Beyond its many health benefits, the best thing about green superfood powder may just be its versatility. Here are just a few ways to add it to your diet to enjoy the supportive perks:
Mix it into the batter for homemade cookies and other baked goods
Add it to yogurt, cereal or oatmeal
Sprinkle it on pasta
Swirl it into drinks
Blend it into smoothies
Whatever way you use it, the powder delivers a substantial dose of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients. It's rare that someone won’t need this kind of nutritional boost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that only 9 percent of adults eat enough vegetables, and just 12 percent eat enough fruit. A superfood powder smoothie with the right fruits and veggies can help correct that imbalance.
Plenty of people have made green superfood smoothies a part of their daily diets. Some people find smoothies are a quick, nutritious breakfast they can take on-the-go. Others enjoy it as an any-time-of-the-day snack. Made properly, a glass full of your favorite smoothie can boost your vitamin and mineral intake.
It's important to know that there's no scientific definition for a "superfood." Researchers at Harvard University note the term is more for marketing than valid consumer education.
There's no definitive definition for green superfood powder, either, so you want to make sure you choose one that has the ingredients you seek. In creating these powders, manufacturers use a proprietary blend of healthy ingredients, including spinach, kale, wheat grass, and other leafy greens. You also want to check the ingredient list for artificial flavors, sugars, and other ingredients.
Yes, green smoothies are healthy. In fact, they're healthier than most other drinks, especially when you make yours with a scoop of green superfood powder. Put the powder into your blender, then add spinach and other greens, almond milk, coconut milk, kale, and then some strawberries, raspberries, and avocado.
Those are just a few of the ingredients that you can combine to create a nutrient-rich drink. Plus, smoothies contain whole food fibers, which makes them healthier than juices. Researchers link fiber to many positive health benefits, including digestive health. Leafy greens make you feel fuller longer and keep your digestive system functioning well so you can avoid diarrhea, constipation, and other issues. Green smoothies also help keep bones and immune systems healthy, lower cholesterol, and even help prevent or reverse chronic diseases.
But remember, all ingredients aren't the same. Suppose you use nut butter, sugar, maple syrup, and even too many healthy but high-calorie foods such as avocado, bananas, and acai. In that case, your green smoothie may lead to weight gain and even increase your blood sugar to unhealthy levels.
That's not to say those ingredients are all bad. Mixing in nut butter and milk are just two ways to add protein to your smoothie. Just make sure you're aware of the nutritional values of all the ingredients you include, particularly the sugar content so you don’t go overboard on the sweet stuff.
As mentioned earlier, you can mix just about anything with your greens powder. Still, you don't want to add too many divergent ingredients. You want your superfood smoothie to benefit both your body and your taste buds.
If you're not used to consuming greens powder, you may want to start with smoothie recipes that hide the "green" flavor a bit. Blogger Amanda K. by the Bay created a smoothie recipe with a taste akin to PB&J sandwich (without the carbs from the bread!). The ingredients are basic, and you can easily combine them with your preferred green powder.
Here's the exact recipe from Amanda K's by the Bay blog:
1 ripe banana
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup yogurt (vanilla, plain, or blueberry would works)
splash of milk
1/2 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add more blueberries if you want your smoothie a little thicker. Once smooth, add chia seeds, pulse several times, and pour it in your glass to enjoy.
Now, what about if you want to whip up a smoothie but don't have the time to pull out the blender and mix it all up? Melissa d'Arabian of the Food Network said she especially loves smoothies for breakfast because "it starts the day with nutrients” and "the choices I make early in the day impact the choices I make later in the day."
In a plastic shaker cup or jar, combine half the milk and all the yogurt. Seal and shake until the yogurt is smooth (about 15 seconds). Add the rest of the milk and other ingredients, and shake for an additional 30 seconds or so. Let sit for 5 minutes before drinking.
1 cup unsweetened milk (dairy, almond, soy)
1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 drops vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
Dash of cinnamon
2 tablespoons chia seed
2 ice cubes
There are no rules of what you should and shouldn't add. Like every other recipe, it all depends on individual tastes and preferences. Still, there are certain ingredients to avoid adding to your smoothie, according to nutritionists who spoke with Women's Health magazine. These foods include:
The quality of green powders is dependent on the ingredients used and the production process. It's important to carefully read the label of any diet supplement you use to ensure it has the nutrition you seek.
You never need to wonder about the quality of Brightcore’s Sweet Wheat®. It’s created from organic wheat grass grown outdoors in ancient volcanic, mineral-rich soil. Whether you choose powder or capsules, you’ll never find it never includes fillers, soy, artificial ingredients, or binders. Instead, Sweet Wheat is packed with phytonutrients, chlorophyll, enzymes, and antioxidants. Discuss this supplement with your doctor, and you’ll find it’s the highest quality available.
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