Not Getting Enough Greens Each Day?
Most modern people don't get enough of the vital vegetables they need for optimum health. Alfalfa, barley grass, shattered-cell chlorella, watercress, and spirulina together provide a complete range of vitamins, trace minerals, and complete protein in highly bio-available natural form. Broccoli, spinach, watercress, and beets add highly-valuable phytonutrients such as sulforophane, lutein, and betaine respectively.
This formula is meant to supplement a regular diet, not to replace the eating of fresh greens! Please keep grazing, really!! Meanwhile, for those of you who still don't get enough, here's a little bit about the ingredients in the Greens Plus formula.
Alfalfa
The alfalfa leaf contains saponins, which appear to decrease plasma cholesterol without creating a change in HDL levels. Constituents of alfalfa seem to decrease cholesterol absorption and increase excretion of neutral steroids and bile acids.
Barley Grass
Of all the grasses, barley grass has probably been researched most. Dr. Yoshihide Hagiwara, President of the Hagiwara Institute of Health in Japan, reports that he researched over 150 different plants over a period of 13 years. He found that barley is an excellent source of a variety of nutrients the body needs for growth, repair and well-being. Research has found that green barley grass extract has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, immune system support, and cholesterol-lowering effects.
Wheat Grass
Wheat grass is valued for its concentration of nutrients, which include over 90 minerals and antioxidants and is used for purifying and alkalinizing the blood, cleansing the colon, & detoxifiying the liver.
Chlorella
Initial research showed that chlorella had the potential of becoming a highly valuable food source. Not only is it loaded with high-quality protein, with all essential amino acids, but it also has an impressive array of vitamins and minerals. Chlorella, in some research, has been shown to relieve symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, hypertension, and ulcerative colitis.
The healing properties of chlorella (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) have been documented in Japan. Japanese clinical studies provide evidence for chlorella's role in the treatment of several chronic illnesses, including cancer.
Spirulina
Spirulina is blue-green algae that has antiviral, immune-modulating, anti-allergic, hypocholesterolemic, and antioxidant actions. By weight, it is a rich source of protein and, of course, contains chlorophyll. Spirulina is a rich source of GLA (gamma linolenic acid). Many people are deficient in GLA, a precursor for the body’s prostaglandins, the master hormones necessary for many essential body functions. GLA is important for growth, development and proper immune function. Next to mother’s milk, Spirulina is the highest whole-food source of this important compound.
What a lot of stuff going on for such a small critter as an algae!
Beets
Betaine, found in beets as well as broccoli, is a nutrient that plays an important role in cardiovascular health. Betaine has been shown to reduce unhealthy levels of homocysteine, a naturally-occurring amino acid that can harm blood vessels. Some animal studies have suggested that betaine can also protect against fatty deposits in the liver. Betaine is also used to increase stomach acids necessary for digestion.
Broccoli
Broccoli also contains an important compound called sulforophane, a phytochemical that may prevent the growth of cancerous tumors. A study at the University of Utah Medical School in Salt Lake City found that lutein, a powerful vision-protecting antioxidant found in broccoli, may reduce the risk of colon cancer. This cruciferous plant is also rich in folate, fiber, beta carotene, and vitamin C, all of which help prevent heart disease.
Spinach
Spinach is a good source of iron, folate (a B vitamin considered to be the most important nutrient for correcting myopia), vitamin A, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin, which also play key roles in promoting eye and vision health. Spinach helps protect the visual center of the eye from free radical damage and can reduce our risk for developing macular degeneration.
Watercress
Scientists are discovering that watercress, one of the cruciferous vegetables, may have properties to counteract the effects of smoking. In addition to vitamins A, C and E, watercress contains gluconasturtin (only released when the leaves are chopped or chewed), which helps neutralize a carcinogen in tobacco. Watercress is commonly considered a good blood tonic and systemic cleanser.
Betaine (hydrochloride)
Betaine hydrochloride (HCL) is included in our Greens Plus formula as a digestive aid. In several animal studies, betaine has been identified as a possible liver protectant.