Have you had your "Greens" today?

The latest issue of Yoga Journal arrived a week and a half ago, and I dove right in (appropriately, as it's the annual "Blue Issue",chock full of stories related to preserving our planet's most valuable resource: Water).  Great articles, as usual; particularly inspiring is this month's home practice sequence and it's cheeky nod to all things aquatic with "Mermaid Pose"!

Anyway, while perusing the magazine (whilst on the Elliptical at the gym - don't judge), I was once again intrigued by the 2-page ad spread on "Vega", a green superfood dietary supplement skillfully developed by professional "IronMan" champion Brendan Brazier.  This ad appears just about every month.  They're really psyched about it, apparently.  According to the ad, it's a complete, nutritional superfood, with an ideal proportion of 40% protein, 30% carb, 30% fat.  It's also prohibitively expensive.  A tub providing enough powder for 7 servings costs $42.50.  I am curious about this type of supplement, but not *that* curious. 

Still, when I had a few minutes to spare as I was near a Vitamin World store, I stopped in to scope out similar products and see what all the fuss is about.  It was, afterall, a 2-page spread.  One of the more affordable options was the GreenSuperfood by Amazing Grass (How punny:  One of the main ingredients is WheatGrass.  They're so clever.)  It's a greenfood blend with Spirulina and Broccoli, an Antioxidant blend, thanks to the Gogi and Acai, a Fiber blend, and a Probiotic Blend complete with acidophilous.

For $22 I picked up a tub of enough powder for 30 servings.  Still a little pricey, but this one, above all others, was guarateed to taste good, and provide a complete nutritional serving of fruits and vegetables from freeze-dried greens ("Raw Food"), not juices.  1 scoop provides 30 calories, 1 g fat, 2 g protein, and 8% of your daily value of fiber.  The container also boasted to restore the Alkalinity to your digestive system.  I recently saw a sales pitch at my gym for some kind of specially filtered water that restores alkalinity by neutralizing all of the acidic foods we consume (diet sodas, gatorades, and probably wine and spirits).  I blew it off, but the second this SuperFoods starts talking about restoring Alkalinity, I was sold! (I'm a sucker.  My husband is in advertising and even he knows I'm a sucker).

So, yesterday morning, I tried my first scoop, shaken, not stirred with good 'ole tap water.  Ugh.  I almost gagged before I could finish the 6 oz.  Almost.  I still managed to wolf down a bowl of cereal and nab a bit of my kids' waffle.  I decided I used the wrong "mixer", so at lunch, I mixed a scoop with a cup of blueberry yogurt.  Not as heinous, but not exactly delicious.  I have absolutely NO aversion to eating my greens - I'll eat vegetables every night of the week, much to the chagrin of my husband, and preferably "Raw", as in a crunchy garden salad - so I'm starting to question my weird desire to eat his superfood.  It's not really "food"...is it "super"?  That remains to be seen.  I'll give it a go, and see how I feel after a week.  I'm $22 in, anyway, might as well...  For now, I have no expectations, so any observable results (more energy, clearer skin, better sleep, more endurance) will be a plus.
What, if any, are your experiences with Powdered Greens?  Thoughts, questions, advice?  All are welcome!

That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.