Jill Levy has been with the Dr. Axe and Ancient Nutrition team for six years. She completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Fairfield University, followed by a certification as a Holistic Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Jill takes a “non-diet” approach to health and really enjoys teaching others about mindful eating, intuitive eating and the benefits of eating real foods.
Why Super Greens Work for Your Body, Plus How to Use
Posted by Ethan Boldt on
By Jill Levy
Even if you strive to eat a healthy diet, you may be like many adults and come up short when it comes to consuming enough greens.
This is where supergreens powder supplements come in handy: They make it a whole lot easier to consume some of the healthiest foods available to us on a regular basis.
What are the benefits of taking supergreens? When you add a supergreens powder to your daily routine, you’ll typically experience many of the same health perks associated with eating fresh veggies and fruits and/or juicing— including a higher intake of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
This translates to support for digestion, healthy energy levels, detoxification and more!
What Are Super Greens?
What is supergreens powder made of? Also called “green superfood powder,” these supplements contain a variety of dried greens, in addition to dried algae, berries and herbs.
These ingredients have been deemed “superfoods” because they are exceptionally high in nutrients, including phytochemicals, antioxidants and others.
What types of superfoods can you find in most supergreens? Many are made with health-promoting greens and other botanicals (which are often organically produced), such as:
- Spirulina
- Oat grass
- Alfalfa grass
- Beet root
- Peppermint leaf
- Chlorella
- Turmeric and ginger
- Carrot root
- Wild blueberry
- Goji berry
- Matcha powder
- Ashwagandha powder
- Pomegranate
- Broccoli stalk and flower
- Spinach and kale leaf
- Acai berry
- Noni fruit
- Elderberry
- Flax and chia seeds
- Fermented functional mushrooms such as cordyceps
- Digestive enzymes
- And more
As you can see, some supergreens, including Ancient Nutrition’s, go above and beyond including just basic greens by adding dried fruits, adaptogens such as ashwagandha, probiotics such as Bacillus coagulans, and digestive enzymes such as amylase and lipase.
These ingredients are added to support overall gut health, which assists in the process of absorbing nutrients in addition to promoting healthy digestive function and maintaining healthy gut microflora.
Benefits
What do supergreens do for your body?
The herbs, greens and botanicals added to these powders are nutrient-filled sources of essential vitamins and minerals. This means that these supplements may help fill in gaps in your diet, especially if you don’t regularly eat vegetables and fruits.
Benefits of adding a supergreens powder to your diet can include:
- Increases antioxidant intake
- Help with healthy detoxification
- Supports healthy digestive function
- Help maintaining healthy gut microflora and support for general gut health
- Promotes proper elimination
Is supergreens powder good for healthy weight management?
While most of these powders are not intended to be used primarily for healthy weight management, they make a great addition to most types of healthy diets or low-calorie diets that can help you get the nutrients you need to help support a healthy weight.
For example, Ancient Nutrition’s Organic SuperGreens Powder is suitable for people following a variety of diets, including Paleo, low-carb or keto (each serving has 1 gram of sugar and 3 grams of carbs), vegan, vegetarian, and for those on diets where they are limiting gluten, nuts or dairy.
Why do supergreens support healthy digestive function?
Supergreens supplements often contain probiotics that support digestive functions, elimination and may help you “stay regular.”
Of course, staying hydrated is also important for keeping things regular, so by consuming fluids with your powdered greens you get a win-win.
Best Super Greens and Why
When shopping for a green superfood powder, look for one made with a variety of greens, vegetables, fruits such as berries, herbs and adaptogens. Ideally, choose a brand that features mostly or all organically produced ingredients.
Ancient Nutrition’s Organic SuperGreens Powder (Greens Flavor) is one of the most convenient ways you can increase your daily greens intake.
Our formula is made with only organic, non-GMO ingredients and comes in a BPA-free container.
Because our supergreens are USDA Certified Organic, this means all ingredients are grown in nourishing, high-quality soil in which no prohibited pesticides, herbicides or processing agents are allowed to be used. We also intentionally don’t use high-temperature processing methods when creating our powder, because this can damage delicate nutrients found in superfoods.
Our greens have a versatile, light/neutral flavor, making it easy to add to water or your favorite smoothies or other beverages.
We also include 10 different digestive enzymes and soil-based probiotics in our formula, which powder truly sets ours apart from the competition.
How to Use
A general recommendation is for adults to consume one scoop daily mixed with 8 ounces of water, or your favorite hot or cold beverage.
Try our powdered greens in a power-packed green smoothie or protein shake, or simply added to fresh squeezed juice. Having a serving in the morning is a great way to give yourself a natural energy boost. Just add a scoop to a glass of cold water, mix well and sip!
How many times a day can you drink supergreens? We like sticking to one or perhaps two servings daily, since each small serving packs a big punch of nutrients. However, you should always read and follow label directions. Additionally, you should always consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen, including dietary supplementation.