“Greens” are not only advertised as low-calorie food bombs in the fitness area. But from the point of view of experts, the powders have disadvantages.
the essentials briefly
- Powdered vegetables are now easily obtainable even in supermarkets.
- However, experts observe that vegetable powder neither fills you nor gives you real pleasure.
- In the winter months, vegetable soups and stews are a better healthy food choice.
Powdered vegetables can now be found on many supermarket shelves. Using the powder seems practical: mix one or two tablespoons of it into food or drink – and you’ve already had your daily serving of vegetables.
However, the German qualified ecotrophologist Julia Zichner thinks little about these hip “greens”.
In the interview, the nutrition expert explains his reservations about these dietary supplements.
Question: Ms. Zichner, you criticize vegetable powder and say you wouldn’t spend “even a penny” for it. Why?
Julia Zichner: One is the theme of food and enjoyment, the other is the theme of volume and fullness.
When I eat vegetables in a regular form, I have a certain amount that ends up in my stomach and fills me up. And vegetables create this feeling of satiety, even though they have relatively little energy.
In this regard, the consumption of vegetables is also a good basis for maintaining your desired weight.
Vegetable powder or vegetable tablet doesn’t fill you up, and I don’t have a moment of pleasure from it. In addition, unlike normal vegetables, the powders and tablets contain just about any dietary fiber that is important for intestinal health.
And: Consider the role model for the kids. If the big ones swallow vegetables in powder, how will the little ones learn to eat vegetables?
Question: Can the powders at least supply the vitamins and minerals contained in the initial vegetables?
Zichner: Yes, part. Minerals are not destroyed by the heating and drying process during manufacture. Vitamins, in turn, break down when heated and stored.
A powder made from 100 grams of fresh broccoli will contain fewer vitamins than 100 grams of fresh broccoli unless they have been artificially added.
What can hardly be represented in powder and tablets is the interaction of vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances.
Not everything has been explored in this area. But we know, for example, that vitamins have a better effect on the body in combination with secondary plant substances.
Question: It is usually said that you should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. When it comes to vegetables in particular, it’s often not that easy to keep up with this – do you have any tips on how to reach the recommended amount?
Zichner: First, I would see how much I already eat during the day. Many underestimate that.
Also because they have no sense of how much something weighs. Please put a big tomato on the scales. You will be surprised.
On average, it is recommended to consume 650 grams of fruits and vegetables a day. Especially in autumn, the portion can be increased very well with vegetable stews and soups.
The fact is, of course, that you lose food by heating while cooking, but that’s a price in – the recommendations are calculated with a bit of a buffer anyway.
Moreover, most should be vegetables – the German Society for Nutrition recommends 400 grams a day. In general, it is always advisable to have a colorful mix of cooked and raw vegetables in your diet.
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