We’ll admit it: “greens powders” sounds like a cross between some strange street drug and a household cleaning solution. Thankfully, they’re neither. If you’re feeling a little lost about what they are and what they do, you’ve come to the right place.
Just a short time ago, Steve Harvey set out on a personal health and wellness journey. He was tired, uninspired, and always feeling like he was playing catch-up with his busy schedule.
Part of Steve’s journey involved the realization that his nutrition, which was representative of the classic American diet, was out of balance. As a result, the wellness of his entire body was off-kilter. Getting it back on track took relearning what he thought he knew about food and the development (with his team of doctors) of a greens powder to help supplement his busy lifestyle.
We’ll explain what greens powders are, how they are, and whether or not you should add one to your diet. Spoiler alert: you should, and it’s never too late to start using one.
What Are Greens Powders?
We’ve all got our opinions of those people who walk around with shaker bottles filled with their favorite protein powders. They’re coming from the gym, going to the gym, thinking about the gym, or talking to you about the gym. Their lifestyle works for them, but it’s not the one we’ve been living.
If we had shaker bottles, they’d probably contain coffee and creamer because we just don’t seem to have the energy everyone else has. That’s why we need greens powders (and probably a decent shaker bottle).
Greens powders, simply put, are a powdered blend of dehydrated vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients that can be mixed with water and taken as a dietary supplement for health benefits. If you spend any time on social media, you’ve seen them. Wildly popular, and we’ll admit a little aesthetically off-putting, these green drinks are downed by influencers, celebrities, and the average working-class person.
The fact that practically everyone is drinking them would lead you to believe they’re beneficial, and that’s a good conclusion to draw. Besides the fact that you’re getting a dose of vegetables and fruits, you’re also getting many other health benefits.
What Are the Health Benefits of Greens Powders?
If we’re honest, most of us would admit we aren’t exactly eating as healthfully as we probably should. Blame it on our schedules, our resources, or just lack of interest, but our diets are usually full of ingredients that aren’t healthy and lacking in ingredients our bodies need to feel and operate better.
Greens powders help fill in dietary gaps. If your daily routine consists of coffee for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and a liquid dinner, you’re missing out on vitamins, nutrients, and health benefits you could be receiving from eating better. That’s where greens powders can help.
Rich in Micronutrients
Fruits and vegetables are rich in micronutrients, also known as vitamins and minerals. Your body needs these to survive.
In fact, some micronutrients are considered essential. Essential means your body has to have them to carry out bodily functions but can’t readily make them on its own. That means you have to get them from supplements or dietary sources.
Greens powders are packed with micronutrients because they contain the original micronutrient sources — the plants that originally contained them. L’Evate You’s Vitality Daily Greens, for instance, contains a blend of 30 superfoods and nine greens, which would be virtually impossible to get into your body daily by consuming those vegetables and foods in raw or cooked form.
Great Source of Fiber
The older you get, the more you talk about certain things, and one of those things is your bowel movements. You know it’s true.
You deal with bloating, discomfort, and other digestive discomforts — having issues with constipation is common as we get older, affecting nearly one-third of all adults.
A solution? Good, old-fashioned insoluble fiber.
Fiber protects your gut health and also keeps your colon healthy. Not to mention, it brings back regularity to your life. Greens powders are packed with fiber and other prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes to help support your entire digestive process from start to finish.
The result? Your digestive health and overall health improve, and you feel more like you did 10 years ago.
Supports Energy Levels
Most of us rely on coffee or similar stimulants to keep us running throughout the day. At some point, many of us realize we’re drinking more coffee than ever before, only to feel more tired than we’ve ever felt.
This is normal. Caffeine works by suppressing a chemical in the brain called adenosine that makes you tired and prepares you for sleep. The problem is that the body tolerates caffeine over time, so it takes more caffeine to turn off the adenosine. Eventually, you can’t keep up. Drinking too much coffee can also interfere with your sleep cycles, creating a sleep debt that’s hard to fix.
Couple this with the natural energy decline you experience from aging, and you can feel worn out by the time you’re 45. This is because our cells, the foundation of our entire bodies, begin to slow down with age. The mitochondria in our cells (the powerhouses) slow their production lines, which translates to slower cellular function and slower bodies.
Greens powders can give you a solution that’s more long-term than a cup of coffee or an energy drink. L’Evate You Vitality Daily Greens is supercharged with our proprietary blend of cell-supporting ingredients like ElevATP® and M-Charge Complex. These ingredients support mitochondrial function, maintain your immune system health, and support your overall wellness. Over time, you’ll feel the power of cleaner, longer-burning energy.
Supports Long-Term Wellness
None of us are getting any younger, and although we’re happy to be on the right side of the dirt, we get to stay here longer if we take care of our bodies long-term. Investing in our total wellness is a process, and making small, simple changes can pave the way to a healthier future.
Taking a greens powder is an easy way to support your long-term wellness and protect your cells against oxidative stress that can damage them as you age. Free radicals, unbalanced molecules, can attack our healthy cells and damage their DNA. When they regenerate, that damaged pattern repeats itself.
Antioxidants are like shields that protect your cells from free radicals. They come from sources like vitamin A, vitamin C, leafy greens, and whole foods. Adding a greens powder to your diet increases your intake of these important compounds and supports your long-term health and wellness.
When Can You Take Greens Powders?
With so many benefits, you’re probably ready to find out if you qualify. The good news is, you do. Anyone can take greens powders unless they have a specific food allergy to one of the ingredients. Because greens powders don’t typically contain any of the most common dietary allergens (like dairy, nuts, wheat, or eggs), a greens powder will likely be a good fit for you.
If you’re pregnant or nursing, consult your doctor to make sure you can take a greens powder. Because greens powders are whole food derived, they’re usually safe for these individuals.
How Can You See Success With Greens Powders?
Like anything worth having, success with greens powders won’t happen overnight. If you expect to sip a few green smoothies and suddenly wake up with six-pack abs and the energy and stamina you had when you were 18, you need to reframe your expectations.
Taking greens powders over time and as part of a healthy diet and exercise plan can help support your overwell wellbeing, increase your energy, and improve health markers you may have been struggling to maintain for decades. Here’s how to use your greens powders the right way.
Be Consistent
Taking plant-based greens powders is a little like weight loss. If it’s effective and long-lasting, it’s going to take time and consistency. It requires showing up and suiting up every day. Reaping the benefits of greens powders is the same — just like taking a daily multivitamin, you need to use your nutrient-dense green powders daily.
The more consistent you are with greens powders, the more benefits you’ll see in the near term and in the long term. Over time, you’ll be supporting improved heart health, helping reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases, and maybe even noticing a difference in your blood pressure.
Eat Your Veggies
Some people love eating healthfully, and we love that journey for them. For the rest of us, it can be a real struggle. Greens powders fill in the gaps. Instead of pairing barley grass and beets with your dinner, you can pair it with all the best greens available in one easy-to-drink, delicious supplement.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive to include more vegetables in your diet; it just means that getting in a full serving is a lot easier.
Pair Them With Protein and Fat
Your body requires macronutrients just like it requires micronutrients. Macronutrients are fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Pairing your green vegetables (or your greens supplement) with lean proteins and fats helps protect your gut health and ensures you’re getting the proper nutrition your entire body needs.
If you pair high-quality foods like green powders with gut-busting choices like fried foods, refined sugars, and processed grains, you won’t reap the benefits of taking green powders as fast. It’s a little like trying to brush your teeth while eating cookies.
Instead, focus on healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and salmon and lean protein choices like chicken, pork, tempeh, and soybeans.
Get Regular Exercise
In addition to consistency and better dietary options, regular exercise is important for helping you sustain your energy, keep your body flexible, protect against bone loss, and help support your mental health.
Regular exercise looks different for everyone, but if you’re new to the game, remember that small changes lead to big results. It might start with a 10-minute walk or with simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator to work. The point is to get moving and keep moving to avoid getting stiff and injured later in life.
Manage Stress
Keeping stress levels low helps us avoid high blood pressure, reduces our risk of heart disease, and keeps us focused on our goals and the people we love. Nothing can take us out of the game faster than unmanaged stress, yet many of us are at a loss with how to handle it.
Whether you try something new like a meditation class, sign up for yoga, or decide therapy is a good solution, find a way to unload your stress to keep healthy and mentally focused.
Work With Your Doctor
You can’t focus on your health without the help of your healthcare provider. Working with your healthcare provider can help you establish baseline numbers, show you areas that need improvement, and give you the tools you need to be successful.
A registered dietician is another resource that can help you in your journey to wellness. Be sure to let your dietician know that you’re taking your greens. You’ll impress them and set yourself up for success.
The Bottom line
Greens powders are an easy way to support your health and wellness, increase your energy, and support a better, happier you. They can be used to fill in dietary gaps and add nutrition in areas where you need it most.
If you’re looking for a good greens powder, we’ve got you covered. L’Evate You has greens powders that are high-quality, nutritious, and delicious.
Sources:
Micronutrient Facts | Nutrition | CDC
Concerned About Constipation? | National Institute on Aging
Tired or Wired? | NIH News in Health
Mitochondrial Aging and Age-Related Dysfunction of Mitochondria | PMC