If you’re looking to refresh your routine this spring—think plants! Plant foods are awesome, they have so much more to offer than simply micro and macronutrients. They also contain thousands of different bioactive compounds, commonly referred to as phytonutrients, that can provide physiological benefits through mechanisms such as fighting free radicals (think antioxidants), reducing inflammation, feeding your gut bacteria, and helping your body detoxify!

But getting enough phytonutrients in our diet isn’t as easy as it sounds.

1. We’re not eating enough plant foods, period. Based on the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (nutrition focus), most Canadians had low intake of fruits and vegetables, where all these phytonutrients are found.
2. We’re eating the same handful of fruits and veggies. Just four foods make up the bulk of North American phytonutrient intake: tomato, orange, carrot and strawberry.
3. Plants are less nutritious now than they were before. Another important consideration when thinking of plant foods is the nutrient density within the plant itself. Not only do we already have low intakes of plant foods, but there has been research suggesting the decline of the nutritional composition of fruits and vegetables! Over the last 50-100 years in developed countries, the concentration of several nutrients has been on the decline, due to a range of factors including farming practices and soil fertility. This can be hard to wrap your head around, especially considering that these plants are touted for their nutritional benefits!

This is where a green superfood supplement can help to provide your body with important plant nutrients that are deficient in your diet. But it can be hard to choose a superfood supplement, so it’s important to choose a superfood that’s made with a variety of colourful superfoods. This is because diversity is KEY—each plant food has a special set of functions. In order to reap the benefits of these nutrients, it’s important to ensure we are consuming a wide variety (not just a single ingredient superfood supplement). Additionally, look for a superfood made with standardized herbal extracts. Herbal extracts can aid in liver detoxification, boost our energy and so much more. But in order to reap the benefits of herbs, they should be standardized to include an effective dose of the active ingredient. Lastly, look for a research-proven formula available in formulas to address your health goals.

greens+ by Genuine Health is made with 23 ingredients, including:

• 10 superfoods, including acerola berries, lecithin, organic beetroot, apple fibre, organic soy sprouts, organic whole bran rice kernel, 8 bacterial cultures, prebiotic fibre, bee pollen & royal jelly.
• 3 chlorophyll-rich grasses, including organic wheat grass, organic barley grass & alfalfa.
• 3 sea vegetables & more, including Atlantic dulse, chlorella & spirulina.
• 7 standardized herbs, including green tea extract, bilberry extract, milk thistle extract, licorice root extract, Siberian ginseng root extract, ginkgo biloba leaf extract & grape extract.

greens+ is available in different formulas—from helping to support your body’s natural detoxification pathways, to strengthening your bones and providing even more energy for your day! Plus, greens+ is the ONLY superfood validated by 9 research studies, and has been proven to increase energy and vitality, provide a rich source of antioxidants and offset dietary acid load.

Between work, school, and all our other obligations, it’s harder than ever to take time to ensure that we’re getting all the necessary nutrients to thrive. It’s in times like these that greens+ is a beneficial add-in, to make sure we’re taking care of ourselves!

References

Davis, D. R. (2009). Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the Evidence? J Am Soc Hortic Sci, 44(1), 15-19. 21273/HORTSCI.44.1.15

Durack, J. and Lynch, S. V. (2019). The gut microbiome: Relationship with disease and opportunities for therapy. J Exp Med, 216(1), 20-40. 1084/jem.20180448

Health Canada. (2016). Evidence Review for dietary Guidance: Summary of Results and Implications for Canada’s Food Guide. Minister of Health Canada.

About the Author: Genuine Health Team

Genuine Health believes that we should all have a vibrant, healthy life, and that a well-nourished body is the best way to get there. They work with renowned scientists and professionals at leading institutions and a panel of esteemed health experts, including researchers and doctors of natural and traditional medicine to back their formulas with research and clinically proven ingredients. Learn more at genuinehealth.com