NUTRITION TIPS
This Month’s Nutrition Tip – September 2009
Green foods - Plant Power in Small Packages
This month’s tip is about the BGA. ”Green foods," refer to a group of foods that includes young cereal grasses like barley grass and wheat grass, as well a blue-green algae known as BGA. Nutritionally, they are closely related to dark green leafy vegetables, but offer far greater levels of "nutrient density." In other words, an ounce of these concentrated green foods contains much more of the beneficial phyto-nutrients found in an ounce of green vegetables. Because these foods are high in chlorophyll, (the phytochemical that gives leaves, plants and algae their green hues, and is the plant equivalent of the oxygen-carrying red pigment hemoglobin in red blood cells), they offer many potential health benefits.
There are three algae that are commonly available as supplements. The algae are chlorella, spirulina and green blue algae (aphanizomenon flas-aquae). These micro-algae are important sources of essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the food chain.
Blue-Green Algae (BGA), Spirulina, and Chlorella
The single-celled plants known as blue-green algae (BGA) are sold in health food stores as superior sources of protein, chlorophyll, essential fatty acids, carotenoid antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and disease-preventive phytonutrients. There are several types of BGAs, the most popular being spirulina and chlorella. They also contain B vitamins, including B12 so is therefore may be useful for vegetarians. BGAs—especially spirulina—are also good sources of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid with many healthful properties, which some people’s bodies have trouble producing, and can be lacking in the standard diet.. Chlorella has properties that make it the most valuable of all the green food supplements. It is very rich in chlorophyll, much higher than Spirulina.
The existing research, while lacking in many regards, suggests that BGAs exert some significant and perhaps unique preventive-health effects, most likely due to their polysaccharides, antioxidants, nucleic acids, and peptides.
Preliminary evidence suggests that they may have the following benefits:
- Help diminish allergies, such as hay fever
- Help cleanse the bowel and other elimination routes in the body
- Help support the immune system
- Help protect the liver from toxins and may assist the body with detoxification
- Reduce blood pressure and cholesterol
- Exert strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
Supplements usually come in powder or tablet form, with the powder form being preferable due to easier absorption in the body. Coming up to winter a green food supplement may be beneficial for all-round health.
More details on request
“Lindsey gave me a thorough dietary assessment which involved me writing a diary of my diet for one week. As painful as I found this process - I was a bad eater, often skipping meals and gorging on sugar! - It was worth doing this because the plan and the support I received from Lindsey, helped me break through my emotional comfort zone to experience a greater well being. Lindsey, recommended good, simple food that made me feel and look better. I have found that eating regularly enough to keep my sugar levels from dropping and choosing from food that isn't high in sugar content does keep me on an even keel.” Rita, London