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Ahh, it seems like I see the Pink Drink everywhere. The year before, it was Juice Plus. When I first wrote this post in 2016, Plexus was EVERYWHERE. It is still pretty popular, but it’s still something I do NOT recommend. The original purpose of this post was to show how ridiculously overpriced Plexus was, as well as show that the items are not natural. There are many natural alternatives to Plexus that will be better for you in the long run.
Just a note – these comparisons are just to show that there are cheaper and better quality options to these “Plexus” products- I don’t typically recommend these things to my own clients. I only recommend whole foods, herbs, and other truly natural solutions.
Why I don’t like Plexus
My beef with Plexus is mainly the prices and the synthetic nutrients. You know me and my food based preferences. Other than the simple reason that food has more than just isolated nutrients, a lot of people can’t even handle synthetic nutrients because of a sluggish liver.
I have also heard from a couple dozen women that they developed kidney or liver issues after using these products- big red flag to me! And to be honest, I have read through their site and errors like calling Vitamin C a “pro” oxidant instead of an antioxidant makes me suspicious! Plus, there have been other issues like lawsuits about some items containing lead and many issues with fraud (source).
So let’s try this- if you are interested in Plexus but don’t love the price (or the gimmicks) look at these comparable products that I wrangled up. I found some that still use synthetic nutrients but the prices are WAY better, as well as the quality.
I am using the Plexus TRI-PLEX Combo as my example here. This kit costs $140 and you get a one month supply of the 3 products.
Instead of the Bio Cleanse: Mag 07 These 2 products both target colon health and detoxification. They contain magnesium oxide which is a very poorly absorbed form of magnesium but it is effective for cleaning the colon. The Mag 07 is the better quality because it not only is a specially formulated magnesium for this specific purpose, it also is lacking the synthetic ascorbic acid that the Plexus product has. (Read all about why I hate ascorbic acid here)
Instead of the Pro-Bio5: Garden of Life Ultimate Care Again, this Plexus product packs in ascorbic acid, as well a form of b6 that isn’t very bioavailable. The Garden of Life has nothing synthetic, has 34 strains of probiotics, and 100 billion CFU per serving. The Pro-Bio5 has only 2 billion CFU and only 5 strains.
Instead of the Slim: GTF Chromium from NOW Chromium is huge for blood sugar control, and can significantly reduce sugar cravings. The chromium in the Plexus Slim is not the most bioavailable form of Chromium, plus it has controversial ingredients like green coffee bean extract, Stevia, “natural flavors” (which seriously could be anything), and silicon dioxide.
What I ACTUALLY Recommend
SO! The above 3 supplements total a whopping $69 if you purchase them from Amazon. 2 of these products would also last at least 2 months. That is a savings of $71! Wow! You’d have enough to add in a bag of nettles for infusions, a whole food vitamin C, a whole food fiber powder, and a desiccated beef liver supplement (or cod liver oil).
So not only would you be focusing on gut health, colon health, and blood sugar with the Plexus substitutes but you would be able to fit in some REAL WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION as well for the same price!
So while I will never bash anyone for getting benefit for something like Plexus- it pays to do your research! Plexus is over-priced, and there are PLENTY of other options that you can go with to fix your health. I am tired of seeing people taken advantage of by gimmicks like this, and there seriously seems to be a new one every year!
2020 Update: I am still NOT a fan of Plexus, and most of the people I know that have used it gave up on it pretty quickly. The price is ridiculous, and some people actually reported some harsh side effects (especially relating to kidney health). I’m still a fan of whole food nutrition, and it will always be my first recommendation. Health doesn’t come from a few bottles!
Better Than Plexus Options: Whole Food Nutrition
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Kristin
Welcome to Sassy Holistics! My name is Kristin, and I'm a Holistic Health Coach. I've been on the path to help people achieve better health using whole food nutrition, mineral balancing, and holistic healing principles for almost 7 years now.
The body is a whole and we must treat it as such! I have my Bachelor of Science in Natural Health Sciences, certificates in Herbal Studies from Herbal Academy, and I am constantly learning more about health to help my clients and followers.
My goal is to help you unleash your own inner healer! You already hold the power to heal inside you. My role is as a guide to help you realize this potential.
