Are Powdered Greens As Good As Fresh Vegetables?

Can good quality powdered greens directly replace the fresh vegetables that are staples in our diets? This is a question we encounter frequently, and in this comprehensive article, we aim to address it with the clarity and honesty it deserves.

Powdered greens, which boast a rich composition of freeze-dried, dehydrated vegetables, grasses, and other green superfoods, are often marketed as a convenient part of your daily 5-a-day vegetable intake. Yet, when it comes down to the raw nutritional value and benefits, fresh vegetables in their natural state consistently emerge as the superior choice.

Why might this revelation come as a surprise, especially coming from us at Lean Greens, a brand synonymous with high-quality super greens? It's simple. We believe in not sugarcoating the truth about nutrition, even if it means debunking common misconceptions about our own products. The reality is, while our super greens powder is formulated to provide an impressive array of nutrients, antioxidants, and other health benefits, we firmly position it as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, the fresh vegetables your body craves and needs.

Our stance is rooted in the understanding that nutrition is multifaceted. Fresh vegetables not only offer essential vitamins and minerals but also provide dietary fiber, contribute to gut health, and support overall well-being in ways that powdered supplements can complement but not fully replicate. 

How Many Portions of Vegetables Do We Actually Consume?

Fresh vegetables are the gold standard for getting the hallowed 5-a-day, but for many achieving that is difficult. The NHS ran a study in 2018 about the UK population's habits towards eating fruit and vegetables, and only 28% said they consistently achieved 5 a day.

“In 2018, only 28% of adults were eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day – and the average (mean) was 3.7 portions per day. Fewer men than women meet the five-a-day guideline, and young people aged 16 to 24 are also less likely than other adults to get their five-a-day. In 2018, 18% of children aged 5 to 15 ate five standard portions of fruit and vegetables per day.”

NHS - http://healthsurvey.hscic.gov.uk/data-visualisation/data-visualisation/explore-the-trends/fruit-vegetables.aspx

A massive 72% are not getting 5-a-day, and that’s despite all the government promotion and the promotion of healthy foods by the food industry. Even more crazy is the number of times we get messages from vegans and vegetarians who say they struggle to eat enough veg, which begs the question...“what are they eating!”

Many of our customers turn to Lean Greens because they know they don’t consume enough vegetables, and for many they simply don’t like vegetables, and find our product is their route to a healthier diet.

The Pro’s and Con’s of Powdered Greens

You can see the attraction to a simple drink that promises to pack in the nutrients from vegetables. So are they worth trying?

The best quality powdered greens are made directly from raw, natural food sources. Usually containing ingredients such as broccoli, spinach, wheatgrass, spirulina, barley grass.

Because they are made directly from the raw ingredient, it’s very much like juicing your own vegetables and the goodness that is achieved from juicing.

Benefits of Green Drinks Supplements

1. Maximum Absorption Compared to Multivitamins

It’s suggested that the vitamins and minerals and other nutrients from this type of drink are more bioavailable, meaning they are more easily absorbed by your body compared to a multivitamin. This is because most multivitamins are derived from synthetic sources which the body struggles to maximise the absorption of.

2. Convenience

Convenience is probably the biggest factor with a super greens drink. When it only takes 30 seconds to mix and drink, it’s a fast and simple way to top up where your diet falls short. Especially compared to the time, hassle and mess created by juicing ingredients in your fridge.

3. Variety of Vitamins & Minerals

One of the other big reasons to use powdered greens is the wide range of vitamins and minerals you get. Most people's diets usually only have 2 or 3 different types of veg. You might have broccoli or carrots, and perhaps spinach in your fridge, but that’s it. With powdered greens you often see 15 to 20 different ingredients with a very wide nutrient profile, giving your body a chance to consume all that it needs.

Downside of Green Drinks Supplements

1. Potential Loss of Nutrients

The negative side of greens powders is the potential loss of some nutrients during processing. For example, fibre may be lost during freeze-drying processes

Because you’re drinking your nutrients rather than eating them, there is a difference in how your body will process the nutrients.

2. Production of Enzymes

If eating vegetables, you normally get benefits from chewing and the gut producing certain enzymes during digestion that help maximise the absorption of the nutrients. When drinking your greens that will not happen as much.

3. Addiction

The last thing we want is for people to form negative associations with foods and nutrition. Sometimes people can become addicted to diet drinks, supplements and meal replacements. Having a greens drink may contribute to this problem.

It’s why we stress that powdered greens are NOT a replacement for fresh vegetables. We want customers to have positive associations and relationships with food. And to use supplements to help top up where your diet falls short.

So should I be taking a Powdered Greens Supplement?

The answer is not a simple yes or no. Everyone has different dietary habits, and if you are already eating your five a day, or you enjoy juicing your own vegetables every day, then a powdered greens may be totally unnecessary.

However, if you struggle to make the time for getting in your greens, or you simply don’t like eating vegetables, then a super greens supplement might be a great addition to your day, and you’ll reap the health benefits from doing so.

Want To Try A Powdered Greens?

References:

• NHS Adult Fruit and Veg Intake

• Fibre

• Chewing and Eating

• Addiction to Supplements