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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
Many people want to use powders, one of the latest trends in nutrition, to enhance their health or simply lose weight. Manufacturers of these easy-to-mix nutritional products claim to help consumers lose weight while providing all the essential vitamins they need, but what exactly are they doing for the body? Will it have that kind of impact?
Before taking the plunge, it’s important to explore the lush landscape of these powders and the potential pitfalls that lurk within them, says Dr. Lizzy Davis, assistant professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Powders are not new to the market, Davis said, but all powders, green or not, are different, which means they have different ingredients. However, most products contain some form of dried leafy vegetables and sometimes fruit blended into a powdered form.
“People commonly mix this powder into water or smoothies,” Davis said. “This powder is made up of vegetables and fruits, so it can contain and provide nutrients, but the exact nutrients will vary depending on the ingredients of the particular powder. This is great for when you’re in a hurry or on the go. It’s a quick way to get additional nutrients.”
She says these powders typically contain calcium and vitamins A, K, and C. Some brands may contain more than 10 nutrients, which is more than 100 percent of your daily intake.
“This means that people can get more than 100 to 1,100 percent of their daily intake from a drink containing one cup of powder, plus the food they consume that day, for some nutrients. This could cause the limit to be exceeded, with dangerous consequences.”
For this reason, Davis says these powders should be viewed with the same caution as dietary supplements.
“Some medications may have contraindications, so be sure to check with your doctor before taking these medications,” Davis said.
“There are other ‘green powders’ on the market that can be confused with this topic, such as matcha green tea powder. So be sure to do your research and find out what’s in the supplement you choose to take. Please understand.”
Take-home message: Davis says it’s usually cheaper and easier to get the vitamins and nutrients you need from real foods.
“Powders are usually much more expensive than buying the fruits and vegetables you should consume on a daily basis,” she said.
Davis says it’s important to have a healthy gut microbiome for many reasons, including digestion, immunity, and nutrient absorption. Some powder manufacturers claim that their products contain pre-, pro-, and synbiotics. Here’s a breakdown of its meaning:
- Prebiotics are food for the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut.
- Probiotics contain live microorganisms that help replenish your gut bacteria.
- Synbiotics are compositions of both prebiotics and probiotics.
