Superfood powders are powdered extracts attained from fruits or plants and are often used in smoothies to not only add taste or colour, but to boost nutritional content, as these superfood powders are packed with health benefits. I will be talking about a few of the most popular superfood powders, including the benefits they have to offer, the best ways to use them and also a few precautions to take if you include them in your diet.
1. Acai powder:
If you’ve been on instagram, chances are you’d have stumbled across posts of beautiful, purple coloured smoothie bowls that are adorned with berries and coconut flakes. These bowls are known as acai bowls and usually consist of a blend of frozen bananas and acai powder, which is what gives the mixture that beautiful purple colour. Not only does acai powder look pretty and taste good, it is loaded with many health benefits. It is a great source of fibre and can help with digestion and it is also great for heart health because it is high in fatty acids. Acai powder also contains high levels of calcium and Vitamin E.
However, since Acai is becoming more popular, it can be overhyped; for instance, acai doesn’t promote weight loss so avoid falling prey to such claims.
2. Lucuma powder:
Lucuma powder is made from Lucuma fruit and was once known as the ‘Gold of the Incas’ for its health benefits. This delicious, sweet fruit is not only used as a natural and healthy sweetener that doesn’t affect your blood sugar levels, but it also has anti inflammatory properties which means that it is great for repairing skin and anti ageing. It has also been found to be great for the immune system and boasts antibiotic qualities. However, not much is known about the effects of consuming Lucuma powder in the long term and how safe it is, so that is something to note.
3. Moringa powder:
Moringa powder is made from dried Moringa leaves and has been found to combat fatigue because of its high iron levels. It is also great for brain health and mental health because it contains high levels of vitamins E and C. What is also great about Moringa is the high protein content, since it contains several different amino acids. High protein content means that it is great for muscle growth and it is a great way for vegetarians and vegans to get protein, if they struggle to get it from other sources. However, it is not deemed safe to use moringa powder if you are pregnant or breast feeding, so it is best to avoid it if you are.
4. Spirulina powder:
Unlike the other super food powders on this list, this super food powder isn’t probably known for its taste, but instead for its health benefits solely. Spirulina is a form of algae and it stands out for its beautiful green shade. Amongst the several health benefits that spirulina has to offer, one of these is the ability to lower blood pressure since spirulina contains phycocyanin, which is great for this cause. Spirulina is also very practical in the sense that it detoxes heavy metals from the body and this is useful because heavy metal toxicity is a global issue, especially arsenic toxicity. This is because people can consume arsenic through drinking water, making it a prevalent problem. However, a study found that when patients consumed spirulina, it majorly decreased the levels of arsenic in the body, proving it to be useful.
5. Maca powder:
Maca powder, also referred to as Peruvian ginseng, is attained from the Maca plant. It is great for hormonal health, helping to regulate the hormones responsible for mood and metabolism.
Also ladies, you’ll be pleased to hear that consuming Maca powder is great for that special time of the month. Menstrual cramps and PMS are something that most of us suffer from, however, Maca helps with this and alleviates the pain. Not only that, but Maca powder has a delicious malt taste so it can be used in different beverages and treats to enhance their flavor. An important precaution to remember with Maca powder is that it is best to have small amounts and then build up accordingly, rather than having a large amount all in one go. The average daily dose of Maca powder is 1 tbsp. Also, it is best to avoid Maca if you are pregnant.
I hope that this article proved to be useful for you all, superfood powders can be great and provide you with so many nutritional benefits if used in the right way. Unfortunately superfood powders can be expensive, however they do tend to last a long time when bought in bulk. Also, since they are becoming more and more popular, they can be overhyped and seem to offer all sorts of health benefits that are not true or have not been scientifically proven so make sure to remember that! As I have also mentioned, superfood powders are not always safe to consume if you are pregnant or breast feeding so make sure to consult with a doctor before you use any. Thanks for reading and I hope to be back soon with another article!
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