Green powder has become inevitable these days.Every time you scroll through Instagram or TikTok, you are guaranteed to see a video of a beautiful person mixing a very ugly substance into a freshly poured glass. This is a powdered supplement made from dried fruits and vegetables.
Green powders have been on the market for years, but collaborations with wellness influencers, hefty venture capital funding, and the growing popularity of doing healthy-looking things have led to more recent trends. Many of the options available on the market claim to reduce bloating and regulate hormones while boosting energy, endurance, immunity, and circulation.
But do they work? Or is this just another marketing scam in the wellness industry? Here’s what you need to know about green powder and its supposed benefits.
Proving that they work is difficult.
“Very difficult. Let’s just say that,” says Evan Leister, Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences at American University.
Most studies looking at the effectiveness of greens powder supplements have been done over several months with fewer than 100 participants, Reister explains. Green powder may also increase levels of certain antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, folic acid, and beta-keratin in the bloodstream.
Green powders are a concentrated form of vegetables, so it’s easy to want to tie them to the benefits of a diet rich in nutritious whole foods, such as a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes. Research on real foods should not be extrapolated to powders.
“Larger, longer-term studies are needed to determine the actual efficacy of green powders, especially for problems such as heart disease and cancer, which take decades to test for efficacy.” said Reister.
Their growing popularity is likely due to their excellent marketing.
Green powders typically have aesthetic marketing campaigns that associate their products with being healthy, and there’s also a rise in influencers promoting their products. claims to brighten the skin, keep the stomach flat, and an easy addition to the morning routine. increase.
Camilla Martin, registered dietitian-nutritionist at UW Health Kids, says when something works well and is backed by science and provides health benefits, it’s usually when companies try to replicate it for profit. It’s time.
“This may be very well-intentioned, like making the benefits of fruits and vegetables we know more accessible, but a lot of it is trying to make money,” she said. .
A nutritious whole food will be the best option.
Studies show that a diet full of nutritious whole foods, rich in fiber and natural vitamins and minerals, is the healthiest choice. More popular greens powder brands like Bloom and Athletic Greens contain less than 3 grams of fiber per serving. So relying on them alone would not meet his daily recommendations of 25-30 grams per day.
“When possible, I want to use these supplements to enhance my diet rather than replace it.
Consuming something in a concentrated form like green powder can also increase your risk of consuming too much of the nutrient. It contains ingredients such as garlic extract and chicory root that are known to promote bloating and gas in some people when consumed in excess.
“I always recommend contacting and checking with their healthcare provider before starting anything to make sure it doesn’t interfere with other medications the patient is taking.” Having said that, if someone uses the powder to supplement their diet and not replace it, chances are there are some good things out there.
There are certain situations where green powder is the best and only option. For example, if the military is deployed for an extended period of time, or if you don’t consume many fruits and vegetables for whatever reason. Some brands offer blends of probiotics, enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. doing.
If you’re like me and still want to try green powder, choose trustworthy brands over cute ones.
Because the Food and Drug Administration considers supplements to be foods, not drugs or biologics (such as vaccines), the regulatory process is much less stringent and less standardized. This means that the FDA does not have to verify the contents of the supplement. So brands can say whatever they want, as long as the label claims aren’t ridiculous.
When looking for brands, stick to brands that have well-researched and safe ingredients. (Remember that fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables are much more affordable.)
Leister advised looking for third-party tested green powder brands, a service offered by NSF International and US Pharmacopeia (USP). “If a supplement is certified by the NSF or USP, it means that the supplement does not contain harmful levels of certain contaminants and contains the ingredients listed on the label in the correct amounts. “This label says nothing about the effectiveness of the supplement.
If your brand does not have one of these certifications, think twice about your choice.
“When I work with patients to recommend specific vitamins and minerals, I stick to the bigger brands.” If the names have existed for a long time, many people use them.
