter, or incorporating it into your scrambled egg mixture for green eggs. It also can be added to overnight oats, chia pudding, sauces, salsa, and spreads like pesto sauce. You can even add a scoop to juice and seltzer to make a mocktail (muddled fruit, optional).

If you prefer a specific recipe, try these delicious green energy bites.

The purpose of greens powders is to add extra veggies or nutrients into your diet. However, if you're trying to add flavor by drowning your greens powder in added sugar and loads of high-calorie ingredients (think green milkshake)—that defeats the entire purpose. The ideas above all can be made using healthy culinary techniques to ensure a balance of flavor and nutrition.

It should also be noted that greens powders are a supplement—and should 'supplement' or complement your healthy eating plan. Consuming a greens powder doesn't mean you should skip veggies or fruit for the rest of the day. Using a greens powder should be done together with a varied, balanced diet to ensure your overall health and well-being.