How Popular Are Health Supplements?
Health supplements have seen a huge increase in use in recent years, with the market estimated to be valued at $130 billion and projected to grow to $210 billion by 2026, according to a study in globalnewswire.com.
This rise in popularity has occurred due to a heightened interest in preventative health, improved education surrounding nutrition and an ageing population looking for ways to stay fit and active later in life.
Sales of vitamins and minerals have surged, with many companies entering the market and making bold health claims and promises about what their products could help you achieve.
This increases the importance of regulation in the industry, and doing your research on the product and the company that manufactures it.
One health supplement that has surged in popularity is greens powder!
Why Are Fruit and Vegetables So Important?
Everybody is aware of the vast health benefits gained from a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Superfoods that contain a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which support organ functions and provide health benefits such as:
- Supports effective immune system
- Prevents digestion problems and maintains healthy gut
- Helps maintain healthy energy levels
- Reduces risk of bowel cancer
- Improved mental clarity and focus
The problem is that many of us don’t eat enough fruit or vegetables. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention report only 1 in 10 American adults meet the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Dietary Guidelines states that adults should consume 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day.
According to data from the CDC, American adults are falling short! Only 12.2% meet the standard for fruit with 9.3% meeting the standard for vegetables.
Why Are We Not Eating Enough Fruit and Vegetables?
The answers are quite simple; it can be hard to shop and maintain this level of fresh fruit and vegetables in your home, not to mention preparing and cooking vegetables on a daily basis. It’s easy enough to eat an apple or banana, but preparing your veg can prove more difficult.
According to a study in the NCBI, as of 2012 a massive 28.5% of people lived alone!
Think about that, if you live alone you know all too well the difficulties in shopping, cooking, and keeping fresh food in store just for yourself!
This makes it harder to maintain a healthy diet, and increases the amount of convenient foods we eat!
Another reason is lack of education on the amount people need to eat! A report from The Health and Food Supplements Information Service mentions that a massive 86% of people don’t know how much fruit or vegetables they should be eating! The report also mentions:
- 31% of adults aged 19-64 consume their 5 a day
- over a quarter of adults 65 and older consume 5 a day.
- 8% of 11-18 year olds consume 5 a day.
Some people think just because they may not be eating unhealthy foods, means they don’t need to eat their 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. The truth is that if you lack fruit and vegetables in your diet, the acidicty levels in your body will be higher which can lead to health problems.
According to the American Nutrition Association, fruit and vegetables, as well as other alkaline based foods help restore the body’s PH level.
Symptoms of Fruit and Vegetables Deficiency
A lack of fruit and vegetables can lead to a vitamin deficiency, which will affect you in many ways including you feel, how you look, and your moods.
This is your body’s way of telling you it has a vitamin and mineral deficiency, and by paying attention to the warning signs you will know what action to take!
Here are the most common signs of a vitamin deficiency caused by a lack of fruit and vegetables:
- You Bruise Easily
This can be caused from a vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C helps with collagen production and healing of skin, so a deficiency can result in your blood vessels being more vulnerable and bruising can be common.
- You Feel Tired Regularly
Feeling fatigued and exhausted can be caused by a lack of green vegetables. They contain a range of nutrients that help your energy levels, but the main one is magnesium. Magnesium helps with energy production, so a deficiency could be a reason you’re tired!
- You Get Sick Often
Fruit and vegetables are known to help maintain your immune system. Without these vitamins your body struggles to fight off illnesses effectively, resulting in getting ill regularly and taking ages to overcome it.
- You’re Always Hungry
If you still feel hungry not long after a meal, you may not be getting enough fiber! Vegetables are packed full of fiber and not only help prevent constipation, but help make you feel full.
- You Keep Getting Spots
If you keep breaking out in spots, one of the main culprits is a lack of fruit and vegetables. Dermatologists often recommend a variety of coloured fruit and vegetables for their rich antioxidant properties that help prevent the breakdown of collagen, which is essential for healthy skin and repairing damaged skin.
Are Greens Powder Supplements A Solution?
Greens powder supplements contain a range of superfoods, fruits and vegetables in powdered form that contain vital nutrients and vitamins that are proven to benefit your health.
Some greens powders supplements add in a range of green vegetables, and others actively select key ingredients where there is evidence that they support health and provide specific health benefits.
Greens powder supplements help solve the problem outlined earlier where eating the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables is a problem.
They usually only require you to add water, making it a quick and simple solution that can help provide you with essential nutrients.
Greens powder supplements are often designed and marketed as an overall physical and mental health supplement, that improves immune health, organ functioning, and your overall mental performance. The key vitamins and nutrients they contain in order to provide this are:
- Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D
- Niacin
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Folic Acid
- Spirulina
- Kale
- Chlorella
- Spinach
- Ashwagandha
- L-Theanine
Do Greens Powder Supplements Actually Work?
We have conducted a number of greens supplement product reviews, assessing the quality of these products and how satisfied users are with the products. On the whole most customers experience noticeable benefits from consuming greens powder supplements.
These benefits usually include an improvement in their immune system functioning, improvements in digestion, as well as a noticeable difference to energy levels and mental performance.
Greens powder supplements are not a magic potion that improves your mental performance, you would experience similar improvements in your mental clarity and performance from having a healthy diet. However greens powders do contain ingredients that are often specifically chosen because of their known qualities.
Greens Powder Supplements Reviewed By True Health Diary
You can read more about greens powder supplements by checking out our product reviews below. We looked at the claimed benefits, the manufacturer and the feedback from people who have used the products and got results.
Amazing Grass Green Superfood
Are There Any Side Effects You Should Be Aware Of?
Side effects from greens powders are rare and we struggled to find many complaints from users of the products we reviewed above.
However, greens powders contain powdered vegetables and can sometimes have certain side effects. These may include:
- Upset stomach
- constipation
- diarhoea
- flatulence
- nausea
These side effects are rare and have been known to occur if the user is new to supplements or not used to getting a high level of greens in their diet.
We recommend that if you are unsure or have any other medical conditions you should always consult a medical professional to be on the safe side.