Nutritious Nutragen

by Carly Neubert, BA, NC on July 06, 2022

Sustainable farming and packaging for our food - sounds like a great path to do down for the good of our planet and our bodies. Unfortunately, this movement is just starting to pick up steam. One of the leaders in this sustainability movement? Nutragen. Packaged in eco-friendly and compostable containers, Nutragen is truly helping our Mother Earth stay healthy while providing quality products for YOU to stay healthy.

Some of their most well-known products center around the idea of plant-based protein powders. Now, I know what you’re thinking… green powder? What makes it green? Why is it better than my protein powder at home? I’m here to answer those burning questions about my favorite green (literally and figuratively, green) powder, and introduce a sustainable way to have a healthy response to inflammation and joint pain.

When you think of a product being plant-based, chances are you think of something that definitely looks like it came out of your backyard. Plant-based simply means that the focus is on plant-made products like fruits, vegetables, seeds, whole grains, and nuts. Some people get this term confused with a product being “vegan friendly.” A product made for those adhering to a vegan diet has no animal products present in the manufacture of the item. Plant-based doesn’t mean that you’re giving up animal products, it only means the focus is on plant-derived substances.

Pure Greens Crispy Apple - 12.7 oz

You’ve probably heard your doctor or nutritionist say, “eat from the rainbow” way too many times. Easier said than done, right? Eating 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day is quite the feat - if you have achieved this Herculean task then I’d like to pick your brain. Most people, including me, max out at 6 servings on a good day. I’m always touting the benefits of a low-carbohydrate and high vegetable diet. Vegetables and fruits have “magical” ingredients called “phytonutrients” Phyto means plant and “nutrient” means life-giving substance. Phytonutrients are only found in plants. While protein from meat needs to be a part of any healthy diet, it does not contain phytonutrients. So, an all meat diet is missing a lot of nutrients that are beneficial for your health.

The brighter the vegetable, or fruit, the more antioxidants it contains. Antioxidants are a type of phytonutrient. In general, the brighter colored vegetables offer more phytonutrients than the duller ones. For example, we could say that purple cabbage is “healthier” than green cabbage because it contains more antioxidants that give the characteristic purple color.

You might recognize more phytonutrients than you think. Sulforaphane is the phytonutrient in brassica cruciferous vegetables that support your liver detoxification. Blueberries contain several phytonutrients including anthocyanins and quercetin. Bromelain is a phytonutrient found in both pineapple and papaya. Flavonoids are a type of phytonutrients that are found in most all vegetables and fruits.

Nutragen knows that “eating from the rainbow” is the goal - but in order for a goal to be obtainable and actionable, it needs to be a bit more realistic. If you’re having 3 servings of fruit a day, that’s a great start! Think about supplementing with Pure Greens Crispy Apple for an added boost of fruit and vegetable power. The great thing about this plant-based powder is that giving you a boost in fruits and vegetables is only one of the numerous benefits. Some of the other bonuses include a great source of:

Whole Food Vitamins & Minerals
Chlorophyll
Antioxidants
Enzymes
Fiber
Probiotics

The phytonutrients in Pure Greens support:

Inflammation Control
Immune System Balance
Joint & Muscle Support
Emotional wellbeing boost
Digestive support
Sleep Restoration

Ingredients

This formula boasts numerous blends to offer digestive support, fruit and vegetable servings, as well as brain, liver, and glucose support. The fiber benefits are great too. If you take a look at their supplements facts sheet here, you can see a rainbow of different healthy food blends. Suddenly, eating food from every color of the rainbow doesn't sound so hard! There is no added sugar, but it is naturally sweet from the fruits and added stevia.

Testimonials

“I have been suffering from arthritis and joint pain for years. I have added Pure Greens and Pure A Omega's to my daily workout regimen and have noticed a significant difference in how I am feeling. I have less pain, and much more energy - and they are great tasting!“ ~ Cindy S

"I generally don't like powders and prefer real food. However, I have been using your Pure Plant Protein powder and Pure Greens for myself, especially before hockey when I don't want much food in my stomach. I feel good when I have it and I have several patients who say your protein powder is the only one that doesn't upset their stomach." ~ Dr. Andrew Specht

"After using a popular protein for quite some time, I switched to NutraGen's Pure Plant Protein, Pure Greens and Pure Digestion Plus a few months ago. The taste is fantastic and I definitely feel a difference in my performance while working out. My energy level and stamina is much higher and I don't feel the aches and pains that I used to after an intense workout!" ~ Kerry M.

Pure Plant Protein

Not all protein powders are created equal. It takes a delicate balance between ingredients, taste and texture to create something that actually tastes good. 9 times out of 10 when my clients tell me about their protein powder that they “just love” it is loaded with sugar. That creates a problem when you are trying to lose weight, keep your concentration, and prevent disease. Nutragen has struck the perfect balance with their Pure Plant Protein. It is very low in sugar, at only 2 grams per serving. By the way, that is the equivalent of only ½ teaspoon of sugar. They use coconut sugar which is always non-gmo (not genetically modified). They also add Luo han gua which is also known as monk fruit. This is a natural zero-carb sweetener that doesn’t spike your blood sugar.

The protein sources are pea and sprout proteins. They don’t use brown rice protein powder which is a plus because many sources of brown rice protein are tainted with arsenic. While some organic arsenic exposure isn’t too alarming, I don’t recommend consuming a brown rice protein shake everyday. I prefer protein powders without brown rice. That is why I recommend Pure Plant Protein from Nutragen.

FAQ

Is plant-based protein powder bad for you?

I often get asked this question. The answer is: it all depends on the quality. I don’t recommend cheap protein powders or pre-mixed protein shakes that have more than 4 grams of added sugar. I also don’t recommend anything with brown rice protein unless you know the company has tested it for arsenic levels.

Does plant protein absorb fast?

Yes, protein powder absorbs much more quickly than eating something with protein in it. That is one of the benefits of any protein powder. They are partially digested already and so it absorbs very quickly into your intestines and into your bloodstream. Your stomach doesn’t have to release much stomach acid or gastric juices. Your pancreas doesn’t have to release as many enzymes. Because everything is already in a liquid state it will absorb much more rapidly.

Are organic greens good for you?

All vegetables are good for you. However, conventional vegetables are sprayed with toxic and carcinogenic pesticides. Organic greens and organic green powders are a better choice because they don’t come along with pesticide residues.

Are greens powders worth it?

If you aren’t getting at least 6 servings of vegetables on a daily basis, then a green powder, like Pure Greens Crispy Apple, is going to be worth your time and money. Remember that plants have phytonutrients that you can’t get anywhere else. You need these nutrients for optimal health and prevention of illnesses and diseases.

Pure InflaMedix - 60 Capsules

Your body is in a constant process of identifying biological threats, removing them, and healing. Because our bodies react differently to various stimuli and some of us deal with more intense inflammatory responses, anti-inflammatory drugs like Aspirin can be found in almost all of our medicine cabinets. There is increasing work done surrounding the long-term effects of using NSAID drugs like aspirin on our body’s functions in the liver, GI, and kidney. Needless to say, the long term effects are not positive.

These formulations are meant for short-term use only. So what should you do if you need an anti-inflammatory response supplement that is meant for long-term use? Pure InflaMedix is a natural anti-inflammatory that was created to assist in supporting a healthy response to inflammation. Inflammation has been shown to be connected to many health conditions like arthritis and other joint issues.

Ingredients

Pure Inflamedix is made up of a combination of certified organic and wildcrafted ingredients from extracts of Turmeric, Boswellia and Ginger. Additionally, a bioavailability enhancer called NuSorb™ is included to increase absorption of beneficial botanicals. Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Originally it was in many Asian dishes over time (if you’re a fan of curry, you’ll recognize this yellow spice). Turmeric also contains the chemical curcumin which has been widely recognized as an alternative option for traditional anti-inflammatory formulas.

Testimonials

"After taking InflaMedix for three days, I had no more painful, shoulder muscle spasms requiring daily Flexeril. I didn't need to use my spinal cord stimulator on a daily basis for my painful leg neuropathy - I was pain free all over! I basically felt like a new person. Then I ran out of the pills and I felt like a creaking old lady - stiff, pain in my joints and my muscle spasms had returned. I couldn't wait to start the Inflamedix again!"~ Sharon H.

“I have been using [their] new anti-inflammatory medication called, "InflaMedix," for 3 months. I recently had total knee replacement surgery and suffer in various other joints with osteoarthritis. After using Inflamedix for 2 weeks, I noticed a great improvement in flexibility and joint pain reduction. I even went off my prescription Celebrex! The supplement was easy to take with or without food. Please keep up the great work on healthy products to help people improve their health.” ~ Bob K.

Judith R. bought this product from our website and she says,

“This product was recommended to me by my chiropractor after I suffered a back injury, and I’ve been very happy with it. I believe it helped my back to heal faster & thus relieved some of my pain.”

Pure Omega Plus Fish Oil Citrus Mango - 16.08 oz

Fish oil is one of the most commonly used supplements. Chances are you’ve tried to swallow a fish oil pill or two just to say “Nope!” because of the smell or massive size of the pills. The smell of the standard fish oil supplement is quite gross. This is because cheap fish oil capsules from a bargain store are usually rancid and old. High quality fish oil capsules smell mildy fishy or not at all. But with the benefits to your heart, skin, eye, bone, brain/cognitive, and anti-inflammatory benefits you really shouldn't skip Omega 3 fish oil. Lucky for us, we can have the fish oil benefits with a yummy tropical citrus-mango flavor as an added bonus with Pure Omega Plus Fish Oil Citrus Mango!

Ingredients

Following their sustainability missions, Nutragen has continued to keep the health of the Earth as a high priority. This formula includes 1,480 mg of Omega-3 Fatty Acids from oily fish like herring, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel. The fish that they obtain to make this formula as sustainable as possible come from areas where endangerment is not a threat and overfishing is not present. Similar to the previous product, this one contains a blend of ingredients including turmeric. This adds an increased source of assistance for anti-inflammatory measures.

Testimonials

Steph bought this product from our website and says,

“Love this product! Taste great. Shipped fast and was packaged well.”

Concluding thoughts...

Staying healthy these days comes with lots of things to think about and keep in mind. Add in the desire to keep Mother Earth healthy it can feel overwhelming. If you feel like you don’t have it all together, it’s totally okay! That’s why Nutragen develops formulas like Pure Greens and Pure Omega.

For more information on Nutragen and their product offerings, Schedule a consult with me, Carly Neubert BA, NC.