Proprietary blends: Why all-in-one products hide their exact ingredient doses

When you buy a greens powder, you expect to know exactly what you’re putting into your body. But many popular brands – including AG1 – use so-called "proprietary blends" that hide the actual amounts of each ingredient. This can mean you pay premium prices for minimal amounts of the ingredients that actually make a difference.

What is a proprietary blend?

A proprietary blend is a way for supplement companies to list ingredients without disclosing the exact amounts of each. Instead, you might see something like "Green ingredient blend (1200 mg)" followed by a list of 15-20 ingredients.

This is completely legal under current legislation, but it leaves you as a consumer in the dark. You know the product contains spirulina, wheatgrass, and matcha – but is there 1000 mg of spirulina and 1 mg of the rest? Or the other way around? You simply can’t know.

Why do companies use proprietary blends?

There are primarily two reasons why supplement companies choose to hide their exact ingredient amounts:

1. Protection of "secret formula": Some companies claim their blend is the result of years of research and that they won’t reveal their "secret recipe" to competitors. This sounds good in theory, but in practice most greens products are based on the same well-documented ingredients.

2. Cost reduction: This is the real reason in most cases. By hiding the amounts, the manufacturer can use very small quantities of the expensive, sought-after ingredients – just enough to get them on the label – while the majority of the blend consists of cheap filler ingredients.

The economic incentive behind proprietary blends

Let’s look at a concrete example. Imagine a greens product with an "Adaptogen blend (500 mg)" containing:

• Ashwagandha
• Rhodiola
• Reishi mushroom
• Cordyceps
• Sea buckthorn

Sounds impressive, right? But if the blend is distributed like this:

• Sea buckthorn: 490 mg (cheap filler)
• Ashwagandha: 4 mg
• Rhodiola: 2 mg
• Reishi: 2 mg
• Cordyceps: 2 mg

So you actually get no effect from the expensive adaptogens, even though they are highlighted in the marketing. Clinical studies typically show that ashwagandha requires doses of 300-500 mg daily to have any measurable effect – far more than the 4 mg in this hypothetical example.

AG1 and proprietary blends: A concrete example

AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) is one of the most marketed greens products on the market. They use extensive influencer marketing and sponsor numerous podcasts. But if you look at their label, you’ll find that almost all their ingredients are hidden behind proprietary blends.

AG1 lists four main blends:

• Alkaline, nutrient-dense raw material blend
• Extract, herb, and antioxidant blend
• Digestive enzyme & super mushroom blend
• Lactic acid bacteria blend

Each blend contains several ingredients, but you don’t know how much you get of each. You can see the total amount for each blend, but not the breakdown. This makes it impossible to assess whether the product delivers effective doses of the ingredients actually supported by research.

Marketing tricks behind proprietary blends

When a greens product uses proprietary blends, they can list ingredients in any order they want – as long as they stay within each blend. This means they can place attractive ingredients first on the list, even if they are only present in microscopic amounts.

Additionally, marketing materials may highlight specific ingredients without mentioning the actual dosage. You might see claims like "contains spirulina, known for its high protein content" – but if there are only 50 mg of spirulina per serving, you get less protein than in half a pea.

Why transparency is important

When you invest in a greens powder, you invest in your health. That requires you to make informed decisions based on actual data – not marketing buzzwords and hidden formulas.

Transparency in ingredient lists allows you to:

• Compare products side by side based on actual amounts
• Verify that doses match those used in clinical studies
• Avoid paying premium prices for minimal amounts
• Be sure of what you put into your body every day
• Calculate the actual value per serving

Pure Greens: No proprietary blends

At Rebuilt Performance, we have a simple philosophy: If we wouldn’t buy a product with hidden ingredient amounts ourselves, why would we sell it to you?

Pure Greens contains no proprietary blends. Every single ingredient is listed with its exact amount:

• Spirulina: 2000 mg – may help you feel more energetic (1)
• Vitamin C: 80 mg – helps reduce fatigue (2)
• Zinc: 10 mg – supports normal bodily functions (3)
• Chicory: 500 mg – supports digestion (4)
• Turmeric: 300 mg – may support normal liver function (5)
• Ginger: 200 mg – supports digestion and gut flora (6)

Additionally, Pure Greens contains spinach, broccoli, wheatgrass, barley grass, and purple cabbage leaves – all in amounts that make sense and actually contribute to your daily vegetable intake.

Lab-tested for safety

Transparency is not just about ingredient amounts. It’s also about quality assurance. Pure Greens is tested and approved by Dr. Graner & Partner GmbH for:

• 22 different pesticides
• 7 types of bacteria
• 4 heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic)
• Mold and fungus

These test results are available for you to review. No secrets, no hidden surprises.

How to see through proprietary blends

If you are considering buying a greens product, here are some questions you should ask:

1. Can I see the exact amount of each ingredient?

If the answer is no, or if you only see a total amount for a "blend" with many ingredients, you should be skeptical. Ask yourself: Why won’t they tell me exactly what I’m getting?

2. Do the doses match clinical studies?

If the product markets a specific ingredient, you should research which doses have actually shown effects in scientific studies. Many ingredients require hundreds of milligrams to have a measurable effect – if the product uses proprietary blends, you cannot verify that you are getting enough.

3. Are the ingredients lab-tested?

Greens products can be contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, or bacteria if not properly tested. Is the company transparent about their testing procedures? Can you see the results?

4. What do independent reviews say?

Look for reviews on independent platforms like Trustpilot. Pure Greens has served over 3 million servings and has a rating of 4.82 out of 5 based on 553 reviews. These are customers who have tried the product and share their honest experiences.

The price of proprietary blends

Here is a thought-provoking calculation: If a greens product costs 800 DKK per month and uses proprietary blends, you potentially pay for ingredients that are mainly cheap fillers. You cannot know the real value of what you are buying.

With a fully transparent product, you can precisely calculate what you are getting for your money. You can compare the price per milligram of each ingredient and make an informed decision.

The future is transparent

Consumers are becoming more and more informed and demanding more from the products they buy. In the food industry, we have seen a massive movement towards clean labels, shorter ingredient lists, and transparency throughout the supply chain.

The supplement industry should follow suit. There is no good reason to hide ingredient amounts in 2026. The technology to produce high-quality, transparent products exists. The only thing missing is the willingness from companies to prioritize consumer rights to information over their own profit margins.

Frequently asked questions about proprietary blends

Are proprietary blends illegal?

No, proprietary blends are not illegal. They are allowed under current supplement laws in both the EU and Denmark. Companies must disclose the total amount of the blend and list the ingredients, but they don’t have to disclose the exact amounts of each ingredient. However, that doesn’t mean it’s consumer-friendly or transparent.

Why do so many greens products use proprietary blends?

There are mainly two reasons: First, it can reduce production costs, as the company can use minimal amounts of expensive ingredients. Second, it protects the formulation from direct copying by competitors. But in practice, the financial motivation is often the primary reason – it’s simply more profitable to hide the amounts.

Can I trust that a product with a proprietary blend is effective?

It’s hard to know for sure. Without seeing the exact amounts of each ingredient, you can’t verify whether the doses match those used in clinical studies. Some products may contain effective amounts, while others mainly consist of cheap fillers with only symbolic amounts of the marketed ingredients. You simply have no way of knowing.

How does Pure Greens differ from products with proprietary blends?

Pure Greens lists the exact amount of every single ingredient on the label. You can see exactly what you’re getting: 2000 mg spirulina, 80 mg vitamin C, 500 mg chicory, 300 mg turmeric, and so on. This allows you to make an informed decision and objectively compare the product with other greens powders. Additionally, Pure Greens is lab-tested by Dr. Graner & Partner GmbH for pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, mold, and fungi.

Are products with proprietary blends more expensive?

Often yes, because the marketing budget is typically higher for these products. They need to compensate for the lack of transparency with strong branding and influencer marketing. For example, AG1 spends significant funds on podcast sponsorships and Instagram influencers. These costs are naturally passed on to the consumer. You’re not just paying for the product, but also for the massive marketing machine behind it.

What should I do if my current greens product uses proprietary blends?

Consider contacting the company and asking for the exact ingredient amounts. If they refuse to disclose this, it’s a clear sign that transparency is not a priority for them. In that case, it might be worth looking for alternatives like Pure Greens, which is fully transparent. You deserve to know exactly what you put into your body every day, especially when investing in your health.

Can I trust the amounts listed on the label?

For products produced in the EU, including Denmark, there are strict labeling regulations. Companies can face significant fines for providing incorrect information. When a company like Rebuilt Performance specifies exact amounts and has the product laboratory-tested by independent parties such as Dr. Graner & Partner GmbH, you can trust that the figures are accurate. Proprietary blends do not bypass the rules—they simply exploit a loophole that allows them to hide the distribution within the blend.