Throughout your life, you have probably heard the saying, “you are what you eat.” While you will not literally turn into an apple or steak if you love to eat them, you do get some of their characteristics – mainly, nutrients (if any) and other characteristics which can make or break your body.
Simply put, if you eat primarily processed foods, you’ll likely face health consequences; eat clean and healthy food, and you’ll likely have a healthy well-being. In short, if you want to be healthy, then eat healthily – you are what you eat, after all.
After eating nutrient-rich foods, and leafy greens, one of the best things that you can eat is superfood powders. These powders are generally made up of different fruits and vegetables, making them loaded with different nutrients that will make your body healthy. But exactly what is superfood powder? Whether they’re greens powders or something specific like spirulina powder, they’re worth exploring. So, let’s dive in and learn more about superfood powders, what they are, how they work, and what they can do for your health.
What Is Superfood Powder?
Superfood powders are simply a group of foods – mainly, fruits, vegetables and other whole foods – which are dehydrated and ground until it turns into powder. Superfoods can be easily added to your diet – generally, they are either used or added into smoothies or any drinks, or they can also be used as a seasoning to meals.
Since these powders are made up of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, it makes sense to say that they are rich in different vitamins and minerals. They are also rich in antioxidants, which are great for your body because it keeps inflammation at bay and reduces the oxidative stress that comes from it. These are typically filled with vitamins whose nutrient content works to fight free radicals, diseases and increase overall well-being.
Some common ingredients in these products include maca, goji berries, acai berries, black pepper (for absorption), caffeine, beta carotene-rich foods, nutrient compounds, and more.
That being said, superfoods are in no way a complete replacement for actual, real foods. The best act as a supplement for your nutritional intake, so don’t skip the apples and vegetables yet!
Health Benefits of Superfood Powder
1) Boost Your Energy Levels
Since superfood powders are made up of different nutrient-rich foods, they can provide the energy boost that you will need for your day. Aside from everyday activities, superfoods packed with antioxidants can also help you perform well in your workouts. It can also boost your cognitive performance, such as focus, concentration, and alertness, which is very helpful both in the gym and in your day-to-day activities.
Aside from improving your energy production and physical performance, some superfoods can also help you increase your muscle growth. One such powder is the Moringa powder. This is because the Moringa leaves contain almost 25% amount of protein – this protein amount is very unusual for a plant!
2) Can Aid in Weight Loss
Aside from bringing you an energy boost and muscle growth, superfoods can also help you lose weight. This is especially true for powders that contain a good amount of protein, such as the Moringa powder, which we just discussed above.
Aside from helping you in growing your muscles, protein can also help you lose weight by increasing your satiety. Since you feel fuller for longer periods, you are less likely to eat more; hence it’ll aid in weight loss.
3) Boost and Strengthen Your Immune System
We all know that our immune system plays a vital role in protecting us from many illnesses. However, our immune system should also be taken care of before it can properly take care of and protect us.
Our immune system needs various nutrients to promote the growth and production of immune cells and antibodies. If our body lacks such nutrients, our immune function, together with our overall health, will be compromised.
High-quality superfoods can be a good source of nutrition since it is made up of many nutrient-rich foods. Aside from that, these powders are also rich in antioxidants, which is very important to reduce and avoid inflammation from causing unwanted damage to our body.
4) Good For The Gut
Prebiotics are a special type of fiber that our probiotics (healthy bacteria or organisms that work for our gut) need to thrive and nourish in our gut. As a result, our probiotics will work better and, hence, our overall gut would be in its optimal health.
Some superfoods also offer probiotics, which is also helpful for our gut since it adds to the population of our healthy bacteria. Aside from increasing your gut’s healthy bacteria, it can also reduce your gut’s unhealthy or bad bacteria.
5) Simply Good For Overall Health
Given the fact that superfoods are rich in nutrients, it makes sense to say that superfood powders are simply good for our overall health. And since these powders are rich in nutrients, they can also help us reduce our risk of many diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
What to Look For In a Superfood Powder
Now, while superfood products may sound great, it is important to bear in mind that they are not made equal. Since superfoods are still technically processed, it is still possible for a superfood powder to contain additives, fillers, processed, and other artificial ingredients.
To avoid these ingredients, be sure to look for words such as “freeze-dried,” “cold-pressed,” and our favorite word of all, “organic,” in a superfood powder label. This is how we can identify if the product we are buying is indeed natural and organic or if it contains unwanted ingredients.
It would be best if you also did your due diligence since some companies practice shady business practices and promote that their supplement or product is “organic” and “natural” even when they are not. Buying superfoods in powder form or greens in powder form does not diminish the body’s ability to digest these products.
Top Superfood Powders
1) Moringa Powder
Moringa tree is native to the Indian subcontinent. This tree and plant were used centuries ago, especially in Ayurvedic medicine. Moringa tree is also called the “miracle tree.” It is said that this tree contains a lot of health properties, including antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying properties. It is also said to aid in treating mood disorders.
Moringa leaves are known to be rich in nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. As mentioned above, it is also pretty loaded with protein – almost 25% protein, which is highly unusual for a plant.
While Moringa is are known for its high health benefits, be sure to stay away from its seeds because they could be toxic to the immune cells. You use also do not use the Moringa leaves or powder if you are using medications that lower blood pressure as it could double its effect.
2) Greens Powders
As the name suggests, greens powders are superfood powder that is made up of green leafy vegetables and other “greens” plants such as grasses and herbs. Because they are made up of green vegetables and other plants depending on the product, greens powder is generally very nutritious and filled with antioxidants.
Side effect-wise, green powders could cause (or not cause) side effects depending on the ingredients and the nutrients it contains. For instance, some greens powders are high in vitamin K, which could interfere with your medication if you are using blood thinners.
If you want to give a greens powder a try, there are many great brands to choose from that can help with immune function, blood sugar levels, and general health problems. A lot of them use sugar substitutes in order to make them more palpable.
Two that stand out from the rest are Athletic Greens and Organifi. These two greens powder brands are reliable and high quality, but you can find more health information on them in our reviews.
3) Maca Powder
Maca root is a plant that is native to the South American continent. Just like Moringa, maca is already used since ancient times – it was used by the Incans for its supposed ability to boost one’s energy production. Because of its known health benefits, maca is also called the “Peruvian ginseng.”
Maca is rich in vitamin C, iron, zinc, copper, and certain amino acids. It is also rich in vitamin K, which is good if you need help with blood clotting. But if you need to thin your blood and you are taking medications that thin the blood, you should reconsider taking maca powder as it can interfere with your medications. It’s also important to make sure it doesn’t impact your blood pressure too much.
Side effect-wise, research shows that maca also contains goitrogens, substances that can disrupt the production of thyroid hormones. So, if you have thyroid issues, be sure to consume maca powder with caution or to contact your doctor while taking it.
If you’re in the market for a solid Maca supplement, some options worth considering include Epic Protein Chocolate Maca and the Maca Team supplement line.
Is Superfood Powder Good For You?
As we have learned above, superfoods are very nutritious supplements that you can add to your diet to supplement your nutritional needs. There are a variety of benefits that you can experience from adding more nutrients like antioxidants to your diet.
That being said, keep in mind that not all superfood products are equal. For one, consider if the supplement is organic or not. To get the best of its benefits, be sure to stick to organic superfood powders. Also, depending on your superfood powder, some may cause side effects or interference to your medications. Before choosing a superfood powder, be sure to check its label first before buying it.
Finally, superfoods are never substituted for real foods. They work as a supplement, not as the primary food for your meal. So, mix your superfood powder in your smoothie or add it into your meal, and enjoy!
