Every Balance of Nature subscriber we’ve heard from asks the same question at cancellation time: so what do I take instead?
Most “alternatives” articles answer with whoever pays the highest commission. We answer with a checklist: (1) every amount on the label, (2) a named testing standard, (3) under $2 a serving. Balance of Nature goes 0-for-3. Here’s what does better, ranked by how many boxes the label actually checks.
Juice Plus+ Fruit & Vegetable Blend — 50/100
The strongest independent-brand alternative, and it beats Balance of Nature 50 to 35 on our rubric. Real NSF quality, gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher certifications — the best published verification in the TV-capsule field — at 40% less per day. What it won’t do is tell you the plant amounts: the two blends stay proprietary, the research file is largely company-funded, and it’s sold through an MLM with a 2020 FTC warning letter in the record. Full scorecard: our Juice Plus+ review.
The produce aisle — $3.00 a day, fiber included
Here’s the math no capsule company puts in an ad: Balance of Nature’s $3.00 a day buys roughly a pound of bananas, a bag of frozen spinach, or a week of carrots — hundreds of grams of actual food against a few grams (at most) of powder. Whole produce comes with the fiber, water and volume that the research on fruit-and-vegetable intake was actually built on. No supplement on this page, ours included, replaces it — which is why this “alternative” outranks every capsule we haven’t listed.
All of them against the original
| Balance of Nature | Earth Energy (ours) | Juice Plus+ | Produce aisle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per day | $3.00 | $1.57 ($1.07 sub) | $1.80 | $0.50–$3.00, your call |
| Amounts disclosed | None of 31 | All 11, itemized | Vitamins only | Inherently |
| Testing | No verifiable documentation | ISO/IEC 17025 third-party | NSF certified | You, at the shelf |
| Regulatory record | FDA letter '19 · consent decrees '23 · $9.95M settlement | None on record | FTC letter '20 · Italy €1M '19 · TGA '20 | — |
| Our score | 35/100 — review | Full review in progress | 50/100 — review | Undefeated |
A "win" cell marks the best verifiable figure in that row. Prices re-checked monthly; spot a change? Tell us.
How this list was made — and what didn’t make it
We rank by the three-box checklist because it’s the only method a reader can audit: disclosed amounts, named testing, honest price. We don’t list products we haven’t evaluated and we don’t take placement fees. Popular competitors like Texas SuperFood and Grüns are in research now; if they check more boxes than what’s listed here, this page will change, on the record. That’s what “re-checked monthly” means.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best alternative to Balance of Nature?
By the checklist — disclosed amounts, named testing, under $2/serving — Earth Energy Fruits & Veggies checks all three at $1.57/day (see the disclosure at the top of this page). Juice Plus+ is the strongest independent option at $1.80/day with NSF certification but no disclosed plant amounts. And the produce aisle beats everything.
How is this ranking decided?
By three verifiable checks anyone can audit against the labels in minutes: disclosed amounts, a named testing standard, and cost under $2 a serving. Each pick’s weaknesses are printed on the pick itself, and if a competitor checks more boxes at the monthly re-check, this page changes.
Is Juice Plus+ better than Balance of Nature?
On our rubric, yes: 50/100 versus 35/100 — cheaper, NSF-certified, bigger research file. Neither discloses plant amounts. The full head-to-head is at Balance of Nature vs Juice Plus+.
Can I just eat more fruits and vegetables instead?
Yes — and per dollar it’s the strongest option on this page. $3.00 a day buys hundreds of grams of real produce with fiber intact; no capsule serving comes close. Individual needs vary; talk with your healthcare provider about what makes sense for you.
Sources
- The Ingredient Report — Balance of Nature Fruits & Veggies review, 35/100 (facts checked July 12, 2026)
- The Ingredient Report — Juice Plus+ Fruit & Vegetable Blend review, 50/100 (facts checked July 14, 2026)
- Earth Energy Supplements — Fruits & Veggies product page and printed Supplement Facts label (all amounts; pricing; ISO/IEC 17025 testing claim). Checked/verified July 14, 2026.
- USDA — retail produce price data (produce-aisle cost framing)
Update history
- July 14, 2026 — Page first published. Re-checked monthly; Texas SuperFood and Grüns evaluations in research for the next update.
Content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Medical disclaimer.