What are greens powders?<\/p>\n
Foulsham explains that greens powders are supplements typically made from dehydrated and powdered forms of leafy greens, algae, grasses and fruits. Many brands also add probiotics, digestive enzymes and herbs.<\/p>\n
They shouldn\u2019t be confused with green juices or smoothies, which are made from blended fresh fruit and vegetables. <\/p>\n
\u201cMany promise a quick and easy boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients,\u201d explains Foulsham. \u201cThey often provide vitamins A, C, K and folate in addition to minerals like iron, calcium and magnesium.\u201d <\/p>\n
Are greens powders good for you?<\/p>\n
According to Foulsham, greens powders can be useful if you\u2019re struggling to eat enough fresh fruit and veg daily. \u201cIf you\u2019re someone who doesn\u2019t have a balanced diet, it\u2019s possible that the vitamins and minerals included in the powders can provide you with more nourishment than your diet,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
She points out that there is limited evidence to suggest that taking greens powders is beneficial, noting that they don\u2019t count towards your five-a-day. Additionally, if you\u2019re already eating a healthy, balanced diet, it\u2019s unlikely that a greens supplement will make much of a difference. This is because your body can only absorb a certain amount of vitamins \u2013 you\u2019ll just wee out what your kidneys can\u2019t handle.<\/p>\n
That said, she believes there could be some psychological benefits. \u201cWhile the evidence to support greens powders is limited, if taking one puts you in a \u2018healthy\u2019 mindset and encourages you to make other changes to better your health like moving more or prioritising sleep, then it can be helpful,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Greens powders vs. whole foods<\/p>\n
One point to consider, says Foulsham, is that the vitamins and minerals in whole foods have better bioavailability than powders. That means they\u2019re more easily absorbed by the body. \u201cWhile greens powders do contain lots of micronutrients, there is little to no data to support the bioavailability of the micronutrients in this form, so we can\u2019t be sure the body is making efficient use of them,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
Plus, whole foods provide us with more than just vitamins and minerals \u2013 they contain fibre, which is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. With greens powders, most of the fibre content is lost in the production process. <\/p>\n
What should you look for in a greens powder?<\/p>\n
If you do want to jump on the leafy bandwagon, Foulsham advises opting for a powder that contains real fruit and vegetables. \u201cAim for a product that has whole foods listed within the ingredients list and plenty of vitamins and minerals listed under the product NRVs (Nutrient Reference Values),\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
She suggests steering clear of supplements, which contain lots of synthetic and fortified ingredients. \u201cSynthetic ingredients, especially sweeteners, can cause gastrointestinal distress, while fortified vitamins are ultimately no different to standard multivitamins, aside from the cost,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
As most greens powders are not regulated by governing bodies, there\u2019s a chance that they don\u2019t live up to their claims. So, it\u2019s a good idea to choose one that’s been tested by a third party to check the ingredients list is accurate and free from contaminants. Verve’s<\/a> powder, for instance, is Informed Sport Certified<\/a>, while Athletic Greens<\/a> is certified by the Cologne List<\/a> and Informed Choice<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re unsure or taking medication, it\u2019s best to seek advice from a registered nutritionist or dietician before you take a green supplement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What are greens powders? Foulsham explains that greens powders are supplements typically made from dehydrated and powdered forms…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":73825,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,37790,5186,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-73824","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-hireview","10":"tag-most-popular","11":"tag-nutrition","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73824"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73824\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}