Alfalfa, barley, wheat and astragalus — the plants in the jar

What’s in the jar, how much of it, and why

References retrieved from PubMed, September 2026

BARLEY · WHEAT
ALFALFA
ASHWAGANDHA
ASTRAGALUS

Ten ingredients, and the milligrams for every one of them printed on the jar. Contains: Wheat — from wheat grass. Barley grass is in the jar too, though barley is not a major US allergen. Eight of the ten are certified organic.

Ten things in the jar: five whole greens, three adaptogens, a pineapple enzyme, one named probiotic strain. 8,000 mg a day across two 4 g servings, ten numbers, all printed — nothing left for sweetener, flavor or filler. Most greens powders sell a count instead, 75 ingredients or 50 superfoods, with the amounts inside proprietary blends.

10

Ingredients, every dose printed

No proprietary blends. The label is the formula.

8,000 mg

Printed on the jar, every day

Two 4 g servings. No apple powder, no pea protein, no maltodextrin making up the weight.

8 + 2

Certified organic, plus enzyme and probiotic

USDA rules class them as non-agricultural, so nothing in that category can be certified organic. The rules allow both inside a certified-organic product.

Daily Greens and Adaptogens

7,980 mg of actives a day, plus 20 mg of probiotic culture at 2 billion CFU — every weight printed.

A greens powder with a proprietary blend

blend total only · individual amounts not printed

This is a food, not a medicine. References are numbered and link to PubMed.

The idea behind the formula

Why juice powders, not grass powders

Grass can be dried and ground whole, or pressed for juice and the juice dried. Reviews of young barley preparations treat the two as different products with different concentrations of the actives1, and laboratory comparisons find the form changes the measured activity2. Juice powder costs far more per gram, which is why most brands use leaf.

Why organic, why nothing added

Greens powders concentrate whatever the plant grew in; certification means the fields, the inputs and the processing were audited. No sweetener, no natural flavors, no flow agent, so it tastes like what's in it. Green. Blend it into a smoothie if you want it sweeter.

The greens

Five whole plants, 7,160 mg a day. Three of them are juice powders rather than dried leaf.

Organic barley grass juice powder

1,620 MG A DAY

What it is

Young barley plants harvested in the grass stage, before the grain forms, pressed and dried. The leaves carry saponarin and lutonarin — flavonoids found almost nowhere else — plus chlorophyll, superoxide dismutase, GABA, vitamins and minerals1,4,5.

What the research shows

Saponarin is a potent antioxidant in the laboratory — in one set of tests it protected lipids from oxidative damage better than vitamin E4. Trials in people report changes in oxidative-stress markers and in the response to a meal1; in one crossover trial a barley-leaf drink with a snack changed how people handled the meal that followed6.

Why it’s here

The classic green, and a concentrated source of chlorophyll and flavonoids. It supports the body's antioxidant defenses and a healthy response to meals.

Organic wheat grass juice powder

1,620 MG A DAY

What it is

Young wheat plants, juiced and dried. Wheatgrass carries chlorophyll, flavonoids and vitamins C and E, and its composition depends heavily on how it was grown and processed7. Cut at the grass stage, before the grain that carries gluten forms.

What the research shows

Wheatgrass is one of the densest plant sources of chlorophyll, the pigment that makes it green7.

Why it’s here

Three juice powders, not one: barley grass, wheat grass and alfalfa each carry a different flavonoid and mineral profile. Wheatgrass is the chlorophyll workhorse. It supports antioxidant defenses.

Organic alfalfa juice powder

1,620 MG A DAY

What it is

Alfalfa is a legume, not a grass. Its leaf is one of the oldest green tonics in the record — the father of all foods — and carries chlorophyll, minerals, vitamin K, saponins, flavonoids and plant sterols8. The juice of the leaf goes in.

What the research shows

Alfalfa's value is nutritional: minerals pulled from deep soil by roots that run several meters down, vitamin K, and a flavonoid and saponin profile the grasses don't have8.

Why it’s here

Alfalfa rounds out the mineral and vitamin K contribution of the greens layer.

Organic spirulina

1,620 MG A DAY

What it is

A blue-green microalga, about 60% protein by weight, and the source of phycocyanin — the blue pigment — along with carotenoids, iron and essential fatty acids9. The most-studied ingredient in any greens powder.

What the research shows

More than a dozen meta-analyses have pooled the randomized trials: a 2025 analysis of 35 trials10 and a 2023 dose-response analysis of 20 trials in over a thousand people11 report small changes in the blood markers researchers usually measure. A review of 13 studies found spirulina helped athletes in submaximal endurance work12.

Why it’s here

Protein, pigments and the deepest evidence base in the category. It supports healthy energy, healthy metabolic function and the body's antioxidant defenses.

Organic chlorella, cracked cell

680 MG A DAY

What it is

A single-celled green alga whose tough cell wall must be mechanically cracked to reach the contents — hence cracked cell. Unusual among plants: true active B12 and vitamin D, more folate and iron than most plant foods, plus chlorophyll and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin13,14.

What the research shows

Pooled analyses of 19 to 24 randomized trials report small changes in the blood markers researchers usually measure15,16,17, and a 2022 dose-response analysis covers the 0–1,500 mg range16. In a four-week trial, chlorella raised blood lutein and zeaxanthin by 90% and alpha-carotene by 160%18.

Why it’s here

The one green that brings active B12, vitamin D and folate, and the carotenoid source in the jar. It supports healthy metabolic function and contributes lutein and zeaxanthin, the carotenoids the eye stores.

The adaptogens

Three botanicals, 700 mg a day. Adaptogen is a traditional-use term for herbs taken to support the body's response to everyday stress.

Organic KSM-66® ashwagandha root extract, 5% withanolides

300 MG A DAY

What it is

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is the root at the center of Ayurvedic tradition. KSM-66 is a branded full-spectrum extract of the root only — no leaf — standardized to 5% withanolides, and the extract used in the placebo-controlled trials below. Ours is certified organic.

What the research shows

A 60-day placebo-controlled trial in 64 adults under chronic everyday stress: 600 mg a day of full-spectrum root extract lowered every stress-scale score measured and reduced serum cortisol19. An eight-week trial of 250 mg and 600 mg in healthy adults under high perceived stress: both doses beat placebo on perceived stress and cortisol, with better reported sleep20. Eight weeks at 600 mg with resistance training produced larger strength gains than placebo in untrained young men21; another eight-week trial improved sleep onset and efficiency, including in healthy adults22.

Why it’s here

Ashwagandha is the adaptogen with placebo-controlled evidence, and 300 mg a day is inside the range those trials used. It helps the body adapt to everyday stress and supports restful sleep.

Organic rhodiola root powder

200 MG A DAY

What it is

Rhodiola rosea is an arctic root used for centuries in Scandinavia and Russia for stamina in long, cold work. Its markers are rosavins and salidroside. The whole root goes in, organically grown and simply milled — not a solvent extract.

What the research shows

A systematic review of rhodiola trials for physical and mental fatigue found the evidence positive but the trial quality mixed25. A review of ten exercise studies reported less post-exercise soreness and better antioxidant capacity in most of them26. Those trials used a standardized extract; this is the whole root.

Why it’s here

Whole root, as the tradition used it, and certifiable organic where a solvent extract is not. It stands beside the ashwagandha, traditionally used to support resilience to everyday fatigue.

Organic astragalus root powder

200 MG A DAY

What it is

Astragalus membranaceus, huang qi, is a foundational herb of Chinese tradition, taken as a tonic for vitality and the body's defenses. The root carries polysaccharides and saponins called astragalosides.

What the research shows

In a six-week placebo-controlled trial in national-team rowers, astragalus helped maintain counts of immune cells through a heavy training block27.

Why it’s here

Whole organic root. The herb the tradition reaches for when the question is vitality rather than stress, traditionally used to support immune health.

The digestion pair

Two ingredients that can't be organic because they aren't crops. They look after the meal you take it with.

Bromelain, 2400 GDU/g

120 MG A DAY · ABOUT 290 GDU

What it is

A protein-digesting enzyme from pineapple stem. GDU — gelatin digesting units — measures its activity; this is a high-activity grade at 2,400 GDU per gram.

What the research shows

Bromelain is a protease that acts on the protein in the meal you take it with, and it is one of the best-characterized plant enzymes in the literature29,30. Some of it is absorbed intact as well28.

Why it’s here

A plant enzyme that supports comfortable digestion of a protein-containing meal.

Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 (LactoSpore®)

20 MG A DAY · 2 BILLION CFU · GUARANTEED AT EXPIRATION

What it is

A spore-forming probiotic. Unlike the Lactobacillus strains in refrigerated products, B. coagulans travels as a dormant, heat- and acid-resistant spore and germinates in the intestine. MTCC 5856 spores survive simulated stomach acid far better than Lactobacillus31, stay stable three years at room temperature, and the strain is genetically identical batch to batch32 — so the count can be stated at expiration, not manufacture.

What the research shows

A four-week multicenter placebo-controlled study of 70 adults with everyday digestive discomfort: 2 billion CFU a day of this strain improved digestive-comfort scores substantially against placebo, with no adverse events33. A 28-day study in 30 healthy adults at the same dose found it well tolerated, with normal blood work and a modest shift toward beneficial gut bacteria34. Probiotic effects are strain-specific, and this strain's evidence sits at 2 billion CFU a day35.

Why it’s here

One named strain at its studied dose, rather than “10 billion CFU, 5 strains” with the per-strain counts hidden. It supports healthy digestion and digestive comfort.

How it works together

Ten ingredients, not one compound

Whole foods work through many constituents at once rather than one isolated compound — the food synergy argument36, and the reason there is no synthetic vitamin panel in the jar.

Take it with a little fat, and the carotenoids show up

The carotenoids in chlorella and spirulina are fat-soluble. In crossover studies, a salad with fat-free dressing delivered essentially no carotenoids, and absorption rose step by step with the fat in the meal37,38; eggs on the same salad multiplied absorption three- to eight-fold39, and the amount of fat mattered more than the type40. Water on an empty stomach is fine; a smoothie with yogurt, nut butter or avocado, or a scoop alongside breakfast, is how you get the carotenoids out of it.

Two servings, not one

Four grams twice a day rather than eight grams once: the probiotic and the enzyme get two meals, the greens spread across the day, the powder stays easy to drink. Both scoops at once is fine.

What makes it different

Fewest ingredients of any premium product, and the only one we found doing four things at once, each checkable on the label: certified organic; every ingredient dosed, no blends; juice powders at 4,860 mg a day instead of milled leaf; nothing added — no sweetener, no flavor system, no filler, no flow agent. Plus a probiotic at the exact dose of its own trials, a clinically studied ashwagandha extract, and a price under every premium brand. In September 2026 we checked 36 greens powders, including the Amazon best-sellers, and could not find one that does all four. The panels, side by side →

Take it with a meal that has some fat in it, most days, for a few months, and you'll know whether it's for you. Our 30-day return covers the first jar, opened or not.

Daily Greens and Adaptogens

$53.96/JAR SUBSCRIBED · $1.80/DAY · 30-DAY SUPPLY

See Daily Greens

30-DAY RETURNS · OPENED OR NOT

Who should check with a doctor first

Pregnant or nursing. Ashwagandha and rhodiola are not established as safe in pregnancy. Please ask your doctor.

Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. The barley and wheat grass are cut before the plant forms grain, but the jar carries a Contains: Wheat statement and we don’t test every batch to the 20 ppm threshold. Ask your doctor.

Blood-thinning medication. The grasses and alfalfa contain vitamin K, and bromelain has mild blood-thinning activity in laboratory studies. Talk to whoever manages your medication.

Liver or thyroid conditions. Cases of liver injury have been reported with ashwagandha products — rarely, but including serious ones — and ashwagandha may raise thyroid hormone levels. If you have a liver or thyroid condition, or take thyroid medication, ask your doctor first. Stop and seek care if you develop jaundice, dark urine or persistent nausea.

Autoimmune conditions. Spirulina, chlorella and astragalus can stimulate immune activity. Ask your doctor.

Phenylketonuria (PKU). Spirulina is a protein and contains phenylalanine.

Pineapple allergy. Bromelain is from pineapple.

Under 18. Formulated for adults.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nothing in this guide is medical advice.

References

Retrieved from PubMed, September 2026. Each entry links to the paper’s DOI and its PubMed record.

  1. Rzeski W, Rzeska W. Young Barley Preparations: From Phytochemical Complexity to Clinical Relevance. Molecules 2026. PMID 42357586. doi:10.3390/molecules31122190 · PubMed
  2. Kawka K et al. Young green barley extracts in an in vitro cell model (ground grass vs juice powder compared). Ann Agric Environ Med 2019. PMID 30922050. doi:10.26444/aaem/102624 · PubMed
  3. Barańska-Dołomisiewicz et al. Spray-dried young barley juice: chlorophyll retention with and without carrier. Foods 2025. PMID 40428442. doi:10.3390/foods14101663 · PubMed
  4. Kamiyama M, Shibamoto T. Flavonoids with potent antioxidant activity found in young green barley leaves. J Agric Food Chem 2012. PMID 22681491. doi:10.1021/jf301700j · PubMed
  5. Lahouar L et al. Therapeutic potential of young green barley leaves. Am J Chin Med 2015. PMID 26477798. doi:10.1142/S0192415X15500743 · PubMed
  6. Kuwahara M et al. Barley-leaf beverage and postprandial glucose in young adults with high but not low glucose responses (randomized crossover). Nutrients 2020. PMID 32481557. doi:10.3390/nu12061580 · PubMed
  7. Bar-Sela G et al. The medical use of wheatgrass: review. Mini Rev Med Chem 2015. PMID 26156538. doi:10.2174/138955751512150731112836 · PubMed
  8. Bora KS, Sharma A. Phytochemical and pharmacological potential of Medicago sativa: a review. Pharm Biol 2010. PMID 20969516. doi:10.3109/13880209.2010.504732 · PubMed
  9. Spínola MP et al. Spirulina: composition and bioactives — review. Foods 2024. PMID 39594071. doi:10.3390/foods13223656 · PubMed
  10. Shiri et al. Spirulina supplementation: systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 RCTs. Complement Ther Med 2025. PMID 40953712. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103242 · PubMed
  11. Rahnama et al. Spirulina and lipid profile: dose-response meta-analysis of 20 RCTs. Pharmacol Res 2023. PMID 37263369. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106802 · PubMed
  12. Calella P et al. Spirulina in exercise and sport: systematic review. Front Nutr 2022. PMID 36590230. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1048258 · PubMed
  13. Watanabe F et al. Vitamin B12 forms in spirulina and chlorella. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol 2002. PMID 12656203. doi:10.3177/jnsv.48.325 · PubMed
  14. Bito T et al. Potential of Chlorella as a dietary supplement: review. Nutrients 2020. PMID 32825362. doi:10.3390/nu12092524 · PubMed
  15. Fallah AA et al. Chlorella supplementation: meta-analysis of 19 RCTs. Clin Nutr 2018. PMID 29037431. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2017.09.019 · PubMed
  16. Sherafati N et al. Chlorella and lipid profile: dose-response meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med 2022. PMID 35331862. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102822 · PubMed
  17. Mardani et al. Chlorella supplementation: GRADE-assessed dose-response meta-analysis of 24 studies. 2026. PMID 42420253. doi:10.1038/s41387-026-00449-3 · PubMed
  18. Ryu NH et al. Daily chlorella consumption, serum lipid and carotenoid profiles in adults: double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Nutr J 2014. PMID 24920270. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-13-57 · PubMed
  19. Chandrasekhar K et al. High-concentration full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract for stress: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Indian J Psychol Med 2012. PMID 23439798. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.106022 · PubMed
  20. Salve J et al. Ashwagandha root extract 250 mg and 600 mg for stress in healthy adults: randomized placebo-controlled trial. Cureus 2019. PMID 32021735. doi:10.7759/cureus.6466 · PubMed
  21. Wankhede S et al. Ashwagandha and resistance training: randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2015. PMID 26609282. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0104-9 · PubMed
  22. Langade D et al. Ashwagandha root extract and sleep quality in healthy adults and adults with sleep complaints: randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Ethnopharmacol 2021. PMID 32818573. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.113276 · PubMed
  23. Darbinyan V et al. Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 and mental fatigue in physicians on night duty: double-blind crossover trial. Phytomedicine 2000. PMID 11081987. doi:10.1016/S0944-7113(00)80055-0 · PubMed
  24. Spasov AA et al. Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 in students during examinations: double-blind placebo-controlled pilot. Phytomedicine 2000. PMID 10839209. doi:10.1016/S0944-7113(00)80078-1 · PubMed
  25. Ishaque S et al. Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: systematic review. BMC Complement Altern Med 2012. PMID 22643043. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-70 · PubMed
  26. Lu Y et al. Rhodiola rosea in exercise: systematic review. Front Nutr 2022. PMID 35464040. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.856287 · PubMed
  27. Latour E et al. Astragalus extract in elite rowers: randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2021. PMID 34271953. doi:10.1186/s12970-021-00425-5 · PubMed
  28. Castell JV et al. Intestinal absorption of undegraded bromelain in humans. Am J Physiol 1997. PMID 9252520. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.1997.273.1.G139 · PubMed
  29. Leelakanok N et al. Bromelain: systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Health 2023. PMID 37157782. doi:10.1177/02601060231173732 · PubMed
  30. Sanlier N et al. Bromelain: a critical review. Front Nutr 2026. PMID 42245557. doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1744666 · PubMed
  31. Majeed M et al. Gastric survival and heat resistance of B. coagulans MTCC 5856 spores. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2021. PMID 33580694. doi:10.1093/bbb/zbaa116 · PubMed
  32. Majeed M et al. Strain identity, stability and safety characterization of B. coagulans MTCC 5856. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2016. PMID 26925622. doi:10.1007/s11274-016-2027-2 · PubMed
  33. Majeed M et al. B. coagulans MTCC 5856 in adults with functional digestive discomfort: multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial. Medicine 2023. PMID 36862903. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000033109 · PubMed
  34. Majeed M et al. B. coagulans MTCC 5856 in healthy adults: safety and gut microbiome. Medicine 2023. PMID 37335737. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000033751 · PubMed
  35. Ke et al. Bacillus coagulans as a probiotic: strain-specific review. Food Funct 2026. PMID 41358721. doi:10.1039/d5fo03559g · PubMed
  36. Jacobs DR, Tapsell LC. Food synergy: the key to a healthy diet. Proc Nutr Soc 2013. PMID 23312372. doi:10.1017/S0029665112003011 · PubMed
  37. Brown MJ et al. Carotenoid bioavailability is higher from salads ingested with full-fat than with fat-reduced dressings. Am J Clin Nutr 2004. PMID 15277161. doi:10.1093/ajcn/80.2.396 · PubMed
  38. White WS et al. Dose-response of fat on carotenoid and fat-soluble vitamin absorption from salad. Am J Clin Nutr 2017. PMID 28814399. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.153635 · PubMed
  39. Kim JE et al. Eggs increase carotenoid absorption from a raw vegetable salad. Am J Clin Nutr 2015. PMID 26016861. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.111062 · PubMed
  40. Goltz SR et al. Meal triacylglycerol amount vs type and carotenoid absorption. Mol Nutr Food Res 2012. PMID 22707262. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201100687 · PubMed

Every amount in this guide is printed on the jar, and every study behind it links to PubMed.

Shop Daily Greens

30-DAY RETURNS · OPENED OR NOT

Learn to read a Supplement Facts panel.

The first email is a short guide to reading a Supplement Facts panel: where to find the amount of each ingredient, and what a proprietary blend can leave out. It works on any jar, ours included.