The Easy Way to Get More Greens in Your Diet

Vegetables, especially green leafy ones, are vital for overall health. Their benefits extend to critical bodily functions like liver detoxification and hormone regulation. Here’s an evidence-based overview of how these benefits unfold.

Hormonal Balance: Green leafy vegetables play a significant role in balancing and regulating human hormones. These vegetables are rich in micronutrients essential for the production of enzymes and hormones, thereby influencing growth, development, and the functioning of the immune and reproductive systems¹.

Liver Health: Vegetables, rich in fiber and antioxidants, can significantly reduce liver enzymes, indicating improved liver function. Higher intake of vegetables has been linked to lower levels of liver enzymes like ALT, suggesting a protective effect against liver damage².

Detoxification Support: Certain foods have shown potential in supporting detoxification processes in the liver. For example, compounds in vegetables like broccoli can influence liver health by affecting pathways related to glutathione metabolism³.

Reduction of Inflammation: Diets rich in fruits and vegetables, including green leafy vegetables, help reduce inflammation, crucial for maintaining liver health and hormonal balance⁴.

How to Test Your Antioxidant Status

Are you getting enough greens in your diet? Testing 8-OHdG is like having a reliable health detective for your body’s cells. It’s a marker that helps us understand how much oxidative damage—the kind of stress that can harm our cells—is happening in our bodies. When we have too many harmful molecules (like free radicals) and not enough antioxidants to neutralize them, it causes oxidative stress. 8-OHdG measures the outcome of this battle: the higher its levels, the more damage is being done. So, by checking 8-OHdG levels, we get a clear picture of whether our bodies have enough antioxidants to protect our cells from damage.

The Powerhouse Plants to Include in Your Diet

While there’s a wide array of superfoods available, those grown locally and organically often stand out in terms of quality and nutritional value. Local, organic farming ensures that the plants are nurtured in a more natural, chemical-free environment, which can lead to a higher concentration of beneficial nutrients.

Alfalfa sprouts are beneficial for cholesterol management and overall health due to their content of saponins and other nutrients⁵.
Barley grass is an excellent functional food, rich in flavonoids, helping eliminate toxins from cells⁶.
Beets, including their leaves, are beneficial for lowering blood pressure and improving athletic performance due to their high nitrate and pigment content⁷.
Brussels sprouts may reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, owing to their rich nutrient and antioxidant content⁸.
Buckwheat contributes to heart health and diabetes management, being a good source of protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and several minerals⁹.
Kale offers extensive health benefits, particularly for heart disease prevention, due to its high content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants¹⁰.
Pea shoots, rich in Vitamin C, offer antioxidant properties and support the immune system¹¹.
Swiss chard is beneficial for bone health and provides antioxidants, being rich in magnesium, iron, and various vitamins¹².
Turnip greens offer benefits like cancer prevention and improved bone health, being high in vitamins, calcium, and antioxidants¹³.

The Easy Way to Get More Greens in Your Diet

Are you eating these greens on a regular basis? If the answer is no, there is an easier way. All of the plants listed above are crops organically grown on the Standard Process^® farm and compose their flagship green powder supplement, SP^® Power Mix.

These ingredients are chosen for their nutritional profiles and are part of the superfood blend in the supplement. Its formulation addresses micronutrient inadequacies common in modern diets and the low nutrient concentrations in many contemporary fruits and vegetables. SP Power Mix aims to balance health and convenience, offering a nutritious option for supplementing daily fruit and vegetable intake.

Conclusion

The consumption of vegetables, particularly green leafy ones, plays a significant role in promoting liver health and maintaining hormonal balance. Their rich nutrient profile supports crucial bodily functions, making them an essential part of a healthy diet. If your including these plants in your diet, the next best thing is to supplement them as a green powder made from crops grown organically and processed locally to ensure the highest concentration and bioavailability of nutrients.

References:

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13.Javed, A., Ahmad, A., Nouman, M., Hameed, A., Tahir, A., & Shabbir, U. (2019). Turnip (Brassica Rapus L.): a natural health tonic. Brazilian Journal of Food Technology. https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-6723.25318.