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This post is about a good love gone bad and a parting of ways. I used to purchase the Bolthouse Farms Green Goodness Fruit Smoothies for my youngest son.
He would drink them by the glassful and immediately ask for more.
The reason I didn’t mind buying the Bolthouse Smoothies was because they were loaded with ingredients he wouldn’t regularly get from the other healthy beverages that he drinks throughout the day. Or so I thought.
Even though the Bolthouse Farms line has lots of flavors to choose from, my thoughts were that I’d rather get the one that gives me the biggest bang for my buck in terms of nutrition – which is why the only Bolthouse Smoothie I used to buy was the “Green Goodness” – for it’s “green” ingredients.
Yes, they have the “Strawberry and Banana Fruit Smoothies” and other similar flavors which would certainly appeal to children and actually look quite delicious.
But if my children are going to drink a store-bought fruit smoothie (a very rare occasion), I would rather them drink one that contains ingredients they wouldn’t typically get – like spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, wheatgrass, and blue green algae.
I can basically make them a strawberry and banana smoothie at home.
But this is a “green” drink. Surely it’s loaded with lots and lots of “green” ingredients, right?
You may already know this, but ingredients are listed on a nutrition label in the order of their content in the product.
For example: The first ingredient has the most and the last ingredient has the least.
The first five ingredients in this product are: Pineapple Juice from Concentrate, Apple Juice from Concentrate, Mango Juice from Concentrate, Banana Puree and Kiwi Puree. This would explain the 30 grams of sugar.
The top 5 ingredients in this “Green” Goodness drink are not even “green” – they are sugary fruit juices.
But let’s take a look at the amount of the “green” ingredients.
A while back, I received some interesting information on 1/23/13 from a reader named Luke (thank you!) who brought to my attention the actual content of the “green” ingredients.
When you see the amounts in “mg”, it looks like a lot. But he converted the “mg” amounts to a teaspoon amount and the results were even surprising to me.
I went to this website and confirmed all the figures myself.
I had previously converted them from “mg” to “teaspoons”, but the more accurate way to convert them would be from “mg” to “g” which I have updated below.
- Spirulina – 5,130 mg equals 5.1300 g (source)
- Chlorella – 1,580 mg equals 1.5800 g (source)
- Barley Grass – 290 mg equals 0.29000 g (source)
- Wheatgrass – 290 mg equals 0.29000 g (source)
- Blue Green Algae – 200 mg equals 0.20000 g (source)
As an example, the daily recommended intakes of the “green” ingredients listed above are:
- Spirulina – 3 – 5 grams per day (source)
- Chlorella – 3 – 4 grams per day (source)
- Barley Grass – 1 teaspoon per day (source)
- Wheatgrass – 3.5 grams per day (source)
- Blue Green Algae – 1 tablespoon (source)
While you may be getting the daily recommended intake of spirulina, the other 4 green ingredients fall short of their daily recommended intake.
You will need to ask yourself:
- Does the recommended intake and health benefits of spirulina offset the 30 grams of sugar and pesticides you are drinking with it?
- Would you be better off just taking a spirulina supplement and grabbing a piece of organic fruit instead?
Basically, this is a pineapple, apple and mango juice fruit drink. From concentrate. With 30 grams of sugar. Full of pesticides.
The newer bottles show 30 grams of sugar and the older bottles showed 27 grams of sugar. Since there are no other ingredients that would increase the sugar content, I have to wonder if they have increased the fruit juice content and lowered the “green” ingredients?
Anyway, I have stopped purchasing Bolthouse Smoothies for two reasons:
- They are not organic
- Bolthouse Farms is part of the Campbell’s Soup Family which opposes GMO labeling and contributed $179,545 to defeat Proposition 37.
If you are joining the effort to boycott the companies that oppose GMO labeling, then Campbell’s Soup Company and Bolthouse Farms should be on that list.
Do Bolthouse Farms “Green Goodness” Smoothies Contain GMO’s?
Bolthouse used to have this as a FAQ on their website but have since removed it. They now have a statement on their label that states: ”No Genetically Modified Ingredients“.
But I Want Organic and I Support GMO Labeling. What Are My Options?
There are several things you can do if you want a healthy organic smoothie and don’t want to support companies who are trying to prevent you from knowing which foods you buy contain GMO’s.
1. Make your own smoothies! Yes, a Vitamix is unparalleled when it comes to making smoothies but if you can’t afford a Vitamix a basic blender will serve you fine. By making your own smoothies, you will have control over the costs, ingredients, fruit and vegetable combinations and best of all, organic produce. Some of my favorite green smoothies are my Green Power Smoothie and Kale and Banana Green Smoothie.
2. If you like Bolthouse Smoothies for their “on-the-go” convenience, consider buying other brands that are certified organic and from companies that do not oppose GMO labeling. Below is a list of some I have personally tried and enjoy. Some are already bottled up like a Bolthouse Smoothie and you just grab one and take it with you. A couple are superfood powders you can use to make your own green smoothie.
There is no reason to purchase a non-organic smoothie loaded with pesticides.
Here are some ORGANIC and non-GMO healthy juice alternatives:
Cell-nique Organic Supergreen Pomegranate Drink
“Amazing Grass” Green Superfood Drink Powders
Sambazon Acai with Blueberry & Pomegranate Superfood Drink Blend
SueroViv Green Probiotic Cultured Whey Beverage
“Raaw Foods” Passion Fruit Wheatgrass Juice
Vibrant Health “Green Vibrance” Concentrated Superfoods
I Don’t Care About Organic Foods and I Don’t Care About GMO Labeling.
If you are not concerned with organic foods or financially supporting companies that oppose GMO labeling, I have listed the product information for the Bolthouse Green Goodness Fruit Smoothie below. I had this information on hand because I personally USED to buy them.
Even though the big 52 ounce bottles are rather pricey, I’ve searched on ebay in the past for “Bolthouse Farms Coupons” and have found $1.00 off coupons in 10-20 lots. If this is something you think you would buy a lot of, then you could try to find some coupons and save some money. I used to buy mine at Whole Foods only because I don’t shop at Walmart anymore, but back in May 2012, Walmart carried this brand and they are a little cheaper by maybe a dollar or so. So if you shop at Walmart, you might do better getting your Bolthouse Farm Smoothies there. For me, the savings were just not worth the extra trip to Walmart just to buy that one item.
Benefits:
- Anti-Oxidant Rich
- 13 Servings of Fruit and Veggies per bottle
- 4 1/2 Apples (from concentrate) per bottle
- 3/4 Pineapple (from concentrate) per bottle
- 1 1/2 Mangos (from concentrate) per bottle
- 1 1/2 Bananas (from puree) per bottle
- 1 1/2 Kiwis (from puree) per bottle
Drawbacks:
- Not organic
- All the “green” ingredients do not meet daily requirement intake
- Pricey for not even being organic (look for coupons on ebay or purchase from Walmart)
- High in sugar – 30 grams
- Flash Pasteurized (some loss of nutrients from the heating process)
- Can’t be purchased online
- Bolthouse Farms is part of Campbell’s Soup Family (important if you oppose GMO’s and support GMO labeling)
Nutritional Information (from old product label dated 5/31/12):
- Calories: 140
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 25 mg
- Potassium: 470 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Sugars: 27 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Vitamin A: 120%
- Vitamin C: 105%
- Calcium: 2%
- Iron: 15%
- Folic Acid: 30%
- Riboflavin: 7%
- Vitamin B6: 15%
- Vitamin B12: 30%
- Manganese: 150%
- Zinc: 120%
Other Nutrients (from old product label dated 5/31/12):
- Spirulina: 5130 mg - (or 5.1300 g)
- Chlorella: 1580 mg - (or 1.5800 g)
- Green Tea: 405 mg - (or 0.40500 g)
- Broccoli: 390 mg - (or 0.39000 g)
- Spinach: 390 mg - (or 0.39000 g)
- Barley Grass: 290 mg - (or 0.29000 g)
- Wheat Grass: 290 mg - (or 0.29000 g)
- Blue Green Algae: 200 mg - (or 0.20000 g)
- Echinacea: 200 mg - (or 0.20000 g)
- Garlic: 200 mg - (or 0.20000 g)
- Jerusalem Artichoke: 17 mg - (or 0.017000 g)
- Lemon Bioflavonoids: 17 mg - (or 0.017000 g)
- Nova Scotia Dulce: a hint
- Zinc: 115 mg
- Manganese: 19 mg
- Iron: 17 mg
- Folic Acid: 765 mcg
- Vitamin A: 23 mg
- Vitamin B6: 190 mcg
- Vitamin B12: 11 mcg
- Vitamin C: 400 mg
Ingredients (from old product label dated 5/31/12): Pineapple Juice From Concentrate (Water, Pineapple Juice Concentrate), Apple Juice From Concentrate (Water, Apple Juice Concentrate), Mango Puree From Concentrate (Water, Mango Puree Concentrate), Banana Puree, Kiwi Juice, Spirulina, Natural Flavor, Chlorella, Zinc Monohydrate, Green Tea, Spinach, Broccoli, Ascorbic Acid, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass, Echinacea, Garlic, Blue Green Algae, Jerusalem Artichoke, Lemon Bioflavonoids, Nova Scotia Dulce.
Note: New, updated labeling, nutritional information and ingredient list from a current bottle dated 12/10/12 can be found in the photos shown above. They removed all the detailed information about the “green” ingredients on the new labels.
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Looking at the label, it now says No Genetically Modified Ingredients, so maybe that is why they removed it from the FAQ?
Yes, you are absolutely correct! I had originally written this post based on information I had off the old label from 5/2012. They have indeed updated their product labeling to state this product contains “No Genetically Modified Ingredients”. I have re-written the post and updated it with current photos and information. Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention!
Interesting…most of the reviews were nowhere this detailed for Bolthouse Farms “Green Goodness”
Regarding ‘Flash Pasteurized’, is there any other way to preserve a bottled smoothie?
Also, what do you think of Naked Juice “Green Machine” & Odwalla “Original Superfood”
cheers!
Hi Rocky! I’m glad you enjoyed the review. I’m not sure about the “flash pasteurization” but it is my understanding that anything heated over 115 degrees kills the living enzymes in the food, which is what would happen during flash pasteurization. To me, it kind of defeats the purpose of drinking juices/smoothies.
As far as the “Naked Juice” and “Odwalla” brand (owned by Coke http://www.breskin.com/coop/images/odwallaflyer2.pdf)…I have never tasted or bought either of those brands and wouldn’t for the same reasons I stopped buying Bolthouse – they are not organic and they both significantly contributed to opposing GMO labeling and our right to know. PepsiCo (Naked Juice) contributed $1,716,300 to oppose GMO labeling and Coke (Odwalla) contributed $1,164,400 to oppose GMO labeling and our right to know. (http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_26121.cfm) and (http://www.naturalnews.com/038750_boycott_Naked_Juice_Odwalla.html).
Best option would to be to juice fresh at home or grab one of the organic juices I listed in the post for on-the-go convenience. Thanks for visiting!
Hi there,
Fantastic post, ya bolthouse smoothies are made from concentrate.
I do not trust their labeling as you type in youtube bolthouse farms truth you will find their website and label for bottles dont match,contacted company and it took forever for them to admit it plus found out (not huge deal to me but still)…bolthouse is very right wing and donated over $100,000 for anti-gay marirage legislation ..ther ar eothe roptions. I make my own smoothies!
Also foudn out naked smoothies are beign sued (lawsuit they put many bad chemicals in thier products and ARE NOT GMO FREE, so don’t trust bolthosue would be my adice. again video on youtube if intersted.
Hi Luke…I went to the YouTube “Bolthouse Farms Truth” video and yes, that makes me angry. I could see from the ingredient list on the nutrition label that the first 5 ingredients were fruit concentrates (which explains the 30 grams of sugar!), but didn’t pick up on the miniscule amount of “greens” they claim to give the drink it’s “goodness”. For example, the video showed that the spirulina content is actually less than 1/2 teaspoon, the broccoli content is less than one floret, and the spinach content is less than 1 spinach leaf. Good call…I missed that. I would not buy or support Naked Juices because they are owned by Pepsico and Odwalla is owned by Coca Cola, who both oppose GMO labeling. I agree with you 100%…make your own smoothies and juices at home with organic produce! Thanks for stopping by!
What an excellent and informative page. Don’t know who to trust anymore and what all these companies agenda is. Thanks for the info!
Hi Linda…Thanks and I guess (as of now) the safest foods we can trust are organic, homegrown or from small local farms. Hopefully that won’t change either. Thanks for visiting
I just called Bolthouse Farms inquiring about the natural flavors listed on their ingredient list. They are unwilling to share that information. I will not be buying any of their products because of this. They could not even guarantee that they are plant based ingredients.
Hi Lori…Wow! Good for you for calling! That’s what we are going to have to do to keep ourselves safe from these deceitful foods – reading labels and being more aware of what we buy and who we buy from. There are so many other organic juices and smoothies to chose from out there. Good job!
FFFFFFFF!!!! i just had the green smoothie for breakfeast thikining it was healthy! so mad now…okay well i will never buy it again – i should have just had an organic apple!!
thanks for all the info everyone
Hi Khaleda! I know how you feel..I felt the same way when I found out. We just have to keep reading labels, stay informed about the products we buy and who we buy them from and most importantly, share this information and educate others. Thanks for stopping by
Below is the updated Nutritional Information (from old product label dated 3/14/13):
•Calories: 140
•Saturated Fat: 0 g
•Trans Fat: 0 g
•Cholesterol: 0 mg
•Sodium: 45 mg
•Potassium: 420 mg
•Total Carbohydrates: 33 g
•Dietary Fiber: 2 g
•Sugars: 30 g
•Protein: 2 g
•Vitamin A: 70%
•Vitamin C: 110%
•Calcium: 4%
•Iron: 6%
•Riboflavin: 10%
•Vitamin B6: 15%
•Folate: 10%
•Vitamin B12: 25%
•Zinc: 180%
•Manganese: 110%
•Zinc: 120%
Hi Linda…Is it updated/current as of 3/2013 or from an older label? Did you mean older label from 3/14/2012 instead of 3/14/2013? Thanks for the info
I had this yesterday and it made me feel really horrible. Almost immediately after drinking it, nausea set in. Today I feel as if I have allergies – runny nose and all around achey feeling. I’ve been eating mostly organic for the past couple of years and I made an exception for this Green Goodness. Never again.
Eric
Hi Eric…That’s great you are eating mostly organic! I know exactly how you feel though. As soon as I realized what I had been buying was not good, I stopped immediately too. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment
Thanks so much for taking the time to provide this info!
Hi Sarah! You are very welcome…thanks for stopping by
Hi, I too noticed that the amount of “green” ingredients could not be very much, simply because you cannot taste the spirulina. For those who know, spirulina has a somewhat “fishy” taste, similar to that of nori, or other sea vegetables/algae. The only time I buy Bolthouse Farms Green Goodness is if I’m away from home. I always carry green powders with me when traveling, such as wheatgrass and spirulina powder (even acai on occasion), and I mix it with the bolthouse. That way, I still feel like I’m getting my fruits and veggies, and my green ingredients. Another tip if you drink this at home, would be to blend it into your green smoothies…
Hi there! That’s an excellent point about the spirulina. I love your idea about carrying green powders with you to add to your drinks…I heart wheatgrass and spirulina lol!
I like the Amazing Grass ones and they are great because they come in individual packets, are easy to carry with you and you can even add them to just plain water: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00112ILTS/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=theheafamandh-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00112ILTS&adid=0KN2JF002NPYK7NPHSWS and best of all…are organic!
Thanks for sharing your tips…they were great
Thank you so much for taking the time to post! I use to drink Bolthouse and Naked juices in the past, but they tasted so sweet that I always wondered how much of the green good stuff I was actually getting. The conversion to teaspoons really drives the point home. Very enlightening. Thank you!
Hi Tricia! You are welcome and I too was very surprised.
And you’re right..once you look at the ingredients and amounts very closely, that’s when you realize the true facts and why it’s important to stay vigilant.
Thanks for visiting
I commend what you’re doing here. At least I know what I’ll be drinking every morning. No, they’re not perfect but until I find something ready-made for during the week, it’s what I’m drinking. I just don’t have time to make fresh smoothies every morning before work when I have dogs to walk, get ready and at my desk by 6:30am. On weekends I go to my smoothie place. Gotta have my fresh wheatgrass & kale.
Hi Pepper! Yes, sometimes we just have to do the best we can with what we have to work with…sounds like you are really tight on time in the mornings lol!
Smoothies aren’t really a “make-ahead” beverage so that does present a challenge.
Have you ever tried to grow your own wheatgrass? I do it with a soil-free grower and it’s super easy, my young boys actually help grow it. If you have a juicer you could juice the night before and store it in an air-tight container and just grab it to go in the mornings. You could definitely make a wheatgrass and kale juice + whatever other goodies you want to add in.
Just a thought..thanks for stopping by and visiting
i appreciate the post, i am just starting to eat healthier and am not doing the best yet but i am pleased to know that info, its still better right now than drinking mt dew all day and eating crap, at least im getting some veggies/fruits, where i live you cant get very fresh fruit in the winter and this stuff makes me feel better than not having any, my health has improved a bit and so has my energy. After reading this i can safely say i will only drink it till i know more about organic ingredients and food.
thanks again
Hi there! You are doing great…any changes you make towards healthier eating are better than making none at all.
And you are absolutely correct. Even though these may not be the very best beverage choice out there, they are much much better than drinking a canned soft drink.
So don’t worry about being perfect with your food choices, just try to make the healthiest choice when options are available and that’s exactly what you are doing.
Just take it with small steps, learn about healthy ingredients and which ones to avoid and you’ll be fine.
Thanks for stopping by and the best of luck
As far as Spirulina requirements are concerned…the daily recommended intake is 3-5 grams, which equals .6 teaspoons. Looks like they have it covered there!
Hi there…you are correct. I have updated and corrected that information in my post.
Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Oh wow. I’m so glad i’ve found this while researching more about this drink. I’ve never tried Bolthouse Farms ‘Green Goodness’ smoothie, but i did try the 15 oz Naked Juice ‘Green Machine’ today. Curiousity got the best of me and i wanted to know how ‘pure’ & ‘healthy’ it really was.
Even though they pretty much have the same ingredients, i have noticed the Bolthouse has a higher nutritional value. Strange =/
I’ve been eating so much healthier this month while doing more research on organic foods & GMOs. I’m trying to avoid GMOs as much as possible. I’m honestly pretty upset that i thought Naked Juice ‘Green Machine’ would be good for me cause i personally love the taste.
I still want to use the same key ingrediets it has listed on the bottle (apple, pineapple, mango, etc.) but i’m not sure what type of green powdered alternative (spirulina, chlorella, etc.) i should use.
Do you know any good mixed green powders that contains spirulina, chlorella, & alot of other vitamins/minerals together?
Hopefully that aren’t too expensive?
What would you recommend?
Thanks
Hi Jenn! That’s awesome that you are being proactive as far as learning about GMO’s and reading ingredient labels!
I do have a green powder that I use on a regular basis that has spirulina, cholorella, and even probiotics.
I wrote a detailed post about with with all the nutrition data: http://thehealthyfamilyandhome.com/vibrant-health-green-vibrance-concentrated-superfoods/
After checking around a couple of places, the large 60 day container was the best buy and comes to a little under $1.00 per day. It is a lot more expensive to buy at Whole Foods.
Also, I was buying separate containers of spirulina, chlorella, probiotics, etc and I like the Green Vibrance because it has everything in just one container and one scoop.
I hope this helped and keep up the good work on eating healthy
I was wandering around sproutes “looking” for something to go with my lunch when I spotted the green goodness. I did what I always do, I flipped the bottle around and read the label. After reading I opted for the carrot juice. List of ingredients: carrots. No added sugar and not from concentrate. Side bar: the nija blender is 1/2 the price of a vita mix and works even better. I got one for my birthday and it has a LIFETIME warranty. Keep reading labels!
Hi Dawn! Good job…you can’t go wrong with 100% carrot juice!
Congratulations on your Ninja…I have a good friend that has one too and she loves it.
Thanks for stopping by