Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables daily? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you probably aren’t.
“Just 1 in 10 adults meet the federal fruit or vegetable recommendations,” according to a study published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. As you may know, a minimum of 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables should be eaten each day, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
But that’s simply not happening. The study showed how the consumption of vegetables varies among states. Just 6 percent of West Virginians, 12 percent of Alaska residents, and 12 percent of Washington, D.C. residents met those requirements.
So what does this have to do with green superfood powders? This supplement’s power comes from their ingredients, which include an array of nutrition-packed fruits and veggies that you may be leaving out of your diet.
Superfood benefits
Superfood Powder Health Benefits
Busy schedules, frequent travel, and other lifestyle elements make it challenging to eat the recommended amounts of plant-based foods. That’s where superfoods such as green powders can help. The powder isn’t designed to take the place of whole fruits and veggies—you still need to eat those—but the powder gives a boost to your plant-based intake and overall health by providing key benefits.
It’s essential to choose superfoods that are created from high-quality ingredients and don’t include any fillers. Some people may not necessarily research the ingredients of the powders they’ve chosen because they assume they’re all the same. But that’s simply not true. You want to choose a powder filled with fruits and vegetables that mimics the nutrients of those you receive from whole food.
To understand why that’s important, consider the health benefits you can receive from green powders crafted from superfoods.
- Works as an Anti-Inflammatory
Many of us eat refined carbohydrates, fried food, red and processed meat, sugar-filled sodas, margarine, and other food that cause inflammation.
“Some of the foods that have been associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease are also associated with excess inflammation,” said Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. “It’s not surprising since inflammation is an important underlying mechanism for the development of these diseases.”
How to get these benefits: Look for green powders and whole foods that include the nutrients in strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.
superfood berries
benefits of leafy greens
- Reduces Acidity in Your Body
Proponents of the popular “alkaline diet” claim that what you eat and drink can change your blood pH. Some believe that keeping your blood’s pH less acidic can help you lose weight and fight off cancer and other diseases.
Experts at MD Anderson Cancer Center dispute the idea that foods can change your blood’s pH. Yet they agree that a diet full of vegetables, fruits, and other healthy elements—such as is recommended on the alkaline diet—is a positive. In fact, they wrote that it “will help improve your overall health, help you lose weight, and even help lower your cancer risk—just not for the reasons proponents of the diet claim.”
How to get these benefits: Choose a green powder with plenty of nutrients that mimic lettuce, bananas, and other low-acid foods.
- Stabilizes Blood Pressure
It’s no secret that blood pressure is a significant health problem in the United States, resulting in half a million deaths annually. A diet filled with fruits and vegetables is one of the main ways to maintain healthy blood pressure. A scientific study determined participants who consumed fruit and vegetable powder mix for 90 days had blood pressures that “decreased significantly.”
How to get these benefits: Choose a high-quality green powder and consider the other safeguards recommended by the American Heart Association.
heart healthy superfoods
superfoods with vitamin c
- Fights Chronic Disease
High-quality green superfood powders contain ingredients that have vitamins C and K. Researchers have found that those antioxidants can reduce the chance of chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.
How to get this benefit: Read the green powder’s label to ensure it’s made of high-quality ingredients that contain those key vitamins.
- Boosts Energy Levels
Many green powders are created to support the body’s nutritional needs and potentially boost energy levels. Researchers have found that study participants who consumed powders that included green tea extracts have experienced increased energy.
How to get this benefit: Eating right, including filling nutritional holes with green powder, naturally energizes you. When you choose powders that contain green tea extracts, expect an extra boost.
green tea superfood
superfood for your immune system
- Bolsters the Immune System
High-quality green powders often contain ingredients that are rich in vitamin C. That vitamin boosts the immune system, which safeguards you from illness caused by bacteria and viruses.
How to get this benefit: Research any unfamiliar ingredients in green powders. You should find the nutritional breakdowns and determine if it contains vitamin C, or another vitamin or nutrient you want.
- Aids Weight Loss?
Despite what you may have read, scientists have not found that green powders enhance weight loss. As we have said, high-quality green superfood powders are positive additions to a healthy diet. They are also often relatively low in calories.
However, green powders should never completely replace whole foods and vegetables in your diet. If you need to skip a meal, consider mixing the powder with a low-calorie beverage, such as water or almond milk. The decrease in calories may help you in your weight loss journey.
superfood to help weight loss
superfoods to help build muscle
- Helps Build Muscle
You may know that protein helps build muscle. Well, some high-quality green powders contain ingredients that have a high protein content, and that extra push can help build and repair muscles.
How to get this benefit: Don’t assume that a plant-specific powder is protein-free. Read the ingredients on the label, and you may well find a reliable protein source.
Why You Need to Choose Your Superfood Supplement Wisely
If you don’t know the importance of choosing a high-quality superfood powder, you may not understand the critical role fruits and greens play in keeping you healthy in both the short and long term. You want the greens powders you choose to give you the same health benefits you get from the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in leafy greens, acai berries, grapefruit, and other elements of a more plant-based diet.
