Key Takeaways:
- Reds and greens powders are nutrient-dense supplements derived from fruits, vegetables, and superfoods.
- Greens powders are known for detoxification and anti-inflammatory properties; reds powders support cardiovascular health.
- Both types of powders are rich in essential vitamins and minerals that boost energy and cognitive function.
- Prebiotics and probiotics in some greens powders support digestive health.
- Choose supplements from reputable brands, check ingredient lists, and compare costs to find the best fit for your needs.
- Powders can be mixed with water, juice, or blended into smoothies for easy consumption.
- These supplements are not a replacement for whole foods; they should complement a balanced diet.
- Always read labels to avoid excessive intake of certain ingredients and to ensure the product meets your specific health needs.
Consuming greens and red powders can be a great way to pack nutrition into your diet and your daily quota of fruits and veggies without having to constantly take stock or count calories.
Scoop, mix into water, blend, and drink up. It's that simple!
But what exactly are these greens and red powders, and how are they different from each other? What about the benefits of each? How do you choose the best supplements to get the maximum nutrition safely?
We'll cover everything you need to know about these powdered nutritional all-stars in this article!
What Is a Greens Powder?
A greens powder is a nutritional supplement made from a combination of green leafy vegetables, fruits, and other nutrients, including digestive enzymes and probiotics. They can also contain other "green" superfood ingredients, like but not limited to seaweed, spinach, algae, wheatgrass, and spirulina. The exact ingredients can vary from brand to brand.
The more obvious distinction with a greens powder is its colour. Just like the name suggests, the powder is typically green in colour because of the presence of a pigment called chlorophyll, responsible for the green colouring in many plants and algae.
People generally use greens powder for detoxification, as well as for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Because they're composed of mostly leaves, herbs, and grasses, they tend to have a grassy/herbal taste.
Benefits of Greens Powders
Greens powders provide a number of distinct health benefits, making them a great addition to your diet:
1. They're rich in nutrients
A greens powder isn't just a nutritional powerhouse rich in vitamins and minerals; it also packs a punch with plant compounds such as phytonutrients and antioxidants. These bioactive elements are beneficial in guarding against inflammation, battling free radicals responsible for illness and early ageing, and improving the texture and health of your skin, hair, and nails.
2. Great for boosting energy and powering the body's physiological functions
Green powders are packed with crucial nutrients such as vitamins B3, B5, and C and essential minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc.
Scientific research underscores the vital role that vitamins and minerals play in numerous fundamental physiological processes. If you're not getting enough of these nutrients, it could result in a lack of energy, tiredness, and impaired cognitive function.
Conversely, when you ensure you're getting the optimal amounts, you'll experience a heightened sense of freshness, alertness, and readiness to tackle your day.
3. Supports good digestive health
Some greens powders (depending on the brand) contain a mixture of prebiotics and probiotics, which help combat gut inflammation, promote regular bowel movements, and support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Working in tandem, they enhance and sustain your gut health, improving digestion.
4. Fights inflammation and strengthens immunity
Green powders are rich sources of Vitamin A and the mineral Selenium, known for their anti-inflammatory properties. They also contain Vitamin C and Vitamin K, which play a vital role in combating free radicals. Vitamin K also supports optimal blood vessel function and eye health. It has shown benefits in averting age-related bone loss and dementia.
Greens powders also contain the phytonutrients flavonoids and polyphenols, which are known for the significant role they play in fighting inflammation. A scientific study showed that a daily dose of greens powder may reduce cell oxidation (damage) by up to 30%.
All of these nutrients help fortify your body's immune system, equipping it to fend off infections and chronic diseases.
5. Neutralizes excessive acidity
The inclusion of leafy greens, grasses, and vegetables in the form of a greens powder in your diet helps you maintain your body's delicate pH balance due to their alkaline-forming properties. When your body's internal environment becomes too acidic, it can become vulnerable to inflammation and an increased risk of disease.
6. Boosts your mental and physical performance while reducing stress
Some greens powder brands contain additional ingredients known for producing specific health benefits in the body. Ashwagandha, or Indian Ginseng, is known for being an adaptogenic, a natural substance that helps your body cope with stress and anxiety. A herb called Rhodiola helps fight fatigue and boosts mental and overall fitness.
7. Glow-up for your skin
Vitamin A and Vitamin C work together to prolong your skin's youthful vitality and appearance by combatting free radicals that can lead to the first signs of premature ageing such as lines and wrinkles.
Additionally, the antioxidants and phytonutrients found in greens powder play a crucial role in shielding your cells from damage, assisting in the prevention of premature aging and aiding cell regeneration.
What Is a Reds Powder?
Compositionally, a reds powder can be very similar to a greens powder, except that the ingredients are red, pink, or purple-hued as opposed to the green colour of leafy vegetables, seaweed, etc. In that sense, you can expect some of the micronutrients to be different and provide different nutritional benefits.
Think of delicious fruits and vegetables like cherries, tomatoes, strawberries, cranberries, beetroots, raspberries, acai berries, and grapes. The primary colouring agent is a bright red carotenoid (fat-soluble pigment) called lycopene.
People generally buy reds powder for cardiovascular support and its antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties.
Benefits of Reds Powders
Reds powder has many health benefits, making it a great choice for people who're just not able to get the nutrition they need from their diet.
1. They're a nutritional powerhouse
Reds powders are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants like anthocyanins and resveratrol. While green vegetables and leaves are typically easier to come by, reds powder helps you stock up on fruits and veggies like pomegranates, beets, and acai berries, which are not as readily available in all places throughout the year.
By consuming high quality red supplements, you can easily access the powerful nutritional benefits of these uniquely powerful red foods and superfoods.
2. Optimize blood flow for improved work/athletic performance
If your reds powder contains powdered pomegranates or beetroots, expect a boost for your heart health.
When you exercise, your body needs more energy. To support the increased energy demand, your body redirects more blood to the muscles involved. Both pomegranates and beetroots are rich sources of nitrates and polyphenols, which have been scientifically proven to improve blood flow.
Consuming reds powder can help you improve your endurance so you can exercise for longer while utilising your available natural energy efficiently. Your heart gets a great workout too!
3. Helps boost energy and reduce fatigue
Similar to greens, reds powder is a concentrated source of essential vitamins like vitamins A, C, E, and K, minerals like potassium and manganese, and other beneficial nutrients like anthocyanins, resveratrol, and flavonoids, which help the body fight inflammation and oxidative stress.
Vitamins and minerals play a key role in generating energy to power the body's physiological processes. In the absence of these vital nutrients, you won't feel as energetic and may experience frequent fatigue both in your mind and body.
4. Provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Red fruits like pomegranates are rich in phenolic compounds called punicalagins, great for protecting the body against free radicals responsible for premature ageing and inflammation leading to chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer.
Beetroots have nitrogen-containing pigments called betalains, which may have the ability to reduce the risk of some cancers, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, liver and kidney damage.
Blueberries, bilberries, and turmeric (sometimes added to reds powder) are rich in anthocyanins, which "possess antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-obesity effects." They also help with preventing cardiovascular disease.
How to Choose the Best Reds and Greens Supplements?
The best reds and greens supplements for you depend on your specific needs and lifestyle. Here's a quick guide to help you choose wisely:
- Look for reputable products with great reviews. Read up on the company. Understand how they source their products. Are their products organic and GMO-free? Check for the brand's transparency. Find out if they have processes in place to protect against the intrusion of harmful chemicals, heavy metals, and so on in the final product. Also, check online reviews from a variety of different sources to get a more comprehensive picture of the product, its benefits, and any side effects.
- Check the ingredient list. Look for products that have the least amount of artificial additives, flavourings, and preservatives. If you're watching your sugar intake, also look for sugar alternatives such as sucralose or artificial sweeteners like aspartame on the labelling.
- Review the costs. Work out how much of the powder you'll need on a weekly/monthly basis and compare the costs with your budget. You may be able to get the product cheaper as part of bundled offers.
- Check for clear instructions. Your supplement should come with dosage and usage instructions so you know how much you can consume safely in a day and how you can consume it (blended with water, fruit juice, etc.). Remember to check the expiry date before you buy.
How to Consume Reds and Greens Powders
The most common way to consume reds and greens powder is to mix a standardized scoop of the powder with water or your favourite drink of choice and blend until well-mixed. But you can also try other ways of consuming them. For example, you can blend them with your favourite smoothie and fresh juices. Check out our guide for more ideas on how to improve their taste.
Can You Take Reds and Greens Powder Together?
You can take reds and greens powders together for more nutritional impact. Do check the label to ensure you're not consuming excessive amounts of certain ingredients, such as herbs, that could affect your mental and physical functions.
Both reds and greens powder lack the dietary fibre found in whole foods. Therefore, it's important to treat them as a supplementary boost to make up for nutritional gaps rather than a substitute for the genuine article. Fortify your diet with whole fruits, vegetables, and protein.
Conclusion
Nutrient-packed reds and greens powder offer a convenient and efficient way to enhance overall health and wellness. From boosting energy levels to supporting immune function and providing essential vitamins and minerals, incorporating these powders into your daily routine can help you achieve optimal nutrition!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Are red and green powders worth it?
Both are excellent sources of nutrition, especially if you find it challenging to meet your daily nutrient requirements. But remember, they do not contain fibre and are not a replacement for whole foods. Treat them as a supplement for a well-balanced and nutrient-rich diet for the best results.
Q2. What are the greens and reds powder benefits?
Greens powders offer detoxification and anti-inflammatory benefits, boost energy, support digestive health, and strengthen immunity. They're rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Reds powders, on the other hand, are known for improving cardiovascular health, optimizing blood flow, and providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. They're also nutrient-dense, offering a range of essential vitamins, minerals, and greens and reds superfoods. Both types are designed to complement a balanced diet and fill nutritional gaps. Scroll up to read the full list of benefits for greens and reds powders!
Q3. What are the best reds and greens supplements?
Read our guidelines earlier in this article for how to choose a quality supplement. Also, check out our mega-whopper guide comparing 44 top greens powder brands. If you're in Australia, you don't want to miss our guide on the five best green powders we tested here.