Green Superfoods
The average American consumes far less than the recommended three to five servings a day of “greens,” and the most beneficial are the deep green leafy vegetables. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 90 percent of the population fails to eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily and miss out on some of the most beneficial foods God created. If you do not get enough greens in your diet, then select a green food and vegetable supplement formula containing cereal grasses and microalgaes, such as spirulina (organic), and chlorella; fermented vegetable juices; fermented seeds, beans and sprouts.
The green pigment chlorophyll is found in high amounts in the blue-green algae spirulina and chlorella and is one of the greatest food substances for cleansing the bowel, liver and blood. Clean blood assures that metabolic wastes are efficiently carried away from the tissues. Spirulina and chlorella are also high in protein, carotenoids and minerals--making them an excellent superfood, a good supplement to the diet.
Cereal Grasses
Cereal grasses are the young grass stages of the wheat plant, the barley plant, the rye plant, and the oat plant. All of these cereal grasses have the look, smell, feel, taste, nutrient and chemical makeup of green leafy vegetables. When the cereal plant is young, it looks something like familiar lawn and field grasses; it is leafy and has a deep green color.
For over fifty years, researchers have known that the cereal plant, at this young green stage, contains many times the level of vitamins, minerals, and proteins found in the seed kernel (or grain product) of the mature cereal plant. Chlorophyll, protein, and most of the vitamins found in cereal grasses reach their peak concentrations in the period just prior to the “jointing” stage of the green plant—when the “internodal” tissue in the grass leaf begins to elongate, forming a stem.
Why we should eat cereal grasses:
- Dehydrated cereal grass is a convenient whole food which people can eat as a high quality green vegetable.
- Cereal grass is grown without pesticides, etc. whereas much of the produce we eat is grown using a wide variety of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides—which may contribute to cancer and other disease risks.
- Dehydrated cereal grass has been available as a food supplement for humans since the 1930’s, and became an “accepted food” by the Council on Foods of the American Medical Association in 1939—recognizing cereal grass as a rich source of beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin K, calcium, iron, protein, fiber, vitamin C, and the B vitamins.
- Cereal grasses are used in laboratories around the world as a medium to support the growth of lactobacilli, the “healthy flora” bacteria which grown naturally in the human digestive tract.
Protein in Cereal Grasses
Cereal grass is twenty to twenty-five percent protein, making it higher than milk (3%), eggs (12%), and sirloin steak (16%). Of course, not all proteins are created equal; nevertheless, the protein in cereal grass is superior to that of any other plant source, and is even superior to that of some animal foods.
Nutrient Synergism in the Cereal Grasses
Dehydrated cereal grass supplements are not multi-vitamin pills. They are a concentrated combination of the nutrients found in all the higher quality dark green vegetables. The nutrients found in these foods work together to benefit the body as a whole.
Healthy Blood and Circulation
Green food nutrients support healthy blood and circulation. Iron, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin B12, pyridoxine, and protein are all vital for the formation and maintenance of adequate levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
Detoxification
Dehydrated cereal grasses are also consumed as fiber foods, and for their maintenance of bowel regularity. There combination of insoluble fiber and chlorophyll make them excellent foods for this purpose. In addition, beta-carotene (found in cereal grasses) supports the growth and maintenance of the lining of the intestinal tract.
Immune System Support
Our bodies are constantly making and using immune cells which have a high turnover rate. Cells and tissues with a high turnover rate are particularly sensitive to inadequate nutrition. The specific nutrients needed for the synthesis of immune cells and products include protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, folic acid, and pyridoxine. Green vegetables are excellent sources of these nutrients.
Fiber
Fiber is essential for digestive and overall health and refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested. It is present in all plants eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. In the late 1800s, when processing for refined sugar and milling flour were introduced, people began consuming foods with little or no dietary fiber and started suffering from digestive and bowel disorders.
The preparation techniques used to keep fiber and nutrients intact, such as sprouting and fermenting, are not customary today. As unhealthy sources of dietary fiber increase, so do the number of digestive complaints.
It is important to support bowel health and regularity by providing the body with a balanced source of soluble and insoluble fiber:
- Soluble fiber-dissolves in water and absorbs and removes toxins; found in vegetables, fruits and legumes.
- Insoluble fiber-passes through the digestive system intact and scrapes the walls of the colon; found in whole grains, seeds/skins of fruit; found in predigested sprouted grains, seeds and legumes that are easy to digest and are gentle on the system.
Cod Liver Oil
Doctors have prescribed cod liver oil for more than two hundred years for a number of ailments, including rheumatism and arthritis. Cod liver oil is high in omega 3 fatty acids, and in vitamins A and D. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are long-chain omega-3s, best found in cold-water fish, especially the golden oils extracted from the filleted livers of cod and fish oils as well as wild fish body oils. The fat-soluble vitamins A and D are also crucial for abundant health. Vitamin D supports normal calcium metabolism and normal bone development and helps maintain healthy bone structure; and vitamin A supports eye health, normal skin and hair structure, and healthy immune function. Cod liver oil is a particularly rich source of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A and D.
Fatty Acids in Fish/Fish Oils and Findings:
- Cardiovascular health - may protect people from heart disease, a recurring heart attack or a first heart attack (Frank B. Hu, M.D. reported in the April 10th issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2001.).
- Blood sugar regulation - may help those at risk for type 2 diabetes (April 23, 2002 WebMD article titled Fish Oil May Fight Diabetes).
- Depression - may boost the effectiveness or replace anti-depressants for treating depression in some people. (Fish Oil Eases Depression, October 18, 2002; study findings published in October 2002 edition of Archives of General Psychiatry).
- Eye health - may help two serious problems of macular degeneration (associated with aging) and dry eye syndrome.” (Fish Oil Benefits Your Eyes, May 8, 2003 WebMD)
- Essential fatty acids found in fish oil could help cut inflammation in people with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease.
Calcium
Importance of calcium: Calcium builds and maintains bones and teeth; regulates heart rhythm; eases insomnia; helps regulate the passage of nutrients in & out of the cell walls; assists in normal blood clotting; helps maintain proper nerve and muscle function; lowers blood pressure; important to normal kidney function and in current medical research reduces the incidence of colon cancer, and reduces blood cholesterol levels. Calcium is noted for ensuring strong bones and teeth. Ninety-eight percent is found in the bones, 1% in the teeth, and 1% in other tissues. When the body is at rest, calcium is pulled out of the bones to be used elsewhere, establishing the importance of daily adequate intake of the mineral and exercise. Calcium also helps regulate nerve transmissions and along with magnesium, is important for cardiovascular health.
Deficiency symptoms: A deficiency in calcium may result in arm and leg muscles spasms, softening of bones, back and leg cramps, brittle bones, rickets, poor growth, osteoporosis (a deterioration of the bones), tooth decay, and/or depression.
There are many reasons to take calcium supplements, since, like many minerals, calcium is not always rich in the diet and is not readily absorbed. Many women, in particular, supplement their diets with calcium (and Vitamin D) to guard against osteoporosis. It is important to note that calcium is dependent upon Vitamin D, phosphorous and vitamins A and C for optimal absorption. Even regular exercise facilitates calcium absorption.
If there is not adequate calcium in the diet, then it is recommended to take a whole food based calcium supplement—preferably with magnesium in the formulation.
Magnesium
Along with calcium, magnesium is found in bones and is important to the conduction of electrical impulses of muscles and nerves. Magnesium, like calcium, is a relaxant—yet either one in excess causes a malfunction of the nervous system. Keeping both minerals in balance is important. Most magnesium is found in the cell where it activates the enzymes necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids. It is involved in insulin secretion and function. Magnesium is often refined out of many foods and amounts are lost during cooking of foods. Therefore, if someone eats the “standard American diet” (SAD), then it is also important to supplement the diet with magnesium.