greens

5 Things to Look for When Buying a Green Superfood

Posted on November 19, 2021

Vegetables and fruits are good for us – this we know! Veggies and fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals – and unique plant nutrients called phytonutrients that give plants their distinct characteristics, like their taste, smell, and vibrant color! Nutritional research has found that it’s important to get a broad spectrum of phytonutrients from a range of colorful foods in our diet.

But did you know that the majority of North Americans get their phytonutrients from just four sources: tomato, orange, carrot and strawberry?

That’s why it’s a good idea to turn to a green superfood supplement – to feed the body with a spectrum of phytonutrients not otherwise found in the diet! A high quality green superfood supplement can help to naturally increase our energy and vitality, balance our pH, and provide antioxidants that protect against free radical damage†.

But how can you ensure that the green superfood supplement that you’re buying delivers all these benefits? With products lining store shelves, what should you look for in a green superfood?

#1 BACKED BY RESEARCH

There are plenty of claims and eye-catching buzzwords thrown around in the natural health product market. There’s no question that claims like “increases energy,” “provides high amounts of antioxidants,” and “fights aging” are going to be appealing. But how many of those claims are backed by solid research? Properly controlled scientific studies are important because they show the differentiating quality between supplements. A high quality green superfood supplement will have testing to prove not only potency, but also to confirm the synergy of ingredients in the formula. Research can also determine the efficacy of the product as a whole.

#2 EFFECTIVE AMOUNTS OF INGREDIENTS

When shopping for a green superfood supplement, it’s not always the ingredients alone that we should keep an eye out for. Knowing the amount of each ingredient is just as important as knowing the ingredients themselves. Sure, two different products may each contain spirulina but knowing the amount of spirulina that we’re actually getting per serving will provide a better understanding of the product’s potency and help us to make a more informed decision.

IS IT RAW?

Some companies claim their superfood powders are “raw,” but this may be a bit misleading. Raw foods, by nature, are very minimally processed, but when creating dried, powdered superfoods, this is nearly impossible. The ingredients need to be milled, processed, and sanitized in a way that makes them both safe and effective for consumption, which requires the use of heat. It is a bit misleading to label the product as truly “raw.” Unfortunately, at this time, there are no government standards or definition around this term, which allows for a lot of grey area when it comes to using the term on a product’s label.

#3 PROVIDES A SPECTRUM OF PHYTONUTRIENTS

Phytonutrients or “phytochemicals” have been taking center stage in the natural health industry as we continue to learn more about their role in human health. So far, scientists have identified around 25,000 phytochemicals naturally present in the foods we eat. Whoa. So how do we capture as many of these phytochemicals for ourselves? Single ingredient superfoods, like mushrooms, maca, or moringa, alone aren’t as rich of a source of phytonutrients as a superfood formula made from a variety of vegetables, fruits and superfoods – offering a spectrum of phytonutrients!

#4 PROVIDES STANDARDIZED HERBS IN EFFECTIVE DOSAGES

The medicinal part of a herb is also referred to as its active compound, and this is the part of the plant that provides benefits to the body. Dried whole herbs are not nearly as concentrated as herbal extracts and do not provide therapeutic levels of active compounds. That’s why it’s important to look for a supplement with standardized herbs, meaning that the active compounds are ready for your body to use. A green superfood supplement that contains standardized herbal extracts will provide a guaranteed amount of its active compounds for a difference that you will feel.

#5 SYNERGISTIC BOOSTERS TO MEET SPECIFIC NEEDS

We’re all different, and we have different nutritional needs (and health goals!). We may take a daily multivitamin to help fill nutritional gaps, or we may choose supplements based specific areas of interest such as bone health, energy levels, or to support detoxification… why not find a superfood that does both?

For 25 years, greens has stood the test of time. greens is the only superfood formula that’s been proven to boost energy and vitality, provide a rich source of antioxidants, and balance pH. With 23 colourful plant powered vegetables, fruits, superfoods and standardized herbal extracts, you can count on greens+ to deliver these benefits… and then some! You can count on greens to increase your energy and vitality, balance your pH, promote natural detoxification, support a healthy mood and mental outlook, contribute to a healthy gut, protect against free radical damage, and even boost athletic performance and build healthy bones. Talk about plant power!