Red Superfood Powders vs. Green Superfood Powders: The Polyphenol-Powered, Delicious Benefits of Berries by Dr Athanasios Tektonidis, Advisory Scientific Expert at NEWROAD
Superfood powders are becoming a hand method to add nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables into your everyday routine. While green powders have long been popular, red superfood powders—which contain berries and colourful vegetables such as beets—are earning the recognition they deserve.
What are Red Superfood Powders?
Red superfood powders comprise fruits and vegetables that include rich red, purple, and blue colours. Berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blackcurrants dominate these blends, as do cherries and beets. What distinguishes red powders apart their high polyphenol content, for example anthocyanins and ellagic acid. These compounds are powerful antioxidants that support cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, and promote healthy skin (Beattie et al., 2005; Seeram, 2008).
Recent research has revealed that polyphenols not only lower oxidative stress but also impact gene expression associated with inflammation and immune response (Hidalgo & Almajano, 2017). This suggests that regular eating of polyphenol-rich foods like berries could have long-term health benefits, potentially lowering the risk of chronic disease.
What are Green Superfood Powders?
Green superfood powders are usually produced from nutrient-dense vegetables like kale, spinach, and wheatgrass, as well as algae such as spirulina. Green powders contain high levels of fibre, vitamins K and A, magnesium, and chlorophyll (Lin et al., 2016). Interestingly, chlorophyll, the green pigment found in plants, has been shown to bond with toxins and heavy metals, allowing the body to remove them more quickly (Mazzoni et al., 2016). This has led many consumers choosing green superfood powders, even though detoxification is a natural, self-regulated process carried out by the body.
Nonetheless, due to their high fibre content, green powders have significant potential in maintaining healthy digestion by supporting gut health and promoting regular bowel movements, which makes them a valuable addition to a balanced diet focused on digestive overall wellbeing.
Key Differences
Both red and green superfood powders include high levels of important vitamins and minerals. Green powders are excellent for cellular and gut health, thanks to their high nutrient-dense nature (Mazzoni et al., 2016). However, red powders shine when it comes to antioxidant power, thanks to polyphenols found in berries, which are often overlooked but essential for overall health (Hidalgo & Almajano, 2017).
Red powders are particularly rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which are essential for immune support, skin health, and lowering oxidative stress (Seeram, 2008; Burton-Freeman et al., 2016). Because of the abundance of berries, red powers have a natural sweet and tart taste, which makes them an easier addition to regular meals like smoothies, yoghurts, and even desserts, than green powders, which often have an earthy flavour.
The Polyphenol Advantage of Red Superfood Powders
The real star of red superfood powders is polyphenols, which are bioactive compounds that protect the body from oxidative stress and inflammation. Numerous studies have found that polyphenols, particularly those found in berries, can lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, improve cognitive health, and promote a healthy digestive system by feeding “good” gut bacteria (Hidalgo & Almajano, 2017; Burton-Freeman et al., 2016). According to research on the gut-brain axis, the prebiotic properties of polyphenols, may potentially have a positive impact on mental health, further emphasising their overall benefits (Olas, 2018).
While green powders have long been promoted for their “detoxification” properties, red powders bring a brand-new evidence-based level of wellbeing due to their polyphenol content. They may also be more versatile in taste, making it easier to integrate to a healthy routine.
Why Red Powders Deserve a Place in Your Diet
With their sweet and often tart flavour and rich nutrient profile, red superfood powders are an underappreciated member of the “superfood” family. While green powders are valuable for supporting gut and overall health, red powders are packed with polyphenols that also promote overall long-term health. By combining red and green powders, you can benefit from the unique properties of each.
Conclusion
In the end, a well-balanced diet requires diversity. Red powders, with their antioxidant-rich berries and sweet, delicious flavours, make an excellent complement to the green ones. Incorporating both means you are getting a diverse range of nutrients to support overall health, from heart health to digestive wellbeing and beyond.
References:
- Beattie, J., Crozier, A., & Duthie, G. G. (2005). Potential health benefits of berries. Current Nutrition & Food Science, 1(1), 71-86.
- Burton-Freeman, B. M., Sandhu, A. K., & Edirisinghe, I. (2016). Red raspberries and their bioactive polyphenols: Cardiometabolic and other potential health effects. Advances in Nutrition, 7(1), 44-65.
- Hidalgo, M., & Almajano, M. P. (2017). Red fruits: Extraction of antioxidants, phenolic content, and radical scavenging determination: A review. Antioxidants, 6(1), 7.
- Lin, D., Xiao, M., Zhao, J., Li, Z., Xing, B., Li, X., Kong, M., Li, L., Zhang, Q., Liu, Y., Chen, H., & Chen, S. (2016). An overview of plant phenolic compounds and their importance in human nutrition and management of Type 2 diabetes. Molecules, 21(10), 1374.
- Mazzoni, L., Perez-Lopez, P., Giampieri, F., Alvarez-Suarez, J. M., Gasparrini, M., Forbes-Hernandez, T. Y., Quiles, J. L., Mezzetti, B., & Battino, M. (2016). The genetic aspects of berries: From field to health. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(12), 4337-4344.
- Seeram, N. P. (2008). Berry fruits: Compositional elements, biochemical activities, and the impact of their intake on human health, performance, and disease. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(3), 627-629.