Green powder is said to be good for the body but will it encourage people to eat less fruits and vegetables?
If the sales pitches are to be believed, then you should consider a greens powder as your nutrition savior. Just mix a scoop into water or your favorite drink and get all the nutrition you might have been missing. Since eating fruits and vegetables is known to promote gut health, boost immunity, and benefit the brain and heart, these powdered greens may claim to do the same (and certainly in a way that is more convenient than prepping a salad).
In general, greens powders are made by dehydrating various ingredients and then crushing them into a fine powder. Many of these powders contain plenty of non-green ingredients, too. Formulas vary by brand, but many are made up of greens like broccoli and barley grass, fruits, mushrooms, herbal extracts, probiotics and micronutrients.
Greens, the Good
These supplements may help fill in some nutritional gaps in your diet. Some brands provide 100 percent or more of the daily recommendation for several important vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, zinc, and folate. So, these can be considered akin to a multivitamin and helpful in overcoming any nutrient shortfalls. And with ingredients like medicinal mushrooms and herbal extracts, it’s very likely a greens powder will provide you with plant compounds that you’re not likely getting from your normal diet. Some of these may provide benefits like increasing cognitive functioning.Greens, the Cautionary
There is scant research to support all the lofty health claims, which is not surprising as many of these products vary substantially from brand to brand in composition, making comparisons challenging. Research may have found benefits of individual ingredients like kale or mushrooms—but not the entire blend.
