How Green is Your Valley?
When you review as many restaurants as I do, you consume your fair share of burgers, fries and pizza... Not exactly the building blocks of a healthy diet. In order to offset all that "naughtiness," I try my best to balance it with a nutritious shake to start every day (off right.) That means Greek yogurt, frozen berries, juice, water, ground flaxseed and something green. The latter is most important; and finding the best (easiest to swallow) greens is easier than you think. I use PINES' Green Duo powder (a combo of organic alfalfa and wheatgrass, available in capsules too.) Two teaspoons is all I use, and it literally adds only 20 calories to the mix. For someone like me (meat & potatoes = good... dark green, leafy veggies = not so much) it's not only smart, but vital to my diet. When PINES reached out to me about a couple of other products, I literally jumped at the chance to try them.
It was also neat to try PINES Mighty Greens Superfood Blend, which adds hemp protein to my usual Green Duo mix. Hemp protein is a high-fiber (3 grams per serving) protein supplement that digests easily, without the cholesterol and fat found in meat. I found it to be the best tasting of the three (especially stirred into my daily glass of low-sodium V8) but it requires a full tablespoon, which can be a bit cost-deficient (a month's supply costs $37.50.) By comparison, a bottle of my Green Duo provides 81 1-teaspoon servings for 3 dollars less.
Speaking of bottles, all PINES powders are packed inside oxygen-free amber glass bottles with special metal caps. That means more freshness/vitality than plastic containers (and longer expiration dates... over four years away.)
Let's be real: It's better to eat the actual green leafy vegetables themselves, but if you're like most people in America... that's probably not going to happen. I'd rather pay a few bucks more for the convenience and (lack of) taste. Besides, I have a date with a juicy burger later... I can't afford not to.
Six Spectacular Reasons to Increase your Green Intake
Kermit the Frog used to sing that it’s not easy being green. One thing that is easy is improving your overall health by boosting your intake of dark green, leafy vegetables. Many people don’t eat a balanced diet. As a general guideline, Fruit & Veggies More Matter recommends filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at every meal.
For those who find it tough to eat as many veggies as they should, there are other options for boosting your green intake, including the use of supplements. PINES International (The Wheat Grass People) offers a line of super green products that contain the widest spectrum of vitamins and minerals found in any vegetable, as well as additional nutrients. For example, one rounded teaspoonful of PINES Wheat Grass powder, dissolved in water or juice, provides the same amount of nutrition as a serving of deep-green, leafy vegetables. Seven wheat grass tablets will do the same.
Why go green? As part of their commitment to helping people live the healthiest possible lives, PINES offers the following six reasons for increasing your green intake.
Leafy Green Vegetables...
1. PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM CANCER - There is significant scientific evidence that eating certain green, leafy vegetables can help prevent cancer. The American Institute of Cancer Research states:
Spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, collard greens, chicory and Swiss chard are excellent sources of fiber, folate and a wide range of carotenoids that can inhibit the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells, skin cancer cells, lung cancer and stomach cancer.
2. ARE A RICH SOURCE OF VITAMINS & MINERALS - Greens represent a convenient, essentially non-caloric, nutrient-dense source of otherwise hard to obtain minerals, like magnesium, calcium, potassium, and manganese.
3. LOWER THE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES -
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables contain fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and help to temper blood-sugar swings by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream after meals. This lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
4. BOOST YOUR MOOD - Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and collards contain folate and vitamin B12. According to WebMD, there is a correlation between the consumption of these vitamins and rates of depression. “These veggies contain lots of the B-complex vitamins, which are needed to make serotonin, a mood-boosting chemical.”
5. IMPROVE BREATH - Green leafy vegetable like spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, and lettuce, kale and salad greens contains the highest amount of chlorophyll (the green pigment) which is an excellent deodorizer. The green vegetables help balance the pH level of the body and thus prevent the occurrence of dry mouth which is one of the root causes of bad breath. A diet which is comprised of loads of green leafy vegetables will not only eliminate offensive odor but it will also boost the production of digestive enzymes.
6. SLOW THE AGING PROCESS - In addition to playing a key role in helping blood to clot, vitamin K is critical in preventing certain age-related conditions. Researchers in California found inadequate K can lead to cardiovascular disease, bone fragility, and arterial and kidney calcification.
ABOUT PINES WHEAT GRASS:
PINES Wheat Grass is richer in chlorophyll and iron than spinach. Its protein level averages 25 percent and it contains every known vitamin, along with 20 amino acids, including the eight that are considered essential for human health. All PINES products are 100% Certified Organic, Non-GMO project verified and gluten-free.
You can find PINES Wheat Grass and other PINES products at premium health and natural retail stores. Check here to find a location near you. You can also purchase Pines products online - visit us at: http://www.wheatgrass.com/c-5-pines-wheat-grass.aspx.
ABOUT PINES INTERNATIONAL:
Founded in 1976, PINES International is a successful natural products company, still owned by the original founders and families. PINES Wheat and Barley Grass tablets and powders and other premium products are found in over 7,000 health food stores nationwide, and exported to more than 20 foreign countries. PINES products are made with the utmost care, with the focus on creating and maintaining maximum nutritional value every step of the way. Beyond that, their goal is to have minimal negative impact on our environment, and where possible, restore and protect what has been damaged by the shortsighted farming and development activities of others.
Kermit the Frog used to sing that it’s not easy being green. One thing that is easy is improving your overall health by boosting your intake of dark green, leafy vegetables. Many people don’t eat a balanced diet. As a general guideline, Fruit & Veggies More Matter recommends filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at every meal.
For those who find it tough to eat as many veggies as they should, there are other options for boosting your green intake, including the use of supplements. PINES International (The Wheat Grass People) offers a line of super green products that contain the widest spectrum of vitamins and minerals found in any vegetable, as well as additional nutrients. For example, one rounded teaspoonful of PINES Wheat Grass powder, dissolved in water or juice, provides the same amount of nutrition as a serving of deep-green, leafy vegetables. Seven wheat grass tablets will do the same.
 |
| Click above to enlarge |
Why go green? As part of their commitment to helping people live the healthiest possible lives, PINES offers the following six reasons for increasing your green intake.
Leafy Green Vegetables...
1. PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM CANCER - There is significant scientific evidence that eating certain green, leafy vegetables can help prevent cancer. The American Institute of Cancer Research states:
Spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, collard greens, chicory and Swiss chard are excellent sources of fiber, folate and a wide range of carotenoids that can inhibit the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells, skin cancer cells, lung cancer and stomach cancer.
2. ARE A RICH SOURCE OF VITAMINS & MINERALS - Greens represent a convenient, essentially non-caloric, nutrient-dense source of otherwise hard to obtain minerals, like magnesium, calcium, potassium, and manganese.
3. LOWER THE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES -
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables contain fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and help to temper blood-sugar swings by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream after meals. This lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
4. BOOST YOUR MOOD - Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and collards contain folate and vitamin B12. According to WebMD, there is a correlation between the consumption of these vitamins and rates of depression. “These veggies contain lots of the B-complex vitamins, which are needed to make serotonin, a mood-boosting chemical.”
5. IMPROVE BREATH - Green leafy vegetable like spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, and lettuce, kale and salad greens contains the highest amount of chlorophyll (the green pigment) which is an excellent deodorizer. The green vegetables help balance the pH level of the body and thus prevent the occurrence of dry mouth which is one of the root causes of bad breath. A diet which is comprised of loads of green leafy vegetables will not only eliminate offensive odor but it will also boost the production of digestive enzymes.
6. SLOW THE AGING PROCESS - In addition to playing a key role in helping blood to clot, vitamin K is critical in preventing certain age-related conditions. Researchers in California found inadequate K can lead to cardiovascular disease, bone fragility, and arterial and kidney calcification.
ABOUT PINES WHEAT GRASS:
PINES Wheat Grass is richer in chlorophyll and iron than spinach. Its protein level averages 25 percent and it contains every known vitamin, along with 20 amino acids, including the eight that are considered essential for human health. All PINES products are 100% Certified Organic, Non-GMO project verified and gluten-free.
You can find PINES Wheat Grass and other PINES products at premium health and natural retail stores. Check here to find a location near you. You can also purchase Pines products online - visit us at: http://www.wheatgrass.com/c-5-pines-wheat-grass.aspx.
ABOUT PINES INTERNATIONAL:
Founded in 1976, PINES International is a successful natural products company, still owned by the original founders and families. PINES Wheat and Barley Grass tablets and powders and other premium products are found in over 7,000 health food stores nationwide, and exported to more than 20 foreign countries. PINES products are made with the utmost care, with the focus on creating and maintaining maximum nutritional value every step of the way. Beyond that, their goal is to have minimal negative impact on our environment, and where possible, restore and protect what has been damaged by the shortsighted farming and development activities of others.
