We’ve all heard about green superfood benefits and how good green superfoods are for us. Don’t be misled by the name. They won’t turn you into the Incredible Hulk when you eat them and you don’t need to wear a cape. But the health benefits of green superfoods are profound as they are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
They’re the main ingredients in healthy energy bars, pre-made smoothie powders, and even gluten-free cereals! Superfoods will give your immune system a SUPER boost!
Table of Contents
Green Chlorophyll Benefits
It is so important to eat a diet rich in green Superfoods, because it is best to consume chlorophyll in its natural form.
Green superfood benefits are far and wide. One unmistakable key to their superpower is the chemical chlorophyll, which gives them their characteristic green color. Essentially, plants use chlorophyll as food, while people use it for medicine. (1)
Not known to be toxic in its natural form, the synthetic version (chlorophyllin) has also never been linked to any serious harmful effects in spite of 50 years of clinical use.
According to Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute, chlorophyll is also an incredible antioxidant with some impressive therapeutic benefits such as wound healing and being used as a natural deodorant when consumed.
Since chlorophyll is fat-soluble, it contains some unique detoxification and cancer-fighting properties because it is able to chemically bind with molecules known to cause cancer, including aromatic hydrocarbons found in tobacco smoke. (2)
Below is a list of the chlorophyll content of some foods to give you an idea of the wide variety that you can choose from:
Chlorophyll Content of Selected Raw Vegetables (2)
Food | Serving | Chlorophyll (mg) |
---|---|---|
Spinach | 1 cup | 23.7 |
Parsley | ½ cup | 19.0 |
Cress, garden | 1 cup | 15.6 |
Green beans | 1 cup | 8.3 |
Arugula | 1 cup | 8.2 |
Leeks | 1 cup | 7.7 |
Endive | 1 cup | 5.2 |
Sugar peas | 1 cup | 4.8 |
Chinese cabbage | 1 cup | 4.1 |
In addition to chlorophyll, the Top 5 Green Superfoods are not only chlorophyll-dense, but also contain a plethora of other nutrients!
Spirulina Benefits
Spirulina is the gold standard in green Superfoods. It has been shown clinically to help with a wide range of health concerns including:
- Cancer (3, 4, 5)
- Candida (6, 7, 8)
- Fatigue/low energy levels
- High blood pressure (9)
- High cholesterol (10)
- HIV/AIDS (11)
- Obesity / unhealthy food cravings (12)
- Sinus disorders (13)
- Stroke (10)
Just one cup contains 64 grams of protein, 4 grams of dietary fiber and the following nutrients: (14)
Minerals in Spirulina | Percentage |
---|---|
Copper | 342% |
Iron | 177% |
Manganese | 106% |
Magnesium | 55% |
Sodium | 49% |
Potassium | 44% |
Zinc | 15% |
Phosphorus | 13% |
Calcium | 13% |
Selenium | 12% |
Vitamins in Spirulina | Percentage |
---|---|
Riboflavin | 242% |
Thiamin | 178% |
Niacin | 72% |
Pantothenic Acid | 39% |
Vitamin K | 36% |
Vitamin E | 28% |
Folate | 26% |
Vitamin B6 | 20% |
Vitamin C | 19% |
Vitamin A | 13% |
Spirulina has the best well-balanced nutritional profile of any food on Earth! No wonder it was a staple for the ancient Aztecs and surrounding wildlife near Tenochtitlan! In the words of Cortez in his book, “Conquest of Mexico”:
“They make it into cakes like bricks, which they sell, not only in the market (of Tenochtitlan) but carry it to others outside the city, and far off. They eat this as we eat cheese, and it has rather a salty taste, which is delicious with chilmolli (a pungent sauce). They say that so many birds come to the lake for this food, that often in winter some parts are covered with them.”
The Benefits of Chlorella
Native to Taiwan and Japan, the second most nutrient-dense superfood on the planet is chlorella. This is why it’s an important part of our superfood super greens mix powder for smoothies and other recipes. Like spirulina, it has also been shown clinically to help with a wide variety of health concerns such as:
- Cancer (15)
- Cholesterol (16)
- Detox radiation and chemotherapy (16)
- Diabetes (18)
- Heavy metal detoxification (19, 20)
- Immune system support (24)
- Pre-mature aging and increased risk of disease from smoking (25)
- Weight loss (21)
Just 100g (about 1 cup) serving of dried chlorella contains: (22)
Dried Chlorella Nutrients | Amount per 100g |
---|---|
Protein | 58 g |
Carbohydrates | 23 g |
Fat | 9.3 g |
Vitamin A | 1026% |
Iron | 722% |
Zinc | 473% |
Vitamin B2 | 253% |
Vitamin B3 | 119% |
Vitamin B1 | 113% |
Phosphorus | 90% |
Magnesium | 79% |
Vitamin B6 | 70% |
Folate | 24% |
Calcium | 22% |
Vitamin B5 | 11% |
Vitamin C | 17% |
Vitamin E | 8% |
Vitamin B12 | 2% |
Why We Love Avocados
Next to the jam-packed nutritional benefits they provide, avocados are wonderfully easy to eat and quite tasty.
This well-balanced nutrition profile makes avocados the perfect first food to give to babies and they are exceptionally soft and simple to digest.
Compared to spirulina and chlorella, one cup of pureed avocados grown in California contains: (23)
Avocado Nutrients | Amount/Percentage |
---|---|
Fat | 35 g |
Omega-3 fatty acids | 253 mg |
Omega-6 fatty acids | 3886 mg |
Protein | 4.5 g |
Choline | 32.7 mg |
Betaine | 1.6 mg |
Vitamin K | 60% |
Folate | 51% |
Vitamin B6 | 34% |
Vitamin C | 34% |
Vitamin B5 | 33% |
Phosphorus | 33% |
Vitamin E | 23% |
Vitamin B3 | 22% |
Copper | 20% |
Vitamin B2 | 19% |
Magnesium | 17% |
Manganese | 17% |
Vitamin B1 | 12% |
Zinc | 10% |
Iron | 8% |
Vitamin A | 7% |
Calcium | 3% |
Sodium | 1% |
Selenium | 1% |
Green Superfood Benefits: Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is very beneficial, but it does have a “drawback. It has no fat content and lacks the Omega 3: Omega 6 benefit that avocados have.
Think of it this way: If you were stranded on an island and only had one food item from which to choose, you’d be much better off spending the rest of your days chomping on avocados than chewing on wheatgrass!
However, every fruit and smoothie bar in America sells wheatgrass shots, and for good reason!
Just 1 ounce (28g), the typical shot glass serving of wheatgrass contains: (24)
Wheatgrass Nutrients | Amount/Percentage |
---|---|
Protein | 8 g |
Fiber | 8 g |
Fat | 0 g |
Carbohydrate | 16 g |
Vitamin B2 | 122, 353% |
Vitamin B6 | 15,600% |
Vitamin E | 12,800% |
Vitamin B3 | 10,080% |
Vitamin B1 | 5867% |
Vitamin B5 | 2,880% |
Iron | 356% |
Vitamin K | 350% |
Vitamin A | 240% |
Vitamin C | 93% |
Potassium | 24% |
Calcium | 12% |
Magnesium | 8% |
Vitamin B12 | 7% |
Phosphorus | 11% |
Superfood Cruciferous Vegetables
Last, but certainly not least, the illustrious list of Superfoods contains the cancer-fighting cruciferous veggies:
Arugula | Mustard greens |
Bok Choy | Radish |
Broccoli | Turnip |
Brussel Sprouts | Watercress |
Cabbage | Cauliflower |
Collard Greens | Kale |
Cruciferous vegetables support detoxification and greatly reduce the risk of breast, colon, and lung cancers because they are rich in indole-3-carbinol sulfur containing compounds, referred to as glucosinolates. Slice up some of your favorites, dunk in a healthy French-onion dip, and munch your way to health.
So we have quite a variety of life-giving, energy maintaining Superfoods from which to choose. And everyone should make the wise decision to add them to their diet on a regular basis.
References:
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-712/chlorophyll
- https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/chlorophyll-chlorophyllin
- https://www.umms.org/ummc/hl
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=spirulina+cancer
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24552870/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23518167/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20336506/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15478198/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23684441/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20354344/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22661829/
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-high-protein-idUSTRE4AN55820081124?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24324897/
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2765/2
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2613958/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24331771/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18800884/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20016697/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12781705/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3511195/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23865357/
- https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jmf.2006.0180
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/569428/2
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1844/2
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/900675/2