We all have plenty of reasons/excuses for why we don’t eat enough greens:
“They spoil so quickly.”
“Fresh greens are hard to find where I live.”
“The taste turns me off.”
“It takes too long to wash and prepare.”
“They’re just… so… green!”
For every excuse we have for not getting enough greens in our diet, there are “like 50 billion reasons why we need to eat them,” says Denis Faye, M.S., and Beachbody’s executive director of nutrition.
OK, so maybe there aren’t quite that many reasons to eat greens, but eating fruits and vegetables daily is a non-negotiable part of a healthy diet.
Yet only 18 percent of adults eat the recommended daily amount of fruit, and a mere 14 percent get enough vegetables (including greens) each day.
Luckily, there are plenty of options that can help us eat better, from meal-delivery services and pre-washed vegetables, to green supplements and year-round access to most produce.
But if you’re a not a vegetable lover or you don’t have access to a variety of fresh greens, a greens supplement like Power Greens might be a good place to start.
5 Benefits of Greens Supplements
Green vegetables are low in carbs and calories, yet contain plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and one of the easiest ways to boost your intake is by integrating a greens powder into your healthy diet.
Keep reading for our ultimate guide to green supplements…
1. Greens supplements can fill in the gaps
While Faye would never fully replace the real deal — or recommend that others do that — he says greens supplements are an easy way to maintain your healthy habits when you’re away from home or really busy.
“When you’re traveling, sometimes you can go days just eating crap and there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Faye, which is why he recommends taking your greens supplements with you so you have at least one healthy option when you’re on the road.
2. A healthy diet with plenty of greens may help support the body’s optimal acid-alkaline balance.*
Everything in your body strives for balance, says Faye, and that includes your acidity and alkalinity, otherwise known as your pH balance.
Many holistic traditions encourage a diet rich in alkaline foods, including greens, and there’s even an alkaline diet.
Faye says we eat plenty of foods that are naturally acidic — including protein, dairy, and grains. Veggies like greens, along with nuts, fruits, and mushrooms are naturally alkaline.
3. Dark, leafy greens contain healthy phytonutrients
Beyond the fiber, minerals, and vitamins in greens is a unique set of nutrients called phytonutrients, which you can only get from plants.
“By definition that’s the only way to get them — look at the Latin: phyto means plant,” says Faye. “They’re plant nutrients. They are a whole world of a nutrients, and we’re just starting to scratch the surface on what they do.”
4. It’s easy to integrate greens powders into your diet
If your effort level for new healthy habits peaks with something like eating an apple a couple of times a week, greens supplements are for you. You can simply add them to the beverage of your choice — no chopping, cutting, or cooking.
5. A green powder can boost your veggie quota each day
One serving of a greens dietary supplement won’t replace your everyday healthy eats — nor should it, Faye reiterates — but it can get your day back on track when your early meals are short on fruits and vegetables.
He often tosses a scoop into his afternoon shake, especially on those days when he mentally reviews what he has eaten so far and thinks, “I wish I would have had a little bit more produce.”
So what’s the best greens supplement? It’s the one you like and remember to take on a regular basis, as a way to make up for missed opportunities to eat veggies, says Faye.
In Power Greens, one of the three Beachbody Shakeology Boosts, each serving has the equivalent to one cup of green veggies (volume before drying) — with no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives.
For all you picky eaters out there, it blends smoothly into Shakeology, with only a slight green color that hints that you’ve added it.
Power Greens Ingredients
The Power Greens ingredients include a combo of familiar, nutritious veggie powders from cucumber, kale, celery, matcha, and spinach, plus a form of algae that may be new to you — chlorella. All these ingredients are all traditionally considered “alkaline” foods.
Celery
This cool and crunchy green veggie contains nutrients like vitamin A and phytonutrients.* If the benefits of celery don’t outweigh its stringiness for you, try it in a greens powder instead!
Chlorella
These algae supply phytonutrients.* Chlorella has a distinct taste, but it’s virtually undetectable in Power Greens when consumed in a shake.
Cucumber
This cool, green veggie provides minerals like calcium, as well as vitamin A and phytonutrients.
Kale
This superfood is perhaps the most popular green veggie these days (hello, kale chips!), and it supplies a variety of different flavonoids and carotenoids.
Spinach
This dark leafy green contains vitamin A, calcium, and phytonutrients, and it usually has a milder taste than kale, so you can add it to pretty much everything, including muffinsand smoothies.
Matcha
Matcha is the powdered form of green tea leaves and is also a source of phytonutrients. This trendy, “new” ingredient can be found in everything from lattes to cupcakes nowadays, but matcha has a rich history in Japanese culture.
The matcha in Power Greens is Japanese-grown and is certified USDA organic.
The Takeaway
“Man can only eat so many salads,” says Faye, and a greens supplement like Power Greens helps you boost your nutrition without eating your weight in greens.
Eat your fruits and veggies to reap their benefits, but consider adding a scoop of Power Greens to your afternoon Shakeology or favorite beverage to quickly and easily add more greens.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
†Each 5g serving of concentrated powder provides the equivalent of 1 cup green vegetables (volume before drying).
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