What comes in your mind when you think about green superfoods? Food for superheroes that is green? Something like Popeye’s spinach, perhaps? Well, superfoods are a lot like that!
Superfoods can do wonders and provide you with energy to lead a healthy life. They may provide you with greater strength with enhanced disease resistance, thus leading to a better and a longer life.
Green superfoods are those powerful foods that can increase your overall metabolism, and provide you with energy to stay healthy. The nutritional value from these is also equal to those of green vegetables. Because they are high in nutrition, these foods are able to provide you with sufficient energy, even after you have a small serving. If you want to be healthy from the inside, go for green superfoods.
What Makes Green Superfoods So Important?
This is one question that will surely arise in your mind. According to the Standard American Diet, an individual should consume all types of food to stay healthy. This means that other than your usual meals, you must also take at least five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. However, when people actually start eating, they fail to add fruits and vegetables to their menu. Fattening foods such as fast foods are more commonly eaten, and this leads to numerous problems related to the heart, as well as other ailments such as high blood pressure, irregular blood glucose and obesity.
Added to this is another concern. Many of the foods people consume are acidic in nature. These foods include meat, dairy, soda, tea, coffee, sweets, bread, and pasta. In order to give your body a healthy environment, you need to have an alkaline balance inside it. An alkaline environment provided by the green superfoods means that bacteria, fungi, and other molds have a relatively lower chance of growing and multiplying. This means that green superfoods can also enhance your immune system. Similarly, an alkaline medium also ensures lower risks of heart diseases and arthritis problems. Providing you with a pure body from within, these foods give a helping hand in maintaining and regulating the levels of glucose in your blood as well as your blood pressure. Moreover, they also provide you with an efficient digestive system, and greater muscle and joint mobility.
Who’s In The Green Superfood Family?
Green superfoods are all rich in the energy they provide, and the long term health benefits they promise. Among the many members belonging to
this family are the following:
Chlorella
The benefits of Chlorella largely revolve around enhancing the functions of the liver. Chlorella has great detoxifying powers. This means that Chlorella may help to remove elements like uranium, mercury, arsenic and lead from your liver. Moreover, it may even reduce the effect of hangovers. The story does not end here. Chlorella is rich in protein, that you can easily find 7g of protein in 10g of Chlorella. This means that it is a food for growth. Chlorella also contains Chlorellan, which contains Chlorella Growth Factor, a component which is responsible for repairing and maintaining tissues. Moreover, it also contains vitamins B, C, and E, together with iron and calcium.
Spirulina powder
This too is a branch of algae. This green superfood is also rich in protein and contains vitamins B, K, E and beta carotene. Moreover, it also contains traces of elements such as iron, magnesium and some essential fatty acids. Overall, Spirulina enhances the immune system, and because it contains amino acids, it may also help improve people’s mental functionality and regulate their BP and blood glucose levels.
Barley Grass Powder
This largely emphasizes on maintaining an alkaline environment in the body. Barley grass is rich in vitamins, gluten-free and is nonallergenic.
Wheat grass powder
This green superfood may be responsible for increasing the red blood cell count in your blood. With an increased red blood cell count, you are less prone to acquire high blood pressure diseases. Wheat grass is also helpful in stimulating your metabolism and your thyroid glands.
But that’s not all of them. There are many other green superfoods that are highly nutritious and provide you with great health outcomes. A couple other types are alfalfa and kelp. Alfalfa is helpful for maintaining cholesterol levels and for stimulating the immune system. Therefore, it may also
be helpful to people who have asthma. As for kelp, this component helps by improving digestion and enhancing the health of glands. As it is high in protein, it also provides great hair and beautiful skin.
Using Green Superfoods
Green superfoods are very simple to use. Listening to the great benefits they offer to you, you might picture the taste of Spirulina or Chlorella to be icky like some vegetables (broccoli, for instance). However, that’s not the case. You can add these to any shake or a smoothie, or even garnish your salads or soups with them. If you are not really interested in cooking, you can even add them to a glass of water and sip it! It’s that simple! However, you must make sure that you read all the instructions given on the package so that you are aware of the right quantities.
Are Green Superfoods Suitable For Everyone?
When reading about the health benefits of green superfoods, you might think that everyone should have them. However, if you are a pregnant woman or are breastfeeding, you must take your doctor’s advice before you can use them. Similarly, for children, only half of the recommended dose is advisable. Some people might be allergic to certain herbs too. For instance, some green superfoods containing ginkgo biloba may not be very useful to the ones who are going through any anti-coagulant or anti-platelet therapies. Make sure you read out the correct instructions listed on the package, and consult with your physician.
It’s all About Being Super!
You can easily get your hands on these energy enhancers from your nearest health food store or even on online stores. When you are buying them, make sure that you are selecting the blends that have their ingredients listed on the top of the list. Lead a healthy life, start eating green superfoods today! Giving out the best source of energy and power, they are sure to make you move a long way!
Tom Hines, co-owner of NutritionGeeks.com (Minnesota’s #1 Retailer of NOW foods source), has been working in the nutrition industry since 1997, and is a retired powerlifter. He has a true passion for creatively helping others to learn about health and nutrition, which enhances their lives and well-being. He also believes taking supplements is a great way to healthy living, therefore, he takes Spirulina daily. He lives on the prairie in West Central Minnesota, spends his leisure time coaching youth wrestling, working with his horses, and being play toy #1 for his 3 boys; TJ, Grady, and Brock.
(Image courtesy of Barb Dunn)
