Plant Superman or Clark Kent: Are superfood powders really powerful?

The superfood powder market is expected to reach $11.5 billion by 2030, and US-based Plant-Based Health News recently recognized Australian company Nuzest-USA as one of the most promising suppliers in this field. While these predictions for the marketing of superfood powders sound encouraging, there is also skepticism about the overall health benefits of supplements.

Superfood powders are blends of dried berries, herbs, mushrooms and other natural ingredients recognized for their beneficial nutritional and prebiotic properties. The powders are often added to smoothies or sprinkled on healthier foods to boost their nutritional value.

Founded in Sydney, Australia in 2013 by Trevor Bolland, Nuzest-USA is a leader in the herbal superfood powder market segment, mainly due to its best-known product, Good Green Vitality Powder.

This superfood powder blend contains over 75 ingredients, including nutrient-rich "superfoods" such as pea protein isolate, organic spirulina, organic wheat grass and red seaweed. This once-a-day supplement contains significant amounts of vitamins, probiotics, and adaptogens.

The idea for Nuzest-USA was found by Trevor Bolland after his daughter Monique was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. Dietary supplements were part of the multiple sclerosis treatment regimen, and Bolland sold his real estate business to focus on the health benefits of homeopathic ingredients.

"We learned during this period that nutrition is particularly important," says Bolland, "that diet and lifestyle are key to well-being. Not a cure - she still has multiple sclerosis - so changing her diet and lifestyle certainly didn't cure multiple sclerosis, but what it did, in the absence of anything else, allowed her to manage it. We were able to bring her life back into balance. "

Nuzest-USA continues its mission to create herbal nutritional supplements, many of which contain constituents recognized as superfoods. Another Nuzest-USA product, Clean Lean Protein, provides essential amino acids derived from plant proteins.

Superfood powders typically contain vitamins E and C, biotin (also known as vitamin B7) and vitamin B12, as well as plant proteins such as pea protein isolate or brown rice powder. Additional ingredients may include stress-relieving adaptogens such as ashwagandha and ginseng.

Here are other health benefits associated with superfood powders:

• The ingredients in plant-based superfood powders do not include refined carbohydrates, processed red meat or white sugar. Adding such nutritional supplements to food provides the same nutritional benefits by avoiding common causes of inflammation.
• The proponents of the popular "alkaline diet" believe that foods of reduced acidity will reduce blood pH to a more alkaline state, accompanied by a number of health benefits. While experts still debate the effects of food on blood pH levels, the healthfulness and naturally low acidity of superfood powder ingredients cannot be dismissed immediately.
• The recommendation for patients with high blood pressure is to adopt a heart-healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables. Most superfood powders include dried fruits and vegetables, as well as nutrient-rich seeds and skins that are not typically found in the standard diet.
• Superfood powders rich in green ingredients contain high levels of vitamins C and K, powerful antioxidants that may reduce the risk of acquiring chronic diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
• Nutritional supplements generally boost energy levels as the body's nutrient needs are met, but superfood powders containing green tea extracts also provide a natural energy boost.

The dietary supplement industry, in general, is less tightly regulated and health-promoting measures don't always have validation through rigorous scientific testing, leading to skepticism about the efficacy of superfood powders. Many ingredients do not survive the digestive process, and those that do reach the bloodstream do not always achieve therapeutic potency. Some superfood powders contain excessively high levels of additives, exceeding the recommended daily allowance.

"It's like throwing everything in the kitchen sink into a powder," says Peter Cohen, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School who studies food additives.

Superfood powders are also promoted as nutrient-dense, encouraging users to replace traditional healthy diets with one enhanced with superfood supplements.

"They're so appealing," said Marion Nestle, professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. "You think, 'Oh, it's going to be so easy.'" But, she says, you'll likely need more than just a spoonful of powder to improve your overall health.

Adding confirmed or unconfirmed supplements to your diet has always been a personal decision for nutritionists. Unique blends of superfood powders would be difficult, if not impossible, to create at home, so taking them in powder or capsule form is an effective way to increase nutrient intake in one set. Certain ingredients carry benefits, and have been on sale in health food stores for decades without harmful effects.

Critics of dietary supplements argue that the body only needs certain nutrients to function and the rest is removed from the body as liquid waste. Nutritional supplements such as multivitamins and superfood powders create nothing more than an expensive bladder.

The decision to add superfood powders to your daily diet is ultimately a personal decision, but information about the effectiveness and safety of these supplements is available, so consumers should do their research before making a decision.

This article was produced and collaborated with Wealth of Geeks.