The topic of supplementation for athletes is quite a big one, and it typically leads to polarized opinions and heated discussions. The main reason for that is the surplus of supplements on the market, all with different claims, that are trying to convince consumers that they’re the one thing that’s needed for superior athletic performance. When the reality is that very few supplements actually work and have proven positive effects for people who train.
When it comes to organic supplements, the discussion becomes even more in-depth and heated due to the fact that many don’t believe in the need for “organic” products or simply think that the word is just used for marketing.
In this short article, we will aim to work through all the myths regarding organic supplements and tell you exactly which ones are the best for athletes and why.
So without further ado, let’s get started.
3 Best Organic Supplements for Athletes
We all know that recovering from hard training sessions is all about proper nutrition and sleep in the first place. Only when those two components are present can one start thinking about supplementation and considering what’s the best on the market and why it's needed. In the list you will see below, we’ve put the three supplements that we believe are 100% essential and that are better when they’re organically produced.
Protein Powder
Protein powder has to be the most popular, most purchased, and used supplement of all. It’s part of any athlete's diet, and it’s considered essential for reaching athletes' dietary needs. Having said that, if you type “protein powder” in Google, you will get thousands of search results - all of which showing different kinds and brands of protein powders, making it almost impossible to make a choice.
When it comes to organic products, protein powders are something you will rarely see marketed. Typically brands tend not to focus on how the protein is sourced but on what the source is - meaning vegan, beef, whey, or some kind of a combination. That’s because most people choose what protein to get based on their diet and what products they consume or don’t consume.
In reality, however, knowing the source of your protein powder can tell you a lot about its quality. More often than not, organically sourced protein powders have fewer sugars and additives and thus are considered “cleaner” and “healthier.” Along with that, animal protein that comes from organic sources is less likely to have growth hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals that are typically added to animal products to make them last longer. Considering all of these factors, it's easy to claim that buying organic protein powder is a better choice for athletes because the product is much healthier and cleaner compared to the rest of the other types of protein on the market.
Greens Powder
The term “green powder” has become super popular in the last few years. Its basically used to describe a supplement that is made out of a mix of all kinds of green vegetables and algae, such as spirulina, chlorella, kale, broccoli, spinach, and wheat grass. Basically, all the foods you know are good for you but that you don’t really want to eat.
Some of the benefits of such supplements include higher levels of vital vitamins such as C and E, more antioxidants in the body, and also improvement of blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity. For athletes, green powders are an easy way to get a ton of vital minerals and vitamins without having to consume leafy vegetables, which can often feel heavy on the stomach and difficult to digest.
Here the choice of getting an organic green supplement is better because organically grown vegetables haven’t been treated with tons of chemicals and are the healthier option if you’re strict about knowing what goes in your system.
Creatine
Along with protein powder, creatine is probably the second most used and popular supplement on the market. Of course, here, there are also tons of variations from the good-ol’ creatine monohydrate to the creatine mixes that are now taking over the market. Again, the brands focus more on the kind of creatine they sell rather than on how it is sourced. But because creatine is also a product that’s frequently used, choosing an organic option that’s free of additives, synthetic chemicals, and preservatives is better for an athlete's overall health.
In Conclusion
These three products are the foundation of athlete supplementation, along with magnesium. They’re the supplements that you absolutely need and that are taken on a daily basis, which is why we consider their organic variations to be generally healthier and overall better. In our aim to reach peak performance and shape, eliminating all the added sugars, preservatives, and synthetical chemicals can only be beneficial, and hopefully, you also take our advice and switch your current products to organically sourced ones.
