Many people I consult with say they don’t have the time to make breakfast, let alone make a green juice.

Back when I was studying at university for my exams, whenever I had any doubts about the correct answer I would usually answer it with ‘Leafy Greens’. If we were asked something like ‘Which food is rich in this nutrient?’ – I could always say ‘leafy greens and green vegetables’ because they cover almost all bases. Green smoothies are certainly not a fad – their extremely high nutrient content makes them a fantastic option for people that are looking for optimum health but are time poor.

Vitamins and minerals through food
If you’re taking a multivitamin tablet daily, you might want to rethink where your money is going. It is crucial that we get our vitamins and minerals through food, because each vitamin requires enzymes, co-factors, co-enzymes, minerals and other macronutrients to be absorbed and utilised by the body. When a vitamin is chemically isolated, our body cannot do the wonderful things it could potentially do.

You can buy Cyndi’s extensive report called ‘Vitamin and mineral supplements – to take or not to take’ to find out more about the types of supplements that are generally recommended to the masses, but may not actually be your best option.

Nutrients from natural foods are essential; nutrients that are chemically formulated into tablets or pills by man are certainly not. I crave greens. Without them I feel sluggish, I lack vibrancy and natural energy, I lose clarity of mind and focus and I feel like I lose my spark. When I increase them, I feel like all those things come back to me almost instantly, because my body is being given the tools it needs to thrive as well as it should.

Support detoxification

Unfortunately it is fact that we live in a toxic world.

We are surrounded by chemicals in our food, personal care products, cleaning products, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Some of these things we can control, but others we can’t. Research has found that more than 200 chemicals can be found in a newborn’s umbilical cord, including BPA, petrochemicals, pesticides, lead and mercury.

Thankfully our body’s innate intelligence can assist us in eliminating some of these toxins, although many do remain within our body so it’s important that we provide it with the correct tools to support constant detoxification. One way to do this is to consume an abundance of greens. Chlorophyll, which is what makes green vegetables green, binds with toxic heavy metals stored in blood and tissue and assists their loss, counteracting their major toxicity (1).

Side effects of metal toxicity may include chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, general brain fog, depression and anxiety, to name a few.

Get greens into your diet

If you feel like you need a little assistance in getting greens into your diet, it may be as simple as sparing a few seconds a day to give your body what it needs, in one shot! The Changing Habits Supreme Green Blend contains a combination of some of the richest sources of nutrients on the planet.

Some people feel that green smoothies and juices often require a sweet touch to it, usually from fruits or honey. Whilst this is fantastic, many individuals are at times unable to have too many sugars in their diet, due to bacterial overgrowths, the need for weight loss or insulin resistance. With the Changing Habits nourishing, pure and concentrated powder, getting your greens in just one shot can be done quickly and easily and it is sweetened with touch of stevia to delight your tastebuds without the use of sugar. You may as well save that sweet treat for a gorgeous wholefood slice or cake!

The Supreme Green Blend will make you happier, brighter and more energetic and convince your body to thrive. It contains spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, sweet leaf, kelp and broccoli sprouts, creating a food exceptionally rich in chlorophyll, B vitamins, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, folate, potassium, phosphorous, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc.

Each ingredient within the Changing Habits Supreme Green Blend provides a range of health benefits.

Spirulina
Spirulina is one of hundreds of algae species and is commonly known as blue green algae. It is a tiny organism that usually grows in water. Spirulina does not have roots, leaves, or stems, however it does contain a pigment called chlorophyll, which is required by all plants to turn sunlight into food energy. The only difference between chlorophyll and haemoglobin (red blood cells) is that chlorophyll contains a magnesium atom while haemoglobin contains an iron atom.

Spirulina creates proteins and sugars just as animals do. It is an excellent source of plant protein, as well as being a rare food source for the essential fatty acid GLA. It is high in B12, iron which is easy to absorb, antioxidants and phytonutrients. These all help enhance immune function and slow down the aging process, while decreasing the activity of free radicals that damage body cells.

Chlorella
Chlorella, like spirulina, is a single cell green algae and is part of plankton. Chlorella provides the highest concentration of chlorophyll known. It is also a valuable source of protein, iron, vitamin B12, betacarotene and nineteen amino acids. Chlorella is also the food substance with the highest known levels of RNA and DNA. Some researchers believe regular use of chlorella might help repair genetic material in cells by providing important building blocks. This in turn helps protect health and slows the aging process.

In some studies chlorella shows promise of helping reduce blood pressure. Fibromyalgia sufferers experienced notable benefits after using chlorella and it can also help speed wound healing.

One of chlorella’s most promising benefits comes in the area of immune system function. Scientists do not know the exact mechanism by which chlorella accomplishes this but they believe chlorella boosts the activity of T-cells and macrophages resulting in an increase in interferon which helps the immune system battle bacteria and viruses.

Barley grass
We all know that multiple servings of vegetables are recommended each day but many of us fall short of that goal. The barley grass in the Changing Habits Supreme Green Blend fulfills that shortfall. Key nutrients of barley grass include chlorophyll, amino acids, carotenoids, essential fatty acids, flavonoids, vitamin K, enzymes, vitamin A, minerals, folic acid and B vitamins. All these nutrients work together to promote health and energy in all systems of the body.

Sweet leaf
A small amount of dried sweet leaf (stevia) has been added to the green powder to add some sweetness but being a herb it also has some medicinal properties. Sweet leaf is 300 times the sweetness of sugar and has a negligible effect on blood glucose. It has been reported to help with high blood pressure and hypertension and has properties to help heartburn when drunk as a tea.

Kelp
Kelp has over 70 minerals, including iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron, along with amino acids and enzymes. This range of nutrients, especially iodine, makes it an essential promoter of glandular health – in fact iodine is essential for the functioning of the thyroid. The thyroid gland makes a hormone that contains iodine which is required for every cell in the body to help with metabolism. Without iodine we may feel listless, tired, have dry hair and skin, lack motivation, cold hands and feet, hair loss, brain fog and anxiety.  It’s an important nutrient that also helps in the architecture of our glandular tissue, including breasts, ovaries and prostate. Iodine deficiency has been linked to an increase in cysts, nodules and cancers in glandular tissues.

In 1930, iodine was seen to be lacking in the diet and was added to salt. Then by the 1970’s, salt became something that we were told not to consume due to hypertension. So it’s now believed that a large percentage of the population is not getting enough iodine. This is why seaweed is added to our Changing Habits Seaweed Salt as well as the greens as it’s important to make sure iodine intake is adequate through the foods we eat.

Broccoli sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are included in the Supreme Green Blend due to the extensive scientific research of the health benefits of cruciferous vegetables and their role in the prevention of chronic disease. In particular, bioactive compounds in broccoli are implicated in a number of health benefits and disease prevention. These include:

• reducing the risk of various cancers (2)
• reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (3)
• protection of the nervous system  (4), and
• regulation of the immune system (5).

As a member of the brassica vegetable family, broccoli is one of the most potent sources of glucosinolates. The breakdown of glucosinolates produces a group of bioactive molecules known as isothiocyanates that have anticarcinogenic properties (6). The most common glucosinolate found in broccoli is glucoraphanin. The breakdown of this product produces the phytochemical sulforaphane: a highly potent product involved in “switching on” detoxification enzymes that elevate our cellular defence system against oxidative damage and cancer development (6,7). Broccoli sprouts are a rich source of Vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, along with folate, fibre, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium (6, 8, 9).

Easy tips to get your daily greens

As Changing Habits Supreme Green Blend is a blend of natural whole foods, there is no definite rule on how much you should take. We suggest you start with 1 rounded teaspoon per day – mixed with water or juice – then adjust according to requirements. Larger amounts may be taken by those who need an immune system boost, require more energy or following a cleansing and detoxification regime. If you find that your stomach is sensitive to the larger amounts then reduce the dosage and gradually increase until you reach a level that is comfortable for you again. Just keep listening to what your body tells you. Food sensitive people should introduce the supreme greens slowly! The amount taken can vary with activity level, state of health and age.

The greens may be taken with food or stirred into water, juice, coconut water or another favourite beverage. Mix into pesto’s, dips such as guacamole, sprinkle some over your salads (a small amount) or even over your fruit and yoghurt. For children, use around half of the adult amount.

We have some fantastic recipes in our Changing Habits Recipe Book and on our website to help you quickly and easily get your boost of greens every day, including Beautifully Nourishing Green Juice, Green Shot and Juice Chaser, Cyndi’s Seasonal Green Smoothie, Green Chocolate Smoothie – you can even add it to a sorbet with our Berry Mango Sorbet recipe.

Enjoy the wonderful health benefits of getting your greens – in less than 30 seconds a day.

Happy Changing Habits,

Sheridan Williamson
Consulting Nutritionist

References:
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20016697
(2) Herr, I and Buchler, M. W. (2010). Dietary constituents of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables: Implications for the prevention and therapy of cancer. Cancer Treatment Reviews, 36:377-383.
(3) Soengas, P et al. (2012). New insights into antioxidant activity of Brassica crops. Food Chemistry, 134:725-733.
(4) Tarozzi, A et al. (2013). Sulforaphane as a potential protective phytochemical against neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Article ID 415078. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/415078
(5) Thejass, P and Kuttan, G. (2007). Immunomodulatory activity of Sulforaphane, a naturally occurring isothiocyanate from broccoli (Brassica oleracea). Phytomedicine, 14:538-545.
(6) Jeffery, E.H. et al. (2003). Variation in content of bioactive components in broccoli. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 16:323-330.
(7) Juge, N. et al. (2007). Molecular basis for chemoprevention by sulforaphane: a comprehensive review. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 64:1105-1127.
(8) Podsedek, A. (2005). Natural antioxidants and antioxidant capacity of Brassica vegetables: a review. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 1-11.
(9) Broccoli Sprout, (2011). ORYZA OIL & FAT CHEMICAL CO., ver. 6.1 STLTD http://www.oryza.co.jp/html/english/pdf/CATALOG%20BROCCOLI%20SPROUT%20%20Ver6.1STdoc.pdf