ProView – Gnarly Nutrition Performance Greens
As spring heats up into summer and skiing becomes a higher ratio of effort to turns, I stow my sticks and reach for my running shoes – filling my weekends with long adventure runs and race objectives. Although 2020 wiped the race calendar clean, I found no shortage of fun challenges to keep myself motivated to train through shelter-in-place and the various phases of re-opening. It was a summer unlike any other, and my goals shifted as windows of opportunities opened and closed. Focusing on consistent training helped me stay grounded – providing a mental outlet and a reason to get out the door each day. With a few remaining objectives on my list before the snow-covered months would return, I was excited to test out the Gnarly Nutrition BCAAS and the Performance Greens.
Gnarly Nutrition Performance Greens
Product Description: Gnarly Performance Greens is whole food nutrition for active individuals. Weve included effective doses of ingredients like beet root and tart cherry to support blood flow, cordyceps and maca for energy and turmeric and vegan DHA to optimize recovery. Additionally with a range of organic superfoods, including cracked cell wall chlorella and spirulina, youll be giving your body all the micronutrients it needs to perform and recover optimally. What you wont find in our product is proprietary blends. With Gnarly Performance Greens, you can expect full transparency when it comes to the ingredients we use and how much of each is in our product, we also guarantee the great taste youve come to expect from Gnarly and like all of our products, Performance Greens is free of artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners and contains no GMOs, gluten or soy.
Offer price: MSRP: $41.95
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Quality
(5)
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Taste
(5)
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Eco-Friendly
(5)
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Features
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Summary
Delicious and nutrient-packed fuel to enjoy before, during, or after your workout.
Overall
5Pros
- Made without artificial anything, GMOs, or proprietary blends
Cons
- Didn’t love the performance greens mixed with plain water
I received the package of Gnarly Nutrition during a recovery week between my last big summer objective and a couple fall goals. Before I could ramp training back up, most of my home state of Oregon was on fire and the air quality was too poor to even have the windows open, let alone exercise outdoors. I opted for the local gym, doing speed workouts on a treadmill with a mask on – perhaps not the most comfortable way to run, but I was grateful to be able to exercise at all. During this time, I discovered that running indoors with a mask on results in a lot more sweat. And when the air quality improved enough to take my workouts outdoors, the relentless summer heat that pressed into September created similar conditions. These circumstances left me more susceptible to dehydration and depletion, and they also provided great testing opportunities for the Gnarly BCAAS and the Gnarly Performance Greens.
Features
Let’s start with the Gnarly BCAAS. This powdery mix of Branched Chain Amino Acids is designed to reduce muscle soreness and recovery time by helping to support and rebuild muscle after intense workouts. One scoop can be mixed with water and consumed before, during, or after a workout (although Gnarly recommends taking it before a workout). The mixture is vegan and offered in several flavors, including one caffeinated option (using green tea).
Flavor
I tried the lemon-lime flavor and thought it was delicious. To me, it tastes like a tart lemonade with a slight effervescence. I enjoy adding an ice cube for a little extra refreshment on hot days. I also like the consistency of the drink – this can be adjusted depending on how much water is added, but I followed the directions on the container and that worked for me. I enjoy this drink so much that I look forward to my hardest workouts, because I know I’ll get this treat along with the physical effort.
The Gnarly Performance Greens are designed to support daily nutritional health for active individuals with superfoods and micronutrients. The Greens can be mixed with juice, smoothies, or water. I tried all three and prefer the mixture with juice or a smoothie – It tastes good in water, but it’s a bit intense and not the right consistency for a green drink (I’m used to green juice, and it was more of a green water). Others may have different preferences. Blended into a smoothie, however, was excellent. I included mangos, strawberries, blueberries, yogurt, spinach, bananas, and oat milk. I could definitely drink this blend on a daily basis and never grow tired of it.
Ingredients
Regarding both nutritional supplements, I appreciate that they’re vegan (I am not vegan but I prefer plant-based foods, especially supplements) and that they use natural, non-GMO ingredients without soy. I also noted that Gnarly doesn’t use proprietary blends, meaning that they’re fully transparent about what’s in the mix, and we athletes know what we’re putting in our bodies. Finally, I like that the mixtures are available in larger containers, with 30 servings per container, reducing the amount of packaging material that will ultimately end up in a landfill. And, Gnarly offers a monthly subscription so that you never have to worry about running out. Maybe down the road, they’ll offer even larger bulk quantities to further minimize waste.
The Final Word
As a year-round endurance athlete, I am constantly trying nutritional supplements to aid in fueling and recovery. I was impressed with the flavor and quality of the Gnarly Nutrition BCAAS and Performance Greens and look forward to seeing how my body responds to consistent use over time. If you’re looking to supplement your training with delicious and high-quality ingredients, I would highly recommend checking out all of Gnarly Nutrition’s offerings.
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About the Gear Tester
Alli Hartz
Alli Hartz is based in Bend, Oregon, where she works as a ski guide, avalanche instructor, and freelance writer. During the summer, she runs in the mountains with her dogs Riggins and Firnspiegel, mountain bikes, and dabbles in alpine climbing. Connect with her on Strava and/or Instagram at @allimmmiles.
