I depend on my Jade GreenZymes powder every year to get through the spring. My current jar was getting close to empty after sharing it with my son and daughter, so it was time to order some more. Just as I sat down to login to Nikken I received an email about the new Jade GreenZymes packets. I didn’t give it too much attention. They’ve had packets before, but I use the jar. So I left the email for later and continued to log in to place my order. Then I was stunned to see that the jar is no longer available.
The jar has always been there. The packets have come and gone, and are back again. The capsules came much later. But the jar has been there from the beginning. Nobody likes change when it comes to the things they rely on, and I wasn’t too excited about the jar going away. But we haven’t had much rain over the past few weeks and I need my Jade GreenZymes.
So my options now are the packets or the capsules. The choice is easy in my mind, but I’ll walk through it for you.
The Jade GreenZymes Jar
First, what I’ve had with the jar. The jar has been the least expensive option because there was less packaging. There was the jar, the paper seal, the desiccant packet, and a bunch of loose green barley grass powder. Once my last jar is empty I will rinse and recycle it leaving very little waste.
I was reminded while updating the Jade GreenZymes page on this website that the jar had 50 servings in it, not the 30 that the capsules and packets have. That factors heavily in the price calculation later.
Mixing up a serving is easy. Get a small glass with 5 ounces of room temperature water. Measure out a teaspoon of powder from the jar and pour it into the water. Use the teaspoon to stir it together. Then drink it down. It’s best to do it all in one go to minimize clumps of powder sticking to the side of the glass. If some does stick, add a little more water, swirl, and drink again.
There are some downsides to the jar. Dosing was a little off because I had to measure out a teaspoon of powder each time. I would heap the teaspoon a little each time so I might only get 35 to 40 servings from of a jar instead of the advertised 50. I never saw that as a problem, I just received a little more potency. And I had to find a clean teaspoon any time that I wanted some.
The bigger challenge was keeping the powder dry in the jar. I live in the southeast and it’s usually very humid here this time of year. Any moisture that gets into the jar can cause it to clump and not mix up very well. It isn’t usually a huge problem, but I did have to make sure the lid was back on tight every time. It’s just one of the things you deal with to get the benefits. I don’t drink the stuff because I enjoy drinking it.
The Capsules
Let’s talk about the Jade GreenZymes capsules next because in the current form, they are the next oldest product. I assume that it is the same barley grass powder inside each capsule as was loose in the jar. But it takes four capsules to get the full teaspoon of powder, so it probably takes just as much water to swallow the capsules as it does to mix the loose powder into a drinkable form.
From a packaging standpoint, the capsules are probably the next best option after the powder. Once they are gone you are still left with only a container that can be recycled and a desiccant packet. I’ve never looked at the capsules very closely but I assume they are the same veggie caps that Nikken uses for everything else. It’s a lot of capsule “packaging” but at least it doesn’t have to end up in a landfill.
The capsules are the most expensive, but only a dollar more in the US than the packets.
The biggest benefit to the capsules is that they are ideal for taking on-the-go because they are completely self-contained. You don’t need a glass, water, or measuring device to get it ready to consume. You probably still want something to help wash them down, but you can usually find something on the way.
Some people really don’t like the taste of the barley grass, so the capsules are a better choice for them.
The New (Old) Jade GreenZymes Packets
Finally, the packets. Nikken has had packets before and I don’t remember hearing why they went away for awhile. But they are back again, and this time they replace the jar. As I already said, I’m not really happy about it. But since they are here, and they are my choice going forward, let’s take a look at them.
Each packet contains one teaspoon of the same barley grass powder that used to come in the jar. I did check to make sure in this case. They both have the same ingredients: organic young barley grass juice extract powder and organic maltodextrin.
Preparation is pretty much the same as for the jar of loose powder, minus the measuring. Cut open the packet and pour the powder into the same 5 ounces of water (cold or room temperature, not hot), stir and drink. The packets are perforated for easy opening, but at least with this box, the perforation is in the middle of the seal, so tearing it doesn’t open the packet.
I like the packets because they give me the same experience of drinking it that I had with the jar. It’s also nice that I don’t have to find and clean a teaspoon every time I want some. I don’t like that I have a non-recyclable packet to throw away. Hopefully it is easily biodegradable, but the box doesn’t say anything about that.
I chose the packets because the drinking experience matters to me as much as the barley grass itself. I know it’s probably all in my head, but I don’t think I would get the same benefits from swallowing the capsules. The placebo effect is still an effect and there is benefit in the ritual of mixing it up that helps get me in the right frame of mind.
One more thing about the packets. I don’t recommend them if you don’t have time to properly mix the powder with water. Someone told me once that they just pour the packet directly into their mouth and it works fine. They lied. The powder is bone dry and will suck up every bit of moisture in your mouth. It’s also very light, so I lost some of the power as a small green cloud when it tickled my throat and I coughed. Then I was left with some slightly moistened powder to try to choke down until I could find some water.
Summary
Nikken has discontinued the jar, so the Jade GreenZymes barley grass powder is currently available in single serving packets and in capsules. The containers both have 30 servings while the jar had 50. That number was a little misleading because you probably aren’t going to measure out exactly a teaspoon each time. At least I didn’t because I heaped the spoon a little. So it was probably closer to 40 servings for me.
I said earlier that the serving count factored heavily in the price. The bottle of 30 capsules are $5 more than the jar of loose powder, so you do have a less for more situation. It shows you the cost of additional handling and packaging. But it is what it is for now.
I depend on having my Jade GreenZymes in the morning if I’m going to be spending time outside, so I’m going with the packets. I don’t mind the taste of the barley grass and I believe I get some benefit from the ritual of preparing it.
If you’re in a hurry, will be traveling, or just don’t like the taste of powdered grass then I recommend the capsules. It’s the same stuff, a bit more convenient, and pretty close to the same price.
