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Not everyone loves to eat their greens. But the benefits of green foods are too important to be ignored. For instance, we know that a diet high in vegetables lowers the risk of chronic disease and cancer.
The good news is that there are many ways to get your greens these days. Many green food nutritional supplements are available, including powdered beverage mixes, tablets, capsules, and even delicious chewable green supplements!
Dark green leafy vegetables offer a spectrum of potent antioxidants that boost immunity and protect body tissues from damaging free radicals. Research also shows that less well known plant constituents are critically important for health. For example, consider the carotenoid lutein. Lutein and beta-carotene account for over 80% of the carotenoids of greens. Lutein concentrates in the macula of the eye where it helps prevent damage by oxygen free radicals. In addition, vegetables provide ingredients whose functions in the body are only now being appreciated.
Chlorophyll
Green foods are high in chlorophyll,
which has varied potential health-promoting properties, including blocking
carcinogens, reducing liver cancer, acting as an antioxidant, and limiting
antioxidants.
Clorophyll-rich foods provide multiple nutrients essential for health and they form the foundation of a healthy diet. The chlorophyll content of greens is often related to the level of beneficial carotenoids. Green food supplements may help balance a compromised diet. However, the price of green supplements varies immensely, and this should be weighed against the comparative cost, time commitment and culinary pleasure of incorporating plenty of dark green leafy vegetables into your diet.
Spirulina
Blue green
algae are among the simplest photosynthetic organisms, and the most commonly
used food forms are Spirulina maxima and S. platensis. While spirulina
occurs in salty lakes, it is also grown commercially in outdoor reservoirs under
controlled conditions.
Spirulina has ten times more beta-carotene than carrots, is 60% protein (more than steak, by weight), and more iron than spinach! It appears to provide a variety of health benefits, including lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, reduction of tumor growth, stimulation of immune defenses, and support of cardiovascular function.
Note: Aquatic organisms harvested from contaminated water may accumulate toxic heavy metals and other pollutants; we carry only reputable brands. Furthermore, blue green algae other than Spirulina may synthesize neurotoxins; therefore contamination must be monitored.
Chlorella
These single-celled plants,
aquatic algae, are a rich source of chlorophyll. The type found in supplements
is Chorella
pyrenoidosa, which contains levels of vitamins and minerals comparable to Spirulina.
Chorella
contains carotenoids such as zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. Carotenoids act as
antioxidants and can stimulate the immune system.
Barley grass, wheat grass.
Young barley
and wheat grasses from sprouted grains are frequently used in juices and drink
blends. In addition to chlorophyll, they contain carotenoids, vitamins such as
folic
acid, and minerals.
Like many vegetables, these foods contain substantial levels of potassium
and less sodium, thus helping the body become more alkaline and counter
metabolically induced acidification. Boron and manganese
are also important constituents of barley
grass, and vitamin
C is also well represented.
Summary
To be sure of getting enough
nutrients, nutritionists recommend eating a variety of minimally processed plant
foods to cover all of your bases. Whole foods also enhance synergistic effects,
so that one ingredient can help another for greater health benefits than is
possible with either alone. However, the levels of key nutrients and
phytochemicals actually present in a given food will depend on the plant source,
the soil or growth conditions, as well as the methods of cultivation,
harvesting, processing and storage.
Click
here to learn more about green food benefits and nutritional supplements
including more detailed information on chlorophyll, green food supplements,
spirulina, chlorella, barley, and wheat grass.
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