Head to head · Amino Acids (BCAA & EAA)
NOW Foods NAC 600 mg Capsules with Selenium vs Nutricost EAA Powder
NOW Foods and Nutricost finish level in our scoring (7.0 vs 7.0), so the right pick depends on what you value most — NOW Foods is stronger on quality & purity and transparency, Nutricost on value and experience.
Updated October 2026 from our full reviews · How we score
600 mg of NAC plus 25 mcg of selenium per capsule for about $0.44 a day; well made and plainly labeled, but NAC's benefits for healthy adults are modest.
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A budget EAA powder at about $0.67 a serving that includes all nine essential amino acids, but 6 of its 8 g are BCAAs and several others are only token amounts.
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links — it never affects our scores. How we make money
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links — it never affects our scores. How we make money
The short answer
Choose NOW Foods if…
- Adults who want a plain, fully disclosed NAC at the commonly studied 1,200 mg daily dose
- Budget-minded shoppers comparing NAC brands
- People who prefer NAC from a manufacturer with accredited in-house labs
- You care most about quality & purity, transparency
Choose Nutricost if…
- Budget buyers who want a flavored amino drink
- Sipping during training when a protein shake isn't practical
- Vegetarians who want a meat-free amino acid supplement
- You care most about value, experience
Key differences
- Biggest scoring gap
- Experience: Nutricost 8.0, NOW Foods 7.4. This factor covers taste, mixability, texture and tolerability from aggregated buyer and creator feedback.
- Independent testing
- Neither carries an independent certification we could verify, such as NSF, USP or Informed Choice.
- Formula
- Of the key ingredients in our reviews, only Nutricost lists BCAAs.
- Format
- NOW Foods: capsule, 100 servings per container; Nutricost: powder, 30 servings per container.
- Dietary labels
- Only NOW Foods is labeled dairy-free and soy-free. Only Nutricost is labeled vegetarian.
Side by side
| NAC 600 mg Capsules with Selenium | EAA Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.0 / 10 | 7.0 / 10 |
| Efficacy (30%) | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| Quality & Purity (25%) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| Value (20%) | 7.6 | 8.0 |
| Experience (15%) | 7.4 | 8.0 |
| Transparency (10%) | 8.0 | 7.5 |
| Form | Capsule | Powder |
| Serving | 1 Capsule100 servings per container | 1 scoop (11 g)30 servings per container |
| Price per serving | $0.22 | See retailer |
| Testing & certifications | cGMP facilityKosherHalal | Third-party testedcGMP facility |
| Dietary | Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Non-GMO | Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Non-GMO |
| Key ingredients |
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| Flavors | — | 5 (Fruit Punch, Blue Raspberry, Peach Mango…) |
| Creator video reviews | 3 | 2 |
Pros and cons
NAC 600 mg Capsules with Selenium
- 600 mg of NAC per capsule, matching doses used in research when taken twice daily
- Simple, fully disclosed label: NAC plus 25 mcg of selenium and no proprietary blend
- NOW tests products in ISO 17025-accredited in-house labs and holds third-party GMP certification
- Evidence for noticeable benefits in healthy adults is limited
- Sulfur smell and capsule speckling are common, and some users report stomach upset
EAA Powder
- About $0.67 per serving, among the cheapest EAA powders
- Lists all nine essential amino acids with a fully disclosed label
- 4.7 stars from roughly 890 buyer ratings, with taste widely praised
- 6 of 8 g are BCAAs; methionine is only 10 mg
- Less complete than the same money spent on protein powder
Our verdict: NOW Foods vs Nutricost
NOW Foods and Nutricost are evenly matched overall (7.0 vs 7.0 out of 10), so the right pick depends on the differences above. Each full review shows the evidence, testing and buyer feedback behind these scores.