With the U.S. government releasing its new dietary recommendations urging consumers to consume up to 13 servings per day of fruits and vegetables, it’s certain many of your shoppers are falling short of that goal. Fortunately, natural products retailers can offer their customers the power of green “super” foods to fill in the nutritional gaps.
Green foods are often called “super foods” because of their superior health benefits. Packed with nutrients the body needs for overall health and well-being, as well as additional compounds that may provide health benefits beyond the scope of basic nutrition, these dietary supplements go beyond many others on store shelves.
“The ‘super foods’ label refers to the many health benefits that green foods offer compared to other types of food,” said Bob Terry, Ph.D., customer/technical service manager and product development specialist with Oxnard, Calif.-based Green Foods Corp. “Each of the green foods are superlative health foods because they contain a wide variety of phytonutrients including vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential fatty acids, flavonoids, carotenoids and other substances that together exhibit antioxidant, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activity.”
Green foods are nutrient dense and are known for their explosive content of phytonutrients containing significant antioxidant activity. The consumption of green foods by humans dates back thousands of years, from the Aztecs in M e x i c o to early African cultures. U.S. consumers were first introduced to green foods in the form of wheat grass, a popular multivitamin supplement during the 1920s, according to Sandra Stauch, vice president of marketing with Park City, Utah-based Nutraceutical Corp. “Green foods are different from mainstream vitamin and mineral supplements because they are not synthetic nor are they isolated compounds,” she said. “They are whole food sources of nutrition.”
According to Terry, green foods are the base of the food chain and, therefore, the source of optimal nutrition. “Green foods are nature’s multivitamin/mineral supplement,” he said. “They are a natural source of vitamins and minerals and, along with important co-factors, green foods supply these essential nutrients in a form that is both safe and effective for the body.”
The green foods category incorporates microalgae, cereal grasses, plant greens, vegetables, sea vegetables/seaweed and aqua greens. The two most commonly used in the dietary supplement industry are cereal grasses and microalgae.
Cereal grasses include barley, rye, oat, alfalfa, wheat and kamut. Cereal grass is the young green plant that ultimately produces the cereal grain. All cereal grasses, including the green leaves of wheat, barley, rye and oats, are nutritionally identical. Most cereal grass is planted in the fall, grown for about 200 days through the winter and harvested in the spring just prior to the “jointing” stage (the “peak” of the plant’s vegetative development). Chlorophyll, protein and most of the vitamins found in cereal grasses reach their peak concentrations in the period just prior to the jointing stage, when the cereal grass leaf begins to elongate, forming a stem. When cereal grasses are at this young green stage, they contain many times the level of vitamins, minerals and proteins found in the seed kernel (or grain product) of the mature cereal plant. After this time, the nutritive value of cereal grass begins to deteriorate.
According to Joseph Brasco, M.D., vice president of medical affairs with West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Garden of Life, dehydrated cereal grass has been available as a food supplement for humans since the 1930s. Brasco said grasses 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 that grow naturally in the human digestive tract,” Brasco added.
Researchers have concluded the nutritive value of cereal grass is beneficial in both human and animal life. Oat ingestion was found to have a beneficial influence on endothelial function in overweight, dyslipidemic adults;1 alfalfa contains saponins, which appear to decrease plasma cholesterol without creating a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good”) cholesterol levels;2 and wheat grass has been specifically studied in digestive health, apparently reducing symptoms and disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.3 Wheat grass is valued for its nutrient concentration, including more than 90 minerals and antioxidants, and is used for purifying and alkalinizing the blood, cleansing the colon, and detoxifying the liver.4
The addition of barley to a healthy diet may be effective in lowering cholesterol in both men and women,5 can reduce cardiovascular risk factors,6 and may aid in digestion.7 Also, researchers reported dehydrated barley grass juice supplementation over a four-month period significantly lessened the symptoms of fibromyalgia.8
In the microalgae category, consumers will find chlorella, dunaliella (red algae), Haematococcus and blue-green algae, including spirulina and aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA). These microscopic plants range in size from 2 to 8 microns and have a long history of human consumption.
Microalgae are thought to contain every nutrient required by the human body and are extraordinarily nutrient-dense. “Over 140 nutrients have been identified in blue-green algae, including 68 minerals,” said Shannon Hamilton, president of Klamath Falls, Ore.-based Klamath Valley Botanicals. “Scientists have identified 16 antioxidants, including a whole host of enzymes, and blue-green algae has all of the amino acids, including essential amino acids that cannot be made by the body.”
Both chlorella and spirulina are packed with enormous healthboosting nutrients and phytochemicals. Chlorella—a single-celled water-grown alga containing a nucleus and an enormous amount of readily available chlorophyll—contains protein (approximately 58 percent), carbohydrates, all of the B vitamins, vitamins C and E, amino acids and additional rare trace minerals.9 Spirulina also is a highly digestible natural source of protein, far surpassing the protein bioavailability of beef,10 and is more dense and more digestible than any animal-derived protein. These two super foods also contain the macrominerals calcium, magnesium, zinc and potassium; essential fatty acids (including gamma-linoleic acid, GLA); mucopolysaccharides; beta-carotene; nucleic acids; and chlorophyll.
The vast spectrum of microelements in chlorella and spirulina is impressively complex, and it is important to note much of the healing phytochemical content in these super foods has not yet been isolated and named, remaining unidentified and thus unknown to the scientific community. However, their health implications are becoming increasingly noticed.
“Over 200 studies—human clinical studies, animal research and invitro studies—have clearly established benefits of daily use of spirulina,” said Bob Capelli, vice president of sales with Kailua-Kona, Hawaii-based Cyanotech Corp. “Spirulina has been shown to be excellent for the immune system, is anti-viral and anti-inflammatory, and has shown antioxidant activity. It is good for the eyes, blood lipids [cholesterol], skin and it has proven benefits for the liver and kidneys. Spirulina is basically good for everyone.”
Recent preclinical testing shows spirulina’s immunological, antiviral and cholesterol-reducing therapeutic properties11; when used in animal experiments—administered in much higher amounts than recommended in human consumption—it was found to be safe and non-toxic when tested for short- and long-term toxicity, mutagenicity and teratogenicity.12 Japanese researchers have shown the phycocyanin (red and blue—the two main natural pigments commercially produced from algae) in spirulina raises lymphocyte activity and strengthens the immune system.13
Spirulina has been used to reduce cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure in those with mild hypertension,14,15 and experimental studies have demonstrated inhibitory effects on oral cancer.16,17 Spirulina has also been shown to control blood glucose levels and improve the lipid profile in Type II diabetics.18 More interestingly, spirulina—as an antiviral component—was studied in relation to anti-human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) and anti-herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1), and was found to be a possible candidate agent for an anti-HIV therapeutic drug.19
Detoxifying with Green Foods
Green foods are just the answer health seekers want, Terry said. “Green foods promote detoxification because they neutralize free radicals and other toxic substances including pesticides and other harmful chemicals, as well as support the function of our primary detoxifying organ—the liver,” he said.
Dana Burger, vice president and general manager of supplements, health and beauty aids with Garden of Life, agreed, adding that, as in other forms of supplementation, balance remains imperative. “Looking for balance in any green product to aid in elimination and rebuilding is important to break the cycle of toxicity,” she said.
In addition, not all green foods function equally, with each offering different types of detoxification. “A consumer should buy a green food to suit a specific need,” said Lance Sigal, division manager, finished goods with Tollhouse, Calif.-based Earthrise Nutritionals Inc. “Different green foods may offer varied benefits that better suit a consumer’s need.”
One way green foods assist in detoxification is by balancing the blood’s pH, according to Todd Habermehl, co-founder of San Francisco-based Amazing Grass. “Green foods are extremely alkaline and help usher toxins or poisons out of the body,” he said. “Consuming whole leaf wheat grass and other greens that are very alkaline is an excellent way to restore the blood to the optimal pH level.”
Hidden Woes of Green Foods
Growing, manufacturing and retailing green foods pose serious challenges due to the products’ easily-degradable, sensitive make-up. Whole green foods such as the dark green leafy vegetables broccoli, alfalfa, kale and spinach are considered a much easier, desirable path to enjoying the benefits of green foods due to the convenience of serving them in true form. Other super foods are not so easily delivered, however, and can be “an absolute nightmare to manufacture correctly,” according to Hamilton. Ron Henson, vice president for commercial sales with Earthrise Nutritionals Inc., agreed. “To maintain the phytonutrient content from the living plant to the consumer, that’s a major challenge,” he said. Green foods vary in production and harvesting techniques, mostly according to whether they are land-based or marine-based. Spirulina and chlorella, for example, are grown in water and pose much more involved production and harvesting techniques than do green foods grown in soil.
Manufacturers, retailers and consumers all must understand the nature of each raw material, how it was produced and how to maintain the phytonutrient content, Henson said. Burger said Garden of Life takes this aspect very seriously. “We source the highest quality grasses which are grown to our own set specifications,” she said. “The product is manufactured to strict standards and we do micro testing to ensure the quality of the finished product.”
Manufacturers of green foods take care to preserve the nutrients naturally found in the green food during the various manufacturing processes and through to the end consumer. “Recognize and respect the fact these are natural, certified, organic, whole green foods and they are best served as close to their natural environmental state as possible with as minimal handling as possible,” Hamilton said.
There are many manufacturing challenges that must be addressed. Heating, for example, is a major concern in manufacturing a green food product and maintaining its bioavailabilty. “The trick for manufacturers is to be able to dehydrate it to stabilize the product, but not over-dehydrate it because then you cook the product,” Henson said. In addition, heating has the potential to denature the phytonutrient content of the green food. Because of this, tableting must be carefully carried out when working with green foods. The pressure used in tableting creates heat, which can denature the nutrients; therefore, powder form remains the most widely used form for green food supplements. Capelli said he recommends powder because it maintains bioavailability.
Retailers must take such factors into consideration when choosing products for their stores and deciding how to stock these products. Packaging is critical to maintaining product quality, according to Henson. Green foods are highly susceptible to oxidation and the type of packaging is key in preserving the vital nutrients. Capelli said Cyanotech, for example, often recommends amber glass bottles with metal caps, rubber seals and an oxygen absorber for their products.
Kazuo “Kazie” Uyama, president of Torrance, Calif.-based C’est Si Bon Co., also has dedicated much time and energy in such protective measures. “We choose to pack our product in a zipper lock bag so that consumers can push air out when they are done,” he said. Many products, such as powders, lose potency when they are stored for long periods of time, he added.
“The greatest bioavailability will come from supplements that are the most pure and processed for the highest bioavailability—those that come from pure, whole-food green food sources, and are processed in ways that will not damage the nutritional value of the green foods,” Brasco said, emphasizing cereal grasses are minimally processed and often closer to their whole food form.
According to Terry, the form of the product determines bioavailability; Stauch disagreed, saying there is no evidence to indicate that any particular form has superior bioavailability. And May said both form and processing affect bioavailability. “Grasses contain tough cellulose fibers that are difficult for humans to digest, and this affects bioavailability,” he said. “Thus, the constituents in grasses are more bio-available when the grass is juiced; so it is always advisable to look for ‘wheat grass juice,’ ‘kamut juice’ or ‘barley juice’ on a label.”
Many issues pertaining to the compatibility and the delivery of combined green foods can be tricky as well. Uyama said compatibility is an area not yet known. “There will be a synergistic effect of the combination, but we don’t know it exactly, good or bad. That is why our products aren’t mixtures. We go with a single ingredient,” he said. But every green food is different, according to Sigal, who added Earthrise® spirulina is a natural green food formula highly compatible with other types of supplements—especially products like lactobacillus—and other specific or functional foods such as yogurt and other green food formulas. Stauch also said her company recommends its green foods be consumed with digestive aids, including enzymes, to optimize bioavailability.
Bioavailability must be closely watched right up to individual consumption. For instance, Jan Lovejoy, C.C.N., C.C.H., formulator of Emerald Balance™ from Vista, Calif.-based Spirit Garden Nutrition, advised against drinking or eating hot foods with green powders, advising either cool or room temperature beverages are best. She also suggested taking them alone or with a protein powder, juice or smoothie. “I believe a good powdered green drink is best,” she said, “the mill size of the particles is small and easily absorbed through the small intestines.”
The Retailer’s Role
Consumers and retailers must be educated about any product they use or carry at their store, Uyama warned. “If manufacturers answer willy-nilly about the product, you just don’t use it,” he said. “You’ve got to trust the product.”
Retailers may be assured of product quality by choosing products from a well-known, established company that freely supplies product information regarding the processing and the source of their ingredients, including research on the effectiveness of their products. “Buy from a reputable company that has rigorous quality control procedures and standards for incoming raw materials and is GMP [good manufacturing practice] compliant,” Stauch suggested.
Retailers should be able to get solid assurance of quality directly from any manufacturer they stock through the various quality and safety assurance programs they use. Sigal said manufacturers should list these certifications on their packaging. “At Earthrise, we are ISO-registered, GMP-certified, GRAS [generally recognized as safe]-affirmed and have Kosher certification on most of our products—and we show this on our packaging for retailers and consumers to see,” he said.
Habermehl advised retailers to ask specific questions about product quality. “Request certificates of analysis (C of A), which disclose how clean the bulk ingredients are,” he said. “Also, ask how are the greens harvested, where are they processed and how often are crops harvested. We ensure the freshness of the Amazing Grass products by storing all product in nitrogen packed containers so no light or oxygen will oxidize the green.”
This issue of proper storage is critical to avoiding oxidative degradation. “Phytonutrients absorb energy,” Henson said. “We want them to absorb free radicals inside our cells. The phytonutrients remain photoactive after the plant has been dehydrated, so you need to protect it from light and you need to protect it from oxygen. Otherwise its potency will fade.”
It is always best to follow manufacturers’ recommendations. Sigal advised retailers educate themselves by reading manufacturer-supplied training materials and product labels to see what the proper shelf environment should be for each particular product. “Many labels look nice, and retailers want to have them near a window for a colorful display, but sunlight and heat may affect both the packaging and the contents, so find a good traffic spot away from windows,” he added. “Another basic rule from the beginning of time is to rotate the stock on a regular basis—first in/first out. Easier said than done, but it keeps the stock fresher for the consumer.”
Lovejoy emphasized it is always best to treat nutritional supplements as foods. “It is important not to have the product get too hot due to the active probiotics and nutrients,” she said. “Also, check to see if the product has probiotics; if so, ask the company whether the canister should be refrigerated after opening. Also, ask about shelf life of the product.” Retailers should always check regularly for expiration dates as well, Terry added.
An additional issue when helping customers select a super food product is to take food sensitivities into account. Stauch pointed out individuals with gluten intolerances—such as those suffering Celiac disease—would be well advised to stay clear of most green food supplements, especially those containing cereal grains, grasses and oats.
Even with the many challenges of delivering efficacious green foods, the popularity of these “super” foods continues to increase in popularity as consumers acknowledge the number of advantages they supply. “Green foods are probably the best source there is for three things—enzymes, vitamins and minerals—on God’s green Earth,” Hamilton said. “That’s probably why the market continues to expand. You take them, you’ll feel it.”
March 2005 Health Supplement Retailer
"Enhancing Nutrition Through Super Foods" References
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10. ibid.
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