Green Drink Reviews

Why Take a Green Drink? Seven Reasons for Adding a Green Drink to Your Diet

August 24th, 2008

Not everyone takes a green drink for the same reason. And to argue that there is only one formula or “set of criteria” that defines a good green drink is completely absurd. The fact is, there are many reasons for adding a green drink to your food choices and each has its advantages. Plus, a green drink is only one part of a healthy diet program — not the entire thing. So you need to COMBINE your green drink with the other supplements and food choices you make.

For example, I often say that it’s good to have both a green drink AND a red berry drink to give you the green superfood nutrition and the purple antioxidant berries that you need to get a rainbow of foods and their benefits. If you, in fact, get a lot of red antioxidants in your diet (from berries or berry juice drinks), then your green drink probably does not need to provide a lot of antioxidants; at least not from berries (perhaps from the non-berry antioxidants, such as those from green tea and herbs like milk thistle). This may affect which green drink you choose.

So here’s a quick review of the seven primary reasons for taking a green drink and what you should look for in a formulation to achieve each of these goals.

Better Nutrition

Nutrition from green leafy vegetables and other greens is a major part of taking green drinks. For some, it’s the only reason to drink green. If this is your primary motivation for adding green to your diet, then look for products that focus on spirulina, chlorella, kelp and other seaweed, grasses, and grass juices (including alfalfa and watercress if possible). The most nutrient-dense of these ingredients are the kelps and seaweeds with spirulina coming in close second. Other nutrient-rich ingredients include bee pollen and royal jelly.

Alkalizing Effect

There is a growing movement in enhancing the alkalinity of your blood pH. An alkaline blood pH is an unfriendly environment for disease and sickness, including cancer. In general, disease thrives on acid pH. Green leafy vegetables can help make your blood pH more alkaline. But not all of them. If alkalinity is your primary goal, then look for formulations that DON’T contain berries or fruits, green tea, and oils. The best ingredients for alkalinity are the veggie powders and leaf powders.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants come in many colors and types and they generally work together for best results. So if you’re looking for a green drink with a complete antioxidant formulation, then look for green tea powder, milk thistle, and berries of all colors. Of course, there are others, but these will get you most of the way there.

Weight Loss

Weight loss is a very popular reason for taking a green drink and some formulations are optimized for this purpose. In some ways, adding nutrition from green superfoods alone can help with weight loss, because feeding your body better nutrients will help to curb your appetite over the long run. However, there are other factors at work in a person’s eating habits, so if you want a green drink that helps you lose weight, then look for appetite curbing ingredients, such as artichoke powder and green tea powder (not extract); plus energy and metabolism enhancers, such as cayenne, ginger, ginseng, astragalus. Finally, certain bulking ingredients also help with elimination and weight control. These include lecithin, quinoa, and guar gum.

Immune Support

Really, good nutrition and alkalinity are already immune supporting conditions. But if you want to focus even more on immune support, then look for green drinks with plenty of antioxidants and special herbs like pine bark extract, milk thistle, Echinacea, olive leaf extract, and dandelion leaf or juice. Exotic mushrooms also help the immune system, but not too many green drinks include them (sadly, due to their high prices).

Energy Enhancement

If you want more energy, a green drink can be a wonderful substitute for a caffeine-loaded energy drink. Look for formulations that include green tea powder, Acai, cayenne, ginger, ginseng, pure cocoa, and/or loads of kelp and spirulina.

Substitute for Meals

A substitute for meals is a lot like “Better Nutrition” but with more of a focus on variety of nutrients, plus calories and protein. Look for green drinks that have protein sources, such as chick peas, hemp powder, brown rice and broccoli. Also look for calories from seeds, nuts, and grains.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several reasons for taking a green drink and each one changes the way you shop for and compare these products. Here at greendrinkreviews.com, we try to take a neutral and balanced approach to the subject — and help people choose what’s right for them. Like we humans, not all green drinks are created equal.

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