Green powders are promoted as an easy way to include a day’s worth of nutrition from fruits and veggies into a single drink. Green powders are supplements that often contain the powder of dehydrated fruits, grains, and grasses along with a blend of probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Green powders have become increasingly popular and can have tremendous benefits for your body. Green powders are loaded full of superfoods, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support immune function, promote energy, and combat declining nutritional value. While most green powders emphasize these benefits, there are “top” brands on the market to look for and brands to avoid. This blog will go over the top 5 green powders on the market, how they contribute to your body’s natural processes, and how they can optimize athletic performance. With any product, you need to weigh out the pros and cons and find a powder that best suits your body’s nutritional needs.
Why do you need green powder?
With the right product, green powders are more easily absorbed and can provide more nutrient-dense benefits than multivitamins. The ingredients included in some multivitamins have synthetic materials, meaning the product has been made artificially and/or in an industrial process. The artificial nutrients within multivitamins prevent our body from absorbing the nutrients through a natural process and as a result, your digestive system will only absorb a fraction of its nutrients because it does not recognize them in the same way it would with whole food or minimally processed products. If your body does not recognize and detoxify synthetic forms of vitamins and supplements, then your body’s inflammatory response goes into overdrive trying to fight off all the free radicals in your body. It is crucial to avoid all products with added or fortified folic acid especially if your genetic results show the MTHFR mutation.
What do green powders do for our bodies?
Not only do green powders provide a more natural and nutrient-dense absorption, but they can also help diversity and increase exposure to micronutrients that play a central role in metabolism and the maintenance of tissue function. Wholesome foods and ingredients within produce are becoming more scarce as substances such as pesticides, preservatives, and fertilizers are depleting the nutritional value of our foods. Green powders merge the gap between depleted nutrients from topsoil and the necessary elements that our bodies need from fruits and vegetables (vitamins A, C, and E, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous and folic acids, etc…). Green powders essentially give a well-rounded nutritional boost to our bodies and can elevate your health through meeting food diversity goals. It is as easy as mixing one simple scoop into a glass of water or “spicing” up your next smoothie!
Here are some ingredients to look for in green powders and what to avoid:
What to look for:
- Chlorella
- Rhodiola
- Matcha
- Probiotics and prebiotics
- Lions mane mushroom
- Cordyceps mushroom
What to avoid:
- Cereal glasses
- Fruit powder
What to consider when implementing green powders into your routine:
- Results take time and consistency
- Use natural sweeteners (esp if you have a bitter taste gene)
TOP 5 POWDERS
- Beyond greens
- This was one of the only products that had no hidden additives, fillers, or artificial ingredients, while everything that’s in there is highly bioavailable.
- Athletic greens
- Contains 75 ingredients, including prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, and adaptogens
- Vegan-friendly, gluten-free, sugar-free, and nut-free
- Easily dissolvable and tastes good!
- Organic green juice
- Organifi is formulated with a detoxifying blend that includes Matcha, chlorella, and other adaptogens
- Skinny greens
- Skinny Greens by SkinnyFit is loaded with 34 ingredients. It contains pre-&-probiotic strains with a blend of adaptogens that provide energy. (Contains Soy)
- Orgain organic superfoods
- Contains 50 superfood ingredients
- Protein-rich and other protein product options
How do green powders benefit athletes?
Just like protein is essential for building muscle, greens and micronutrients are crucial for wellness, recovery, and performance. Green powders offer a slight edge for athletes and claim to increase energy levels, protect cells from radical damage, boost the immune system, and support the digestive system. Super greens such as kale, spirulina, spinach, and chlorella are key ingredients for energy levels, immunity, and antioxidants that aid in oxidation and recovery. If you are an athlete looking to purchase a green powder, be sure to pay attention to labels and look for an NSF-certified brand that includes “sport safe ingredients” that allow you to reap the benefits without compromising your competition. Here are a few clean NSF-certified brands that are marketed toward athletes:
- Athletic Greens
- Contains 75 ingredients, including prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, and adaptogens
- Strong Greens
- BPN highlights wheatgrass for its detoxing properties, coconut water for increased hydration, beet juice for improved blood flow, chlorella for improved digestion, turmeric for stomach-soothing effects, and Ashwagandha for reduced stress levels.
Now that you know what you should be looking for in a green powder and what to avoid, it’s up to you which one you purchase! Remember your body is unique in what it needs so make the decisions that best suit you and your body. Enjoy!
