How to Pick the Perfect Greens Supplement
With the increasing popularity of greens powders, there is now a surplus of greens supplements to choose from, with opposing claims creating confusion. Although this market can be difficult to navigate, the benefits a high-quality greens powder can provide are definitely worth the effort of a little education!
Greens powders can contain many different ingredients, some that you may be very familiar with like broccoli powder, but also some you may have never heard of, like licorice root extract. Apart from these two ingredients, greens powders will often contain wide varieties of plants such as leafy greens, seaweeds, grasses, vegetables, potent antioxidants, herbal extracts, botanicals, probiotics, and more.
The benefits of taking a greens powder are wide ranging and unique. Here are some things that are most important to note:
- Polyphenols
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- Polyphenols are compounds that are naturally occurring in plants and have a positive impact on human health.
- Every plant has polyphenols that are unique, and it’s suggested to consume a wide variety of polyphenols to obtain all their benefits.
- Antioxidants
- Greens powders are rich in antioxidants.
- Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in the body, if free radicals are not neutralized, they can cause damage that can lead to many diseases and disorders [1].
- Diversity
- Many people probably remember hearing ‘eat the rainbow’, at some point in their lives, and this still holds true!
- Eating a variety of plant foods daily is important to obtain the important and nutritious compounds they contain.
- The problem with that is that you’d have to be consuming a lot of different plants, which is not only expensive but also unrealistic! Greens powders allow you to consume a wide variety of plants you probably wouldn’t eat on a regular day!
Now that we’ve determined why you should consume a greens powder, it’s time for the more difficult piece. What should you look for when choosing a greens supplement? An important thing to look for is an NPN! In Canada, that means the product has been approved by Health Canada to be safe and has been approved to have health claims. This also means you will be able to see the exact amount of each ingredient that has been inputted into the product. Another thing to look for is standardized extracts. Certain herbals and botanicals are medicinal due to compounds they contain. When an ingredient is standardized to a certain compound, it can ensure you’re getting the therapeutic dose of that ingredient. Lastly, it’s important to look for products that have science to back them up. Many products on the market are making bold claims without the evidence to support them, check to see if the brand does their due diligence to prove their product’s efficacy!
Genuine Health is the pioneer in the greens space, being the first company to launch a greens powder 30 years ago! Greens+ came to life by using learnings from around the world to formulate a product that combined traditional practices with modern medicine.
Greens+ Original is the first formula that was brought to market containing sea vegetables, grasses, herbal extracts, botanicals, and probiotics. From grape seed extract to bee pollen, to chlorella, this formula is packed with antioxidants, phytonutrients, and energizing herbs to promote energy and vitality so you can thrive.
We believed in our formula but wanted to take the extra step to further prove its safety and its efficacy. greens+ is the only superfood formula on the market that is backed by 8 clinical studies. After only one month of consuming greens+, it was concluded that it can help to prevent oxidative damage to proteins and fats, significantly increased blood antioxidant capacity, and significantly increases glutathione peroxidase activity (one of the most important antioxidant enzymes in the body!) [2].
Now introducing two new flavours: greens+ tropical fruit & greens+ unsweetened natural (no stevia)!
References:
[1] Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source: Antioxidants. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/antioxidants/
[2] Rao V, et al. In vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties of the plant-based supplement greens+. Int J Mol Sci. 2011;12:4896-908.
About the Author: Genuine Health Team
Genuine Health is a Canadian company that makes all natural, non-GMO supplements and is one of the original vendors to partner with HFN back in 1999. Genuine Health has a history of firsts, including: First superfood formula and first to launch a superfood designed for the gut, First with fermented supplements and the first complete fermented protein, and the First natural health supplement company to become a B Corporation worldwide.