Organic Living: 4 Reasons Why You Should Try Out Greens Powders

It used to be that we get our greens in veggie form, but with the popularity of greens powder increasing, more and more people are opting for the latter. We can’t blame them since green powders are much faster to prepare, and they’re easy to find in the supermarket. Also, their nutritional value is comparable to natural veggies, at least that’s what many say. But what are greens powders anyway?

Greens powders are dried vegetables that have been blended into powder form. The exact ingredients in green powders can vary by brand, but the most common ones are beets, chlorella, pineapple, beets, ginseng, etc. All you have to do is mix into a beverage of your own choice, and you’re good to go. It may be simple, but indeed there’s more to them, right?

Hence, we’ll tackle below what greens powders are good for and get to know it a little bit deeper.

What are greens powders?

Green powders contain vitamins and minerals that can help you fill the gap when your diet is not providing them adequately. While consuming greens powders and other organic supplement choices aren’t all that bad, they are not an excuse to push natural fruits and veggies off your plate, but they still help you provide a little less than enough than real ones do.

Greens powders are made in 2 different ways. The first method is through drying various fruits, vegetables, and other health-beneficial compounds and then crushing them into powder form. The second method is extracting the juice from the components, drying them, and then crushing them into powder.

However, some brands do a mixture of these methods because doing the first method alone can put on a strong flavor which can be off-putting to some. Extracting the juices, on the other hand, results in a much sweeter result.

Now that we know its components and how it’s created, here are some benefits of greens powders you might want to know.

Increase Nutrient Density

Vegetables are one of the leading providers of nutrients and vitamins in our diet. That said, unless you eat at least five servings of them a day, then it’s less likely that you’ll be short of these nutrients. Greens powders are not a substitute per se, but if you’re regularly falling short on those five servings a day, then you can substitute the amount you’re lacking with it.

Greens powders are a simple way to increase the nutrients and vitamins you’re lacking, simply because it’s a mixture of many different fruits and veggies. One scoop of greens powder alone has 30 different fruits, vegetables, and other health components that our bodies need.

To ensure the potency of the supplement, researchers studied its effects by seeing what would happen to a person’s vitamins in their blood if they took a regular supplementation of greens powder. The participants of the study took six capsules of greens every day for six weeks. After the testing period, researchers found an increase in lycopene, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and retinol in their blood.

Protects Heart Health

Adding greens powders into your diet can also keep your heart healthy and kicking. Researchers found out by having 40 chiropractor students and faculty regularly take greens powders for 90 days by drinking two glasses of water mixed with a greens powder. After the testing period, the participants experienced a significant improvement in their blood pressure, even though they hadn’t lost any weight at all.

Supports Detoxification

Greens powders help your body detoxify by providing you with vitamins and nutrients with intrinsic antioxidant properties that help the body carry out natural cleansing functions. For example, one common ingredient in greens powders is spinach. Spinach is a rich source of betaine and folate.

They are compounds that have a vital role in our natural detox process. Other cruciferous vegetables, as well as artichoke, promote the production of glutathione, which is one of the most important antioxidants that help get rid of the body of free radicals.

Helps You Be More Alert

Some greens powders claim that their formula can help improve our energy levels. And yet, you can see that they’re generally low on calories and, therefore, can’t supply us with more energy. However, some of these formulas have compounds that can help us be more alert, like green tea extract.

In a three-month study made by researchers, 109 women were made to take a tablespoon of greens powders, and then the rest were made to take placebos. The ones that took the greens powder reported a significant increase in energy and vitality, while those taking placebos didn’t feel any changes.

Final Words

Although greens powders are not a direct substitute for natural fruits and veggies, they are an excellent gap closer if you’re not getting enough nutrients. They are fast and easy to prepare, and not to mention, a small serving of them contains a lot of different compounds already. Take note, however, that they still have some side effects, so you should consult your doctor first before including it in your diet.