Green drinks or powders, just as the name implies, are food supplements made from a concentration or a combination of greens like spinach or kale, or edible marine plants like seaweed. Coming in convenient prepared form, it’s then very easy to integrate green drinks or powders into your diet to maximize their healthful goodness.
Read further and discover more about the benefits of green drinks or powders and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends you include this source of hydration to help in your quest to Become Superhuman.
Green Drinks or Powders Benefits:
Green drinks or powders containing spinach are popular among health enthusiasts. Spinach has potent antioxidants that help in reducing the risks associated with oxidative stress, particularly to the blood vessels and the brain. Spinach has peptides that have shown antihypertensive properties as well, and so consumption of this green vegetable fresh or in the form of green drinks or powders may help protect against complications brought about by high blood pressure such as stroke. Regular consumption of spinach may protect against the development of aggressive prostate cancer as well. This leafy green is also one of the handful of vegetables that contain measurable amounts of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
Kale green drinks or powders are available to consumers, too. Kale is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Brassica vegetables like kale contain glucosinolates, nitrogen- and sulfur-rich compounds, responsible for the characteristic smell of cruciferous vegetables. Glucosinolates, when digested and metabolized by stomach enzymes, produce diindolymethane (DIM) and sulforaphane (SFN). DIM is continually being studied after a pilot research in 2004 showed its efficacy in protecting against the development of hormone-dependent cancers in women. SFN shows potential as a chemoprotective agent and may also help in reducing the risk of developing cancers in humans, as was found in a 2008 study.
Seaweed green drinks or powders are also very popular. Seaweeds, first and foremost, are a great source of protein. As you probably already know, protein is crucial for muscle building and repair, making drinks made from this edible marine plant suitable as a post-workout hydrating agent. Consuming green drinks or powders made from seaweeds also allow you to take in compounds that can only be found in edible marine plants. For instance, there’s fucoidan, a polysaccharide in seaweed found to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-oxidant properties, and which may help in lung cancer prevention and treatment.
Green Drinks or Powders Practical Uses:
With an array of green drinks or powders available in the market, it’s crucial to be mindful of the ones you obtain. Always choose brands that are certified organic as these have been manufactured following stricter standards, which include use of certified organic produce, and safer processing methods to guarantee minimal oxidation.
Green drinks or powders are quite easy to incorporate into your diet. Making smoothies with your trusty blender and adding fresh fruits like bananas, cantaloupe, or mangoes is of course the most popular way to prepare them. Adding organic full-fat yogurt, and substituting the usual processed sugar with wholesome sweeteners like Stevia, can make for an even healthier greens drink.
Organic seaweed powder can be used for baking, too. Substitute the seaweed powder for half the amount of flour called for in the recipe. Use water instead of milk as well. Lastly, add a tablespoon extra of butter for every tablespoon required for this specific ingredient, and you should be able to make healthier greens breads at home.
In the next post, I’ll tell you the pros and cons of non-caffeinated teas and why you should drink these moderately to help in your quest to Become Superhuman.
In the meantime, if you care to jump ahead, here is a complete listing of drinks to avoid as well as consume regularly and moderately on the Superhuman Food Pyramid:
Drink:
- Filtered Water
- Soda Water
- Coconut Water
- Kombucha
- Green Drinks or Powders
Moderate:
- Non-Caffeinated Teas
- Coconut Milk
- Raw, Grass-Fed Cow or Goat’s Milk
- Kefir
- Sports Drinks
- Smoothies (With Natural Ingredients)
- Arabica Coffee Regular and Decaf
- Caffeinated Tea (includes Green Tea)
- Anti-Oxidant Drinks or Powders
- Rice Milk
Avoid:
- Almond Milk
- Red Wine
- Energy Drinks
- Flavored Waters
- Soda
- Soy Milk
- Regular Cow’s Milk
- Instant Coffee
- Blended Coffee
- Lattes
- Mochas
- Beer
- Mixed Drinks
- Hard Alcohol
If you have questions, comments or feedback about the benefits of greens drinks or powders, the Superhuman Food Pyramid, this website, or other aspects of Becoming Superhuman, then leave your thoughts below, as well as any tips you have on the benefits of greens drinks or powders.
Author Bio: Ben Greenfield
His credentials include:
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology
Personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
Sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN)
Advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta, the “Harvard” of bicycle fitting schools
Over 10 years experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports
Ben hosts the highly popular fitness, nutrition and wellness website at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com, which features blogs, podcasts, and product reviews from Ben. He is a frequent contributor to Triathlete magazine and LAVA magazine, Endurance Planet (http://www.enduranceplanet.com), the outdoor sports magazine OutThere Monthly and has been featured in WebMD, the Spokesman-Review, Inlander magazine, In-Health magazine, Fit-Pro magazine, PTontheNet, Prevention magazine, Women’s Running magazine, and Inside Triathlon magazine.
As a public speaker on fitness, nutrition, and training, Ben hosts one of the top ranked fitness podcasts in iTunes, the Get-Fit Guy (http://www.GetFitGuy.com), and has been a keynote lecturer at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships Medical Conference, the Coeur D’ Alene Ironman Medical Conference, USAT Art & Science of Coaching Symposium, Can-Fit-Pro Conference, Pilgrim’s Wellness Center Education Series, Fleet Feet Sports Endurance Sports Clinic and REI Nutrition Clinic. He sits on the board of directors for Tri-Fusion triathlon team, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and is the official coach for the YoungTri. As a triathlon coach and competitor, Ben competes at Ironman and Half-Ironman World Championships, holds a ranking as of USAT’s top ranked age grouper triathletes, and competes in 15-20 triathlons each year, both nationally and internationally.
