Can Greens Powders Fix All My Problems?

There are two types of people in this world. Those who have learned to eat vegetables and those who call them “rabbit food”. Regardless of what camp you’re in most people know that fruits and vegetables are considered healthy. But, that doesn’t mean they’re actually going to eat them. 

Some people just continue to take the route of avoidance, but others have turned to greens powders, like Athletic Greens or Bloom Nutrition, which are often made of pulverized “superfoods” like kale or spirulina. These powders are marketed to consumers as a way to make sure they’re getting all of their necessary nutrients. In other words, greens powders may function similarly to a multivitamin but many powders also claim to support gut health, energy levels, and immune system function.

If you’re someone who avoids vegetables like the plague, it sounds pretty enticing, right? It’s kind of like hitting the easy button. But, as per usual, the full picture isn’t quite so straightforward.

Benefits & Drawbacks of Greens Powders

Benefits

As a rule most Americans do not eat enough vegetables. While greens powders cannot take the place of a balanced diet, they can help to bridge the gap if a person needs a little extra boost to meet their fruit and vegetable goal.

Greens powders provide an interesting alternative to traditional fruit and veggie intake - especially for people that dislike eating these foods or cooking. In most cases, 1 scoop and 8oz of water is all you need. This provides a simple solution to get in quick serving of nutrients, fiber and synbiotics each day. This could also be ideal for people who travel often or have mobility limitations.

Drawbacks

Many green powders provide way more than the daily recommended amount of specific vitamins or minerals. For example, Athletic Greens offers 467% of your daily Vitamin C needs and 553% of your Vitamin E needs. While extra nutrients might not sound bad, certain vitamins, like A, D, E and K can actually build up in the body and put an individual at risk for toxicity. And, on the flip side, other nutrients like B-vitamins are deemed water-soluble which means that your body will get rid of them if it doesn’t need them. This means that your greens powder might just turn into expensive pee.

Secondly, there are little to no independent studies done on the effectiveness of greens powders or their health benefits. Many greens powder companies feature studies, but oftentimes they’re paid for by the company or are based on very small sample sizes. In addition, greens powders are considered supplements which means their claims and labeling are not regulated by the FDA.

Last, but perhaps most importantly depending on your pocketbook, these powders are wicked expensive. We’re talking $1.05-$2.60 per day, $7.00-$18.00 per week, or about $30.00-$80.00 per month. In this economy? Absolutely not.

For that same weekly cost, you could also get a bunch of bananas, a head of broccoli, a bag of carrots, four bell peppers, a bag of spinach, and a pint of blueberries. And, as a bonus, the food will actually keep you full whereas a greens powder doesn’t replace a meal.

Ways to Include More Fruits & Veggies In Your Day

Most importantly, all of the benefits of greens powders could also be created with consistent intake of plant-based foods and while whole produce is a better option than greens powders in many ways, that doesn’t fix the fact that a ton of people don’t like the way that fruits or veggies taste. So, what’s a person to do? Here’s a few ideas:

Finely Chop Your Veggies

Sometimes the biggest holdup with vegetables is their texture and size because not everyone wants a big honking tomato on their sandwich. But, there’s a simple solution. By chopping up veggies into much tinier pieces - like the size of a breath mint - they are often more palatable because they better mix with other foods. For example, if you’re adding cucumbers, carrots and peppers to a salad, chopping them finely let’s them evenly distribute through the salad and pick up plenty of dressing which is obvi the best part. 

Trick Yourself Like A Toddler

When push comes to shove you might find that you have to hide veggies or fruit in plain sight. This could mean adding an extra scoop of blueberries or spinach to a smoothie, or it could mean adding some blended carrots into your tomato sauce before you add it to your spaghetti. Chances are you won’t actually taste any difference but you’ll still get more nutrients. 

Not Everything Is Meant To Be Boiled

If you grew up in a household that seemed to boil every vegetable then I wouldn’t be shocked that you think you don’t like veggies. Soggy brussels sprouts we’re looking at you. Afterall, not everything is meant to be made into mush. Oven baking, grilling or pan frying all lead to crisper and more flavorful veggies which might be a game changer for your palate. 

Make It Saucy

If you’re new to the veggie game, adding a sauce or dip can help you to become more familiar with new foods. This could be a veggie dip with carrots or a cheese sauce on top of broccoli. While dips and sauces might add calories to a dish, they do not negate the nutritional value of a vegetable. 

This article is for informational purposes only and it not intended to be used in place of professional advice, medical treatment, or professional care. This article is not intended to be and should not be a substitute for professional care, advice or treatment. Please consult with your healthcare provider before changing any health regimen. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease of any kind.