When you hear the term “green power,” what comes to mind? Perhaps visions of solar panels or a hillside dotted with energy-generating windmills? But instead, let’s think about green power in more personal terms. Think about the super-concentrated power that green food provides your body.
From the veggies that grace your dinner plate to nutrient-dense algae and grasses, super greens are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients that scavenge free radicals, help detoxify the body, build blood, and enhance energy. One of the most important ways these green foods foster good health is by balancing the body’s pH.
This is Your Body on “Acid”
Think back to high school chemistry class and you may remember hearing about pH, which is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The pH scale ranges from 0, which is the most acidic, to 14, which is the most alkaline –with 7 considered neutral. In your body, your blood needs to be kept in a slightly alkaline range between 7.35 and 7.45. Normally your blood pH is tightly regulated and shifts only when a person is very sick. However, intercellular acidity, which is measured by urinary or saliva pH testing, can change significantly due to lifestyle, including things like diet, exercise, and sleep. Fortunately, the body has a unique “buffering” system that protects your blood’s pH to keep it in a safe range – but it does so at a cost.
When blood and other bodily fluids become too acidic, the pancreas and kidneys secrete neutralizing bicarbonate. Key alkalizing minerals can also be pulled from bones to aid in this buffering process. But as a result, this extra buffering can deplete the body of alkaline minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. At the same time, cells become less efficient at making energy and they produce more waste (lactic acid), increasing intracellular acidity. In fact, when you are acidic, energy production in the cells is as much as 19 times less! Being acidic lowers the body’s ability to repair damaged cells, and undermines its ability to detoxify heavy metals and other contaminants. Over time, intracellular acidity can contribute to a host of health problems including osteoporosis (bone loss), muscle wasting, and high blood pressure. It also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cognitive problems.
What causes acidity? Everything from environmental intoxication, stress, diet, and mineral deficiencies can contribute to an acidic pH. Arguably the most detrimental – and the easiest to fix – is your diet. If you’re eating the typical American diet, filled with overly processed foods high in sugar and carbohydrates, soft drinks, and meat and dairy – especially cheese – you’re on a bad dietary acid trip.
Super Greens to the Rescue
What can you do to rebalance your pH? Eating all kinds of vegetables, but especially leafy greens tops the list. These foods provide potassium and other minerals in a low-calorie package that has the net effect of helping to alkalinize the body. Some fruits (but not fruit juice), and healthy fats, like olive or avocado oil, are also alkalizing. Many beans and legumes along with whole grains can be either neutral to moderately acidic. Sprouting beans and grains can change their properties, making them highly alkaline. The bottom line is that there is no substitute for green and sprouted foods to maintain one of the most important aspects of your cellular health.
The goal is to eat about 75 to 80 percent alkalizing foods and about 20 to 25 percent acidifying foods. Including a high-quality powdered greens drink as part of your routine can help you reach this goal. Choosing an item from our Kyo-Green® line can help you reach this goal even quicker. Kyo-Green Greens Blend, for example, contains barley and wheat grasses, FOS, cooked brown rice, chlorella, and kelp, and provides an all-natural boost of energy. Kyo-Green Harvest Blend contains a wholesome blend of organic and naturally sourced grasses, ancient grains, fruits, vegetables, and herbal extracts, combined with nutrient-dense Spirulina to support and protect your immune system. Green drinks help increase your consumption of leafy greens, as well as other alkalizing superfoods like chlorella and spirulina. They also improve hydration and deliver essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When used on a regular basis, these drinks can support digestion and immunity while enhancing the body’s natural detoxification capabilities. It is one of the easiest, most convenient ways to support good health every day.
What are some of the other top benefits to Green Superfoods?
Improve digestion: Super greens powder can help to improve digestion! If you love greens and digestion is your main concern, there are certain ingredients you should look for in your green drink. Look for blends that include ancient grains, seeds, grasses, and spirulina. This mix of healthy ingredients provides a natural, gentle prebiotic for healthy digestion. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that serve as food for probiotics. They are usually found in high-fiber food like whole grains, greens, garlic, soybeans, and more, and prebiotics are necessary for probiotics to grow and multiply. The problem is that most people don’t get enough fiber or the variety of fibers needed to feed a diverse community of bacteria.
Provide a natural boost of energy: Greens can also help to ward off the dreaded afternoon slump. Instead of reaching for another cup of coffee or an energy drink, we recommend trying a powdered green drink mix instead, which can provide a natural boost of energy by charging your metabolism. Find a green drink with a natural, light taste, similar to green tea. Look for ones containing barley grass, wheatgrass, and other natural green nutrients.
Helps kids to eat their veggies: We know how tough it can be to get your kiddos to eat their veggies. This is where a super greens powder drink can help! Green drinks are a perfect vehicle for boosting their daily intake, especially for leafy greens and superfoods – something all kids can benefit from. Adding a spoonful of powdered green drink mix into a delicious smoothie provides a concentrated source of nutrients to support growing bones and bodies.
Why are Super Greens Powder Ingredients Important?
Wheatgrass: This juice bar staple is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as iron, magnesium, calcium, and amino acids. Among its 17 amino acids, 8 are considered essential, meaning your body can’t produce them—they must come from your diet. Wheatgrass is a powerful source of glutathione, known as the “master” antioxidant. It’s little wonder that preliminary research has found that it reduces oxidative damage to cells. Other studies suggest that wheatgrass may support healthy cholesterol levels, aid in balancing blood sugar, counter an inappropriate inflammatory response, and induce the destruction of damaged or abnormal cells.1
Chlorella: This freshwater alga has survived on the earth for over two billion years. The secret to chlorella’s longevity is its fibrous outer wall. Although this defensive wall protects this single-cell alga, it also prevents the body’s ability to take advantage of chlorella’s detoxification benefits. Fortunately, scientists have found that breaking this wall releases chlorella’s natural ability to bind toxins and heavy metals through a process known as chelation.2 Chlorella also boasts a wealth of vitamins including vitamins B1, B2, B12, folic acid, C, and K. Plus, chlorella is a potent source of minerals, essential fatty acids, protein, and fiber.
Spirulina: High in antioxidants, spirulina has been shown to inhibit the production of inflammatory signaling molecules. Spirulina is also rich in high-quality protein, B vitamins, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Not only does this make spirulina an alkaline food, but its rich nutrient profile also gives this alga numerous health benefits as well. Research shows that spirulina supports healthy lipid levels, helps maintain blood sugar balance, benefits those with seasonal allergies, and improves muscle strength.3
Kelp: This common seaweed is rich in B vitamins, which play a critical role in cellular metabolism. Because it absorbs nutrients from its surrounding environment, kelp contains more than 15 amino acids and is also a great source of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, boron, and manganese. As a result, this mineral-rich seaweed helps maintain bone density and muscle health.4
Don’t like eating your veggies…not a problem. You can drink them instead! These nutritional grasses are ready to give you a steady stream of nutrients and keep you strong and powerful throughout the day!
References
- Bar-Sela G, Cohen M, Ben-Arye E, et al. The Medical Use of Wheatgrass: Review of the Gap Between Basic and Clinical Applications. PubMed. 2015.
- Lloyd-Jones, R. Adams, J. McPherson F, et al. Impact of Daily Chlorella Consumption on Serum Lipid and Carotenoid Profiles in Mildly Hypercholesterolemic Adults: a Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrition Journal. BioMed Central, January 1, 1970.
- Karkos P, C Leong, Karkos C, et al. Spirulina in Clinical Practice: Evidence-Based Human Applications. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2011.
- International Osteoporosis Foundation. Ten Ways to Boost Your Bone Health at the Kitchen Table. IOF.
This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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