Naked juices and smoothies are popularly sold as a healthy drink option, but what does the nutrition really look like? Today I’m taking an in-depth look at the “green machine,” one of Naked’s green smoothies. Green smoothies are often perceived to be the healthiest of all, so keep reading if you want to know what the pros and cons of this one are!
If there’s something you want to know about the product that I don’t discuss, just leave a comment below. Let’s get to the review!
Cost of Naked Juice Green Machine
I paid about $3.50 ($0.23 per oz) for a bottle at Target. I wasn’t surprised at the cost. Many fruit juices targeted toward health-concious consumers are pricey.
At Walmart, a 46 oz bottle is $5.38 ($0.12 per oz).
At HEB, a 46 oz bottle is $5.54 ($0.12 per oz).
On Amazon, there weren’t any verified/reputable sellers, and prices were all over the place! So it’s more than likely just sold in major retailers.
Nutrition Breakdown of Naked Juice Green Machine
Let’s jump right to the elephant in the room: the sugar in this juice. Many reviews, journals, and magazines have compared the juice to soda. In fact, the Naked Juice Company (owned by PepsiCo) has faced multiple law suits for its marketing. The first was in 2013 over it’s “all natural” claim. Another was back in 2016 when a consumer advocacy group filed a class-action lawsuit stating that the product’s label was misleading consumers to believe the product was healthier than it really is.
So let’s look at the nutrition for ourselves so we can make our own informed decisions!
Naked Green Machine Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Bottle
Calories: 270
Total Fat 0g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 25mg
Total Carbohydrate 63g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Total Sugars 53g
Includes 0g Added Sugars
Protein 4g
Vitamin D 0mcg, Calcium 40mg, Iron 1.4mg, Potassium 760mg, Vitamin A 230mcg, Vitamin C 42mg, Riboflavin 0.3mg, Vitamin B6 0.4mg, Magnesium 40mg
INGREDIENTS: APPLE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE (WATER, APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE), MANGO PUREE, PINEAPPLE JUICE, BANANA PUREE, KIWI PUREE, SPIRULINA, NATURAL FLAVOR, ALFALFA, BROCCOLI, SPINACH, BARLEY GRASS, WHEATGRASS, GINGER ROOT, PARSLEY, KALE, ODORLESS GARLIC
CONTAINS WHEAT FROM WHEATGRASS
Last updated on April 02, 2020.
What stood out to you?
With drink items like this, I’m always checking a few key things: sugar/added sugar (your body can’t tell the difference, but there are different recommendations for intakes of each), fiber, protein, and the first 3-5 ingredients.
Here’s why:
This product has no added sugar. I always check for added sugars because the USDA recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 10% of your daily intake. This product has 53g of sugar per serving, mostly from the fruit juices in it. Excess sugar intake has been associated with health conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Because of this, the USDA also recommends limiting excess sugar intake. Sugar is metabolized more quickly by the body than nutrients like protein, fat and fiber, so combining sugars with a source of protein, fat or fiber can help you avoid the infamous “sugar high!” Plus, the energy you get will last longer, and you’ll probably feel fuller and more satisfied too!
This green juice has 0g fat, 0g fiber and 4g of protein. That’s pretty dismal when combined with the high amount of sugar. So, some may experience a sugar high from this.
I check the first 3-5 ingredients on a label because that tells me what the product is mostly made of. The first item in Naked’s Green Machine is apple juice from concentrate, followed by mango puree and pineapple juice. The “green” part of this Green Machine doesn’t make an appearance until the 8th ingredient (not counting the 6th ingredient–the algae spirulina).
While I recognize that this has probably been done for flavor (because honestly, green juices and smoothies that taste green just. don’t. sell.), it’s still a bit disappointing that the first three ingredients in a “green” juice are actually fruit juices, which means that’s mostly what you’re drinking here.
Can you see how it’s worth it to take a quick glance at the nutrition facts? If you’re often in a rush like I am, now you know exactly what to look for on the label to cut down on time!
Overall, I was pleased with the taste. It tastes great–which is no surprise with 53g of sugar and the first few ingredients being delicious fruit juices! I was disappointed in the lack of fiber. There is some protein, which is nice, but I would still drink this with some type of food that has more protein to ensure that you don’t have your blood sugar rise and fall quickly.
What It’s Good For…
-A quick, convenient, great tasting drink with no added sugars (but still a high sugar content), and vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables (not added).
-Consider consuming only half of a bottle at a time with a meal to eat a more balanced meal that still includes this if you enjoy it!
-Enjoying on occasion due to the high sugar and low fiber content. You may be better off eating whole fruits and veggies instead! However, I am not telling you not to drink this. I want you to make those decisions based on your own health goals, needs, and personal circumstances.
What It Isn’t So Good For…
-Meal replacement
-Replacing daily fruit and vegetable intake
-Choosing it so you can “be good”
-If you prefer low-sugar options
Just to Get You Thinking…
When you read the word “green machine,” what do you think of? Who do you think the brand is trying to appeal to with the word machine in particular? When you look at the label, what images or colors stand out to you? What part of the label is your eye drawn to? Leave a comment letting me know!
I ask these questions just to get you thinking, because sometimes thinking critically about such things can help you see past them when you’re browsing the drinks section at the store, and may result in you making better decisions about what foods you eat in what situations (which, I must add, depends from person to person and situation to situation–there’s no black-and-white “good” and “bad”).
Thanks for reading my in-depth review of Naked Juice Green Machine! Have any thoughts to add or questions you’re left with? Do you disagree with anything I said above? Let me know in the comments below!
I am new to your posts. Do you know of, or have a recommendation for a manufactured ‘green’ drink that has better % on green veggies and fiber?
I like your research on the naked juice green machine.
I think if we make green machine juice at home it would be more healthy and fresh.
You can find a comprehensive blog at https://dronevoo.com/is-green-machine-juice-best-for-you/
I am concerned about the 100% Juice claim they make, the first ingridient is apple juice from concentrate (WATER, apple juice)
So this juice uses water ad the first ingredient disguised to make you believe at least you are getting 100% JUICE
So the label is not correct, its possible there is up to 60% water in these 100% Juice bottles
They are a scam and falsey advertise what real ingredients they use, Pepsi is a huge company and does not care about anyone tryong to sie them for false advertising, they don’t care about there customer base, and they don’t care about lying to you, it’s all for their profit, and they won’t likley be held accountable for many more years and many millions in profit later.
The ginger in green machine helps cure my morning sickness every time.
I love the taste of the Naked green machine. As it was said a product that is hard to order online. I tried another brand I thought would be similar. The taste was not very good and it made me bloated and nauseous. I did manage to keep it down. Is there any product on the market that is close to the Green Machine? I sure would like to know (now have five big bottles to dump). Thanks for your review.
I drink the blue machine Naked, especially when I’ve had too many cocktails the night before and I have to work….sugar is still there but there are more vitamins, and more of them. Flavor is out of this world for the Machine variety.
I love the naked green machine. is taste so good. i divided 1 bottle in 4 portions to reduce the sugar and i still have the benefits ,plus i add tmc oil and my breadfast and i feel energetic no craving for long period. This is a great concept
Hello Ms. Morrison,
I hope you’re having an amazing day! My name is Celestine, and I’m part of the PR team at Perk Energy. We’ve been loving your content and online presence in the juice product review space, and we believe there’s potential for an exciting collaboration between us.
Perk Energy is a trailblazer in the health and wellness space, offering a unique coffee alternative that promotes well-being. Your platform aligns perfectly with our target audience and could be the ideal space to showcase our innovative products.
To kick things off, we’d love to review your media kit, including your advertising options, rates, product review processes, or guest contribution opportunities, if available.
We would be truly grateful to review your resources and to open a line of communication between our brands. Of course, we’re also here to address any questions you may have about Perk Energy’s marketing objectives or products.
Thank you so much for your time, and we’re excited about the possibility of working together.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Best,
Celestine Shek
PR Coordinator, Perk Energy
I use 1/4 of the green machine as a base to my smoothies I add blueberries to huge handfuls of spinach and one scoop of protein powder I think it tastes lovely
I am not sure what this article was trying to achieve, yes this product has sugar but so does eating raw fruits. Is eating a salad more healthier than drinking this juice? I’m sure it is, but how much more healthier? It would have been more helpful if you laid out how much of this juice we would need to drink to say gain the same health benefits as a small side salad? Just my two cents.
Ummmm it has wayyyyyyyyy more sugar than just eating a piece of fruit lol.
I find the juice part to be no problem.. at least its from fruit and not processed sugar. I don’t know why you don’t address the actual green items in there like the spirulina, wheat grass, garlic, ginger, barley grass, parsley, kale, broccoli, alfalfa, spinach. Thats a lot of good ingredients for the body.
I have bought some Naked Juice and found it healthy for me.
Hi! I was looking at the ingredients and saw the dreaded “natural flavor.” That’s what brought me to your blog, hoping you’d find out what is that mystery (and most often not healthy) ingredient. Do you know, or can you find out? Sometimes it’s MSG. I know they’re hiding what it is because it’s probably a flavor enhancer. Thanks in advance!
I started drinking Green Machine when suggested that it would help bring my iron reading up for a blood donation. I tried giving blood several times and my iron count was too low. 12 and 11.5, it needed to be 12.5. Another donar said she would drink Green Machine a day or two before she donated to get her iron count up. I tried it and my count was 13.5 the next time I went to give blood. I don’t think I will be drinking it regularly because of the sugar content after reading your article. I am diabetic. Just went for my A1c test yesterday so I will see what that is. It was 6.5 around 6 months ago……
Hi Janice,
Greens can be a good source of iron, for sure. However, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor to determine the best way to address low iron levels and that’s what I’d recommend.
Hello, is there any juice I can buy that’s good instead of this Naked green machine brand? I can’t find any other options other than fresh natural celery juice which takes time out of my day to juice. Thank you
I purchased some this weekend and the taste was amazing.
Lily,
Thanks for your comment. It does taste yummy!
I’m commenting on the overall breakdown of Green Machine.
There was no mention if the lawsuits were even won. It would seem to me they most likely were not because the ingredients ARE all natural.
Shavonne, you said of THE TOTAL SUGARS mentioned in the bottle “most” come from the fruits/vegetables. To my knowledge this particular section is ONLY for sugars coming specifically from the food spoken of. From what I’m aware of all of the ADDED SUGARS come from an outside source. When anyone blends down that many fruits and vegetables and puts it in a half gallon jug I would think that most would initially expect there will be much more sugar inside – because there is much more “food” that can fit when blended.
Another thing to consider is that the fructose (sugar) created within fruit and vegetables do not affect the glycemic index as most would think because of factors like fiber which stabilizes blood sugar levels and Polyphenols which slow down the digestion of carbs. These are only two factors of many that make it safe to drink these healthy drinks!
Has anyone ever drank a bottle of Naked Juices and then crashed later just like what happens when you eat lots of man-made candy? Probably not.
I know your review was well thought out and from the heart as I enjoyed it but there are many things to consider over a quick label read and a law suit or two to blame. Unfortunately today people sue companies for anything they think makes sense that’s why 1/2 of them don’t win because there was no sense to begin with.
I will save your info for future reads!
May our LORD of lords JESUS CHRIST bless you and all you do!
what would you recommend for a good green superfood powder or liquid
I noticed that the amount of some vitamins and minerals change depending on the size. Any idea why? Or which one might be more accurate?
Hi Becky,
Great question. It likely has to do with a difference in the serving sizes between two different-sized bottles. Since the nutrition facts label displays the amounts of nutrients per serving size, that’s the only explanation I can think of!
I did a little calculation actually, to demonstrate: a 64-oz bottle with a serving size of 8 oz has 140 calories per serving. A single-serve bottle is 15.2 oz and 1 bottle is a serving, it has 270 calories. If you set up a proportion to see if the per-serving calories are the same, you find that they are (15.2 x 140 = 2,128/8 = 266 calories). The nutrition facts label is required to be accurate by the FDA, so whichever bottle you pick up the vitamin and mineral content on the label is accurate, but it will vary with the serving size! Hope that answers your question.
Shavonne
I just tried my. 1st Green Machine drink yesterday. It tastes delicious. I honestly thought it tasted like pear juice so when I read the ingredients I was surprised that it had none. This is just something I would drink to get some extra vitamins and because it really does taste good. The name Green Machine made me think of my body as a well kept machine.
Hi Anne,
I’m so glad you enjoy this product! It’s great to find ways to get extra nutrients into our diets in a way we enjoy. I love your bit about thinking of your body as a well-kept machine–that’s the goal, isn’t it? 🙂
Shavonne