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What Are Super Greens?

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

Super greens are natural substances that are known to contain substantial amounts of various vitamins and minerals considered essential for good health. Sometimes referred to as super foods, super greens are usually processed and sold as nutritional supplements in a number of retail outlets. The supplements may be in the form of powders that are added to liquids or packaged like many other vitamin and mineral supplement products as pills or easy to swallow capsules.

In general, super greens are nutrients that contain significant amounts of chlorophyll, although this is not always the case. Several types of sea algae are considered part of the super food family, as are seaweed products and spirulina. In all cases, the super greens will contain amounts of nutrients that are often very difficult to obtain from consuming more traditional fruits and vegetables.

Shots of wheatgrass, which contains high levels of chlorophyll.
Shots of wheatgrass, which contains high levels of chlorophyll.

There are a number of claims made for different members of the super greens family. Anecdotal evidence indicates that a nutritional supplement of this type can help to significantly reduce the risk of cancer, hydrate dry skin, ease headaches within minutes and even reverse some of the effects of aging. People who regularly take super greens such as wheat grass report feeling more energetic, clear minded, and in general in a better position to enjoy life.

Typically, super greens contain significant amounts of chlorophyll.
Typically, super greens contain significant amounts of chlorophyll.

One of the more recent innovations in the consumption of super greens has been to juice the plants, extracting the liquids and drinking them singly or in combination with other juiced foods such as carrots or apples. The idea is that the juice from the greens contains a concentration of the nutrition offered by the plants without the bulk. This makes it much easier to enjoy a quick glass of juice and move on with the day. At the same time, the bulk product left from the juicing can also be used to increase the fiber content of foods such as muffins and other breads. If you're looking for something more convenient, consider adding super greens powders to your daily routine.

Some claim super greens in supplement form can ease headaches.
Some claim super greens in supplement form can ease headaches.

At present, practitioners of alternative medicine more commonly accept the claims of super greens powder. However, ongoing experimentation by healthcare professionals schooled in traditional medicine is underway and may eventually provide scientific proof to affirm at least some of the current claims made for various types of super greens. In the interim, just about everyone agrees that the inclusion of many of these natural products will provide at least some nutritional value and is not likely to cause any type of health issues.

It is possible to purchase various super green formulas in many health food shops and vitamin stores.
It is possible to purchase various super green formulas in many health food shops and vitamin stores.

It is possible to purchase various super green formulas in many health food shops and vitamin stores. There are also many brands of super green products directly available by manufacturers at online stores, like Enso Supergreens. The cost for various types of super green powder varies depending on the type of plants included in the formulas and the amount of each plant included in the specific brand.

Incorporating supergreens into one's diet, whether through fresh consumption or as part of the best greens powder, can provide a convenient and efficient way to boost nutrient intake and support various bodily functions.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

pastanaga

@Mor - The thing is that most vitamins and nutrients aren't going to hurt you if you have too much of them in your system, unless you somehow ingest crazy amounts. So I think it's actually safer for people to try and eat supplements regularly than to risk going without them.

Although green leafy foods aren't all that difficult to put into the diet. I just make sure I chop some up and stick it into almost everything I make, or have a little bit extra on the side of a meal with oil and salt.

Mor

@MrsPramm - I've seen studies though that show most people worry too much about this. The average person is probably getting most of what they need from their diet, as long as they do eat some vegetables and protein and so forth. Many people who take supplements don't actually need to do so. They get a placebo effect from eating organic super greens and think it's helping them, when a sugar pill would do the exact same thing.

MrsPramm

I had an argument with one of my friends over this once, when I was trying to tell her that she needed to eat more green vegetables in order to get enough nutrients, since she basically lived on cheese and noodles. And she told me that that kind of talk was pointless because people had been living for thousands of generations without worrying about nutrients and it was a modern obsession that no one really had to worry about.

The thing is, though, that's ignoring the fact that our ancestors ate tons of green leaves all the time. That's why we've evolved to need them, because they are a natural part of our diet. I don't think we need to all go back to the way our ancestors ate completely, but we do need to make sure we get the same amounts of nutrients they did, because they existed in stasis with their environment and evolved to take advantage of that.

If you need super greens to get enough nutrients into your modern diet, then that's what you should eat.

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    • Shots of wheatgrass, which contains high levels of chlorophyll.
      By: MSPhotographic
      Shots of wheatgrass, which contains high levels of chlorophyll.
    • Typically, super greens contain significant amounts of chlorophyll.
      By: sombra_de_luna
      Typically, super greens contain significant amounts of chlorophyll.
    • Some claim super greens in supplement form can ease headaches.
      By: Subbotina Anna
      Some claim super greens in supplement form can ease headaches.
    • It is possible to purchase various super green formulas in many health food shops and vitamin stores.
      By: diego cervo
      It is possible to purchase various super green formulas in many health food shops and vitamin stores.
    • Spirulina an extremely nutritious blue-algae that is considered to be a "super" food.
      By: monamakela.com
      Spirulina an extremely nutritious blue-algae that is considered to be a "super" food.