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Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Detox Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Greens Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Digestive Health and Intestinal Detoxification

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox and Weight Loss

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox and Hormonal Health

2011-12-20T08:30:00-06:00

Q. How can Green Detox support hormonal health?

A. Research has shown that Japanese women have longer menstrual cycles and lower serum estrogen levels than Western women. Not coincidentally, Japanese women are known to have among the lowest rates of hormone–related breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers in the world. It's reasonable to wonder if a seaweed–rich diet may be one reason why.

Recent preliminary research has shown that the brown seaweed, Fucus vesiculosus, may be able to reduce the body's burden of the potent estrogen 17–ß estradiol, while increasing levels of the protective hormone, progesterone, in pre–menopausal women:

Study Link – The effect of Fucus vesiculosus, an edible brown seaweed, upon menstrual cycle length and hormonal status in three pre–menopausal women: a case report.

Study Link – The anti–estrogenic effects of the brown seaweed, Fucus vesiculosus: implications in prevention of estrogen–dependent cancers.

Animal studies have shown similar findings:

Study Link – Brown Kelp Modulates Endocrine Hormones in Female Sprague–Dawley Rats and in Human Luteinized Granulosa Cells.

At this time, researchers aren't certain as to exactly how seaweeds exert their effects on hormonal health. Some have proposed that seaweed's ability to alter cholesterol levels may be responsible (steroid hormones are produced from cholesterol, so less available cholesterol could alter hormone synthesis).

It's more likely, however, that seaweed's effect on gastrointestinal/liver function is responsible. We've already seen how some seaweeds can reduce the production of enzymes which interfere with hormonal detoxification. Additionally, pathogenic bacteria in the intestines presents a chronic burden upon the liver (elements from these bacteria are continually absorbed across the intestinal barrier and into portal circulation where the liver detoxifies them before they can enter general circulation).

Many substances which alter the bacterial population of the intestines are well–known to alter hormonal metabolism by the liver. Antibiotics, for example (which take a large burden off of the liver by killing pathogenic intestinal bacteria), are well–known to interfere with the action of birth–control pills. In the absence of pathogenic intestinal bacteria, the liver is far more capable of detoxifying (thus rendering inactive) such exogenous hormones. With the unique prebiotic and bowel–cleansing elements found in seaweed, there's reason to believe that such foods can aid in the natural detoxification endogenous hormones as well. It seems clear that more research into this aspect of seaweeds and sea vegetables is needed.

Q. What about men? Can Green Detox improve men's hormonal health as well?

A. It seems likely that it can. Excess endogenous and exogenous (i.e., environmental) estrogens pose a risk to men's health as well as women's. If seaweeds can aid in the detoxification of estrogens indirectly by their bowel cleansing, and liver–sparing effects, men would be likely to benefit as well as women.

It's entirely possible that components in sea vegetables may even provide unique benefits for bodybuilding and muscle growth. Intense exercise is well known to tax the immune system, and it's not just steroid–using bodybuilders with compromised liver function – intense exercise, itself, can tax the liver as well.

All livestock farmers know that the use of antibiotics not only reduces incidence of infection, but also results in enhanced growth and feed efficiency in animals (i.e., the animal's growth is enhanced on relatively less food intake). In recent years, however, the livestock industry has been under increased pressure to minimize or eliminate the use of traditional antibiotics, as these drugs may lead to the development of antibiotic–resistant bacteria – a potential danger to both humans and animals. Though not antimicrobial per se, various seaweeds have begun to be investigated as immunomodulating and growth–promoting feed additives:

Study Link – Alternatives to Conventional Antimicrobials in Swine Diets.

Empirically, farmers have often noted that the nutritional benefits of seaweed are greater than would be imagined from the nutritional composition of the seaweed itself. This may be because the unique fibers in seaweed create a bacterial environment in the intestines which facilitates the absorption and utilization of nutrients.

Agricultural studies have also found that conception rates of cattle are often increased markedly when bulls are given seaweed as part of their rations. Researchers conducting these studies found that bulls exhibited a "very high" increase in the number of live sperm, as well as a "much greater" durability of semen when fed seaweed.

Additionally, it's interesting to note that in Caribbean folk medicine, seaweed–containing mixtures have been used as aphrodisiacs to enhance virility.

Due to brown seaweed's ability to support so many aspects of health and detoxification, these unique foods may be able to support healthy hormonal levels in men and women alike.

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Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Detox Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Greens Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Digestive Health and Intestinal Detoxification

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox and Weight Loss

2011-12-16T08:30:00-06:00

Q. Can Green Detox help with weight loss?

A. There are several reasons why Green Detox may be particularly helpful with weight loss. Most obviously, Green Detox is a concentrated source of nutrients. During periods of caloric restriction and increased energy expenditure (i.e., exercise), concentrated sources of nutrients can supply for the body's micronutrient needs without supplying additional calories.

As it contains sea vegetables, Green Detox is a particularly rich source of iodine and other trace minerals. Iodine is a necessary nutrient for proper thyroid function and healthy metabolism*, but the detoxifying properties of Green Detox may also play a role in supporting proper thyroid function, metabolism, and weight loss*.

Many environmental chemicals happen to be fat–soluble, and are largely stored in our bodies' adipose (fatty) tissue. Because adipose tissue is relatively metabolically inactive, storage of metabolism–disrupting toxins in fat cells may be our bodies' way of protecting valuable metabolic machinery from disruption via these toxins. And, because of their ubiquity and resistance to degredation, it's safe to say that nearly every man, woman, and child in the industrialized world has some degree of toxic burden from these environmental chemicals.

Studies have found that weight loss (i.e., losing bodyfat) causes large amounts of these stored pesticides and other fat–soluble environmental toxins to be released from storage in adipose tissue and into the bloodstream where they can then do great damage:

Study Link – Body weight loss increases plasma and adipose tissue concentrations of potentially toxic pollutants in obese individuals.

Quote from the above study:

Organochlorine pollutants were found in every subject and all 19 compounds detected had their plasma concentration increased following treatment (mean body weight loss 9.5 kg), 15 of which were statistically significant... Body weight loss increases plasma and subcutaneous adipose tissue concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in obese subjects. These results raise concerns about an undesired and potentially harmful side effect of weight loss in some obese patients who seem to be at greater risk of health problems than leaner subjects since they show higher organochlorine body burden.

Where the weight loss they experience is often so dramatic, people who have undergone bariatric weight loss surgery are at particular risk of harm from fat–soluble toxins stored in adipose tissue:

Study Link – Increased Plasma Levels of Toxic Pollutants Accompanying Weight Loss Induced by Hypocaloric Diet or by Bariatric Surgery.

Quote from the above study:

This weight loss yielded significant increases in total plasma organochlorine concentration (increase of 23.8% for obese and 51.8% for morbidly obese individuals). For morbidly obese individuals, the weight loss at 1 year after surgery (46.3%) yielded a 388.2% increase in total plasma organochlorine concentration.

The thyroid gland (and the cellular function of thyroid hormone) is particularly inhibited by organochlorines and related chemicals. If these chemicals flood the bloodstream during weight loss, it's easy to see how this toxic burden could impair the metabolism, and may quickly bring weight loss to a screeching halt. Studies have found that this does, indeed, happen during periods of weight loss:

Study Link – Associations between Weight Loss–Induced Changes in Plasma Organochlorine Concentrations, Serum T3 Concentration, and Resting Metabolic Rate.

Quote from the above study:

Organochlorine compounds are released from body fat into the bloodstream during weight loss. Because these compounds may impair thyroid status, which is implicated in the control of resting metabolic rate (RMR), the aim of this study was to determine if the augmentation in plasma organochlorine concentrations might be associated with the decrease in serum T3 concentration and RMR observed in response to body weight loss... In conclusion, organochlorines released in plasma during weight loss are associated with the documented decrease in serum T3 concentration and RMR.

It's well–known that those who diet often reach a "plateau" where metabolism slows down and weight loss stops regardless of dieting efforts. It has often been thought that reduced caloric intake is solely responsible for this metabolic slowdown, but the above research provides strong evidence that it may be the toxic burden released during fat loss which is also largely responsible.

To ensure that the fat–burning machinery of the metabolism continues to run smoothly, dieting and exercise efforts should always be accompanied by practices – such as supplementation with Green Detox – which facilitate the body's detoxification of organochlorines and other fat–soluble toxins.*

Yet another way in which Green Detox may be able to support weight loss is by supporting beneficial bacterial populations in the intestines. Emerging research gives reason to believe that the bacterial composition of the intestines has far–reaching effects on overall health.

Generally speaking, dietary fiber is composed of indigestible starch from plant foods. It's well–known that fiber can support digestive health and regularity, but until recently, even scientists themselves hadn't realized that dietary fiber is capable of impacting literally every aspect of health.

Dietary fibers are composed of different types of sugars with widely varying molecular arrangements. While all dietary fiber is indigestible to humans, different types of fiber act as fuel sources to "feed" and support the growth of different species of bacteria in the intestines.

Fibers which support the growth of certain strains of beneficial bacteria in the intestines have been dubbed prebiotics, and have been the subject of intensive study in recent years. Seaweeds happen to contain unique prebiotic fibers and polysaccharides not found in any land–based plant food:

Study Link – Prebiotics from Marine Macroalgae for Human and Animal Health Applications.

A healthy bacterial environment in the intestines has been linked to a reduced risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome, appetite reduction, and even positive changes in mood–related symptoms. As the research unfolds, it's becoming clear that dietary fiber is far more than just the "roughage" that sweeps out our insides.

Studies have found a fascinating relationship between intestinal bacterial populations and obesity. Certain types of intestinal bacteria – found in obese individuals, but not in their lean counterparts – may be particularly efficient at extracting food calories and facilitating their storage in adipose tissue. In addition, intestinal bacteria uniquely associated with obesity may trigger the systemic inflammation and fatty liver associated with elevated blood lipids and metabolic syndrome:

Study Link – Gut Microbiota and Its Possible Relationship With Obesity.

Quote from the above study:

...the gut bacterial flora of obese mice and humans include fewer Bacteroidetes and correspondingly more Firmicutes than that of their lean counterparts, suggesting that differences in caloric extraction of ingested food substances may be due to the composition of the gut microbiota. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide derived from the intestinal microbiota may act as a triggering factor linking inflammation to high–fat diet–induced metabolic syndrome... Existing evidence warrants further investigation of the microbial ecology of the human gut and points to modification of the gut microbiota as one means to treat people who are overweight or obese.

People in seaweed–eating cultures have been found to harbor a unique intestinal microbiota which evolved to feed on the polysaccharides in seaweed:

Study Link – Transfer of carbohydrate–active enzymes from marine bacteria to Japanese gut microbiota.

It's likely no coincidence, therefore, that cultures consuming seaweeds as major dietary staples (Asian cultures, for example) are often known for their health, longevity and relative freedom from obesity and related disorders.

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Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Detox Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Greens Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Digestive Health and Intestinal Detoxification

2011-12-14T08:30:00-06:00

Q. How can Green Detox support digestive health and intestinal detoxification?

A. Green Detox can support digestive health and intestinal detoxification in several ways. As noted previously, the prebiotic effect of seaweed polysaccharides may alter the bacterial composition of the intestines to one more supportive of health. More specifically, pathogenic intestinal bacteria produce enzymes which convert procarcinogens into carcinogens within the gastrointestinal tract. As an example, many substances, including hormones and hormone–like chemicals, are conjugated to glucoronic acid for excretion from the body. Pathogenic intestinal bacteria, however, produce the enzyme, ß–glucoronidase, which is able to break apart glucoronic acid cojugates, thus "re–toxifying" the chemical which would otherwise be excreted from the body.

Pathogenic intestinal bacteria also produce azoreductases – enzymes which may convert azo dyes (e.g, artificial food colorings) into carcinogenic substances, and nitro– and nitrate reductases – enzymes which have been implicated in gastrointestinal cancer.

Polysaccharides from seaweeds, like other prebiotics, have been shown to shift the population of intestinal microbiota towards more beneficial species, thus reducing the production of these enzymes:

Study Link – Effect of edible seaweeds (Undaria pinnatifida and Porphyra ternera) on the metabolic activities of intestinal microflora in rats.

Quote from the above study:

Adaptation to diets containing Nori or Wakame was associated with changes in microbial activity that involved a decrease on reductive and hydrolytic enzymatic activities implicated in the conversion of procarcinogens into carcinogens. The combination of the effect on the gut flora and a more rapid transit of feces would be expected to reduce exposure to potential carcinogens and may have health implications for human nutrition.

The process of digestion itself often produces toxic substances. Vegetarians often note that meat, for example, can putrefy and become toxic within the gastrointestinal tract. The existing research lends support to this contention, although the optimal solution may not be to avoid meat entirely, but rather to consume meats with the fibers and chlorophyll needed to neutralize the toxins which are derived from it.

The components of brown seaweed, laminaran and alginate, have been shown to reduce the production of such putrefactive compounds of digestion including, indole, p–cresol, and sulfide:

Study Link – Inhibitory effects of laminaran and low molecular alginate against the putrefactive compounds produced by intestinal microflora in vitro and in rats.

Quote from the above study:

In the case of rats fed diet containing 2% (w/w) laminaran or low molecular alginate, the fermentation pattern agreed with that of the in vitro experiment. Laminaran suppressed indole, p–cresole and sulfide, significantly. These putrefactive compounds, in rats fed low molecular alginate, also tended to be lower. These results suggest that the fermentation of laminaran by intestinal bacteria suppresses the putative risk markers for colon cancer.

Emerging research also suggests that some naturally–occurring food–based chemicals, called lectins, may irritate the gastrointestinal tract by attaching to sugars found in the cellular structure of the intestinal lining (these cellular sugars are different than the sugars commonly used by the body for energy). By binding to these sugars, lectins may interfere with proper cellular communication, and may also trigger inflammation which may manifest as gastrointestinal distress.

It's probably no coincidence that some of the foods which are most apt to cause digestive problems – such as wheat (gluten), beans, and legumes – also contain high amounts of particularly irritating lectins:

Study Link – The carbohydrate–binding specificity of pea and lentil lectins. Fucose is an important determinant.

Study Link – The lectin properties of gluten as the basis of the pathomechanism of gluten–sensitive enteropathy.

Interestingly, however, the same cellular sugar molecules to which lectins bind can also be found in some foods. Seaweeds such as Fucus vesiculosus and Undaria pinnatifada, for example, are known to contain such sugars including fucose and mannose.

Traditional cultures often used seaweeds as folk remedies for digestive disturbances, and modern researchers have proposed that the consumption of the unique sugars in seaweeds may act as a "decoy" for the attachment of harmful food–based lectins. In other words, lectins may bind to the sugars found in seaweeds instead of these same sugars located on the cells of the intestinal lining. It's important to note, also, that the health–damaging effects of lectins may not be limited to the gastrointestinal system – as they damage the structural integrity of the intestinal barrier, lectins are capable of entering general circulation where they may attach to other tissues (e.g., connective tissue, elements of the nervous system, bladder tissue, etc.). This partly explains why seaweeds may have such far–reaching benefits for disorders involving systemic inflammation and immune dysfunction*.

In addition, the ingredients in Green Detox are among nature's richest sources of the natural detoxifier, chlorophyll. We've already seen how chlorophyll may play a role in neutralizing the cytotoxic damage produced by heterocyclic amines in meat. In addition to the possible presence of heterocyclic amines, the iron–containing pigment, haem, in red meat has been associated with an increased risk of colon cancer. One proposed reason is the degradation of haem to cytotoxic compounds in the gastrointestinal tract.

The consumption of vegetables, on the other hand, has been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer – and it's likely that chlorophyll plays an important role. Animal studies have found that chlorophyll is able to prevent the toxic effects of haem in the colon:

Study Link – Green vegetables, red meat and colon cancer: chlorophyll prevents the cytotoxic and hyperproliferative effects of haem in rat colon.

Population–based studies in humans seem to support this detoxifying role of chlorophyll as well:

Study Link – Heme and Chlorophyll Intake and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the Netherlands Cohort Study.

Quote from the above study:

Our data suggest an elevated risk of colon cancer in men with increasing intake of heme iron and decreasing intake of chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll may also support healthy cell growth and repair.* Numerous studies have found chlorophyll to stimulate wound healing:

Study Link – Chlorophyll and wound healing; experimental and clinical study.

In the intestines, chlorophyll thus has the potential to protect the delicate intestinal lining.

As an interesting aside relating to intestinal detoxification, chlorophyll is also a well–known internal deodorant, and is widely used to control odors in those with incontinence and colostomies:

Study Link – Deodorization of colostomies with chlorophyll.

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Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Detox Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Greens Supplements

Study Link – Inhibition of Fried Meat–Induced Colorectal DNA Damage and Altered Systemic Genotoxicity in Humans by Crucifera, Chlorophyllin, and Yogurt.

2011-12-12T08:30:00-06:00

Q. In addition to environmental chemicals, what sort of toxicity is associated with the foods we eat?

A. In addition to exogenous environmental toxins (e.g., pesticide residue, antibiotic residue, etc.), toxic substances can also be produced via cooking methods, as well as internally due to the inefficient digestion of foods. As examples, altered protein structures from meats cooked at high temperatures are known to contain potentially harmful substances called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and starch–based foods cooked at high temperatures are known to contain a similarly harmful substance, acrylamide. As we shall see, even food–based nutrients such as iron pose a toxicity risk in some situations.

In the broadest sense, it could be said that almost all foods pose some toxicity risk. If we tried to completely avoid food–based toxins, the result would be a near–starvation diet – obviously not a valid solution. It's important to remember as well, that unlike modern agricultural chemicals, food–based toxins are nothing new to our food supply. Our primitive ancestors, for example, likely cooked meats over an open flame, without succumbing to the modern diet–related disorders often associated with such practices.

For this reason, rather than attempting to engineer an overly restrictive and unbalanced diet to avoid food–based toxins, it makes more sense to investigate protective elements which can counter–balance them. Fruits and vegetables, for example, provide numerous protective elements against these toxins, but most people would admit to rarely consuming these foods sufficiently. This is just one reason that our modern burden of food–based toxins may be greater than ever before.

Where food–based toxins do much of their damage in the intestines, it's probably no coincidence that colon cancer is one of the most characteristic diseases of the industrialized world. The intestinal damage caused by food–based toxins may explain why so many detoxifying protocols and supplements place such an emphasis on the use of laxatives. Merely stimulating bowel movements, however, doesn't meaningfully address the problem. The first step in neutralizing toxins produced by cooking and inefficient digestion involves altering the bacterial population of the intestines to one which fosters healthy and complete digestion of foods. Various dietary fibers and polysaccharides have this effect as they act as a selective growth medium for "beneficial" intestinal bacteria.

Additionally, the green plant pigment, chlorophyll (and related chemicals), may also offer protection against many food–based and intestinally–derived toxins. Research has found, for example, that the administration of cruciferous vegetables, chlorophyll, and yogurt (a source of beneficial bacteria) helped to neutralize mutagenic DNA damage to colorectal cells caused by heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in cooked meat:

Quote from the above study:

...the inhibitor diet decreased nearly twofold the DNA damage in target colorectal cells.

Ultimately, the real solution to body detoxification begins with ensuring proper digestion, thus reducing the production of food–based and intestinally–derived toxins.

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Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Detox Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Greens Supplements

Report Link – Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals

2011-12-09T08:30:00-06:00

Q. Is there credible evidence that chronic low-level exposure to "toxins" is actually disrupting our metabolism and health?

A. It's certainly true that the vague term "toxins" is often used as a scare tactic to market supplements of questionable efficacy. As we've seen, most so–called "detoxifying" supplements contain little more than herbal laxatives, which simply aren't long–term solutions to reducing the body's toxic burden.

But, evidence does suggest that our modern environment and diet is exposing us to historically–unprecedented levels of toxic exposure.

For simplicity's sake, it's helpful to conceptualize toxins in two main categories:

• Environmental chemicals

• Food–based toxins (including those produced either as a function of cooking/processing or internally as a function of inefficient digestion).

Objective measures of the body's burden of environmental chemicals can be gleaned from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals published in 2009:

The researchers conducting the above report tested for the presence of various environmental chemicals in blood and urine from a random sample of participants taking part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Particularly widespread exposure to the following chemicals was noted:

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers – fire retardants used in various manufactured products, which accumulate in the environment and in human fat tissue. One polybrominated diphenyl ether, BDE–47, was found in the serum of nearly every subject tested.

Bisphenol A (BPA) – a component of epoxy resins and polycarbonates used to make lightweight plastics. BPA may cause hormonal disruption and reproductive toxicity. More than 90% of the urine samples tested by the CDC contained BPA.

Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) – A perfluorinated chemical associated with the manufacture of non–stick coatings for cookware, food packaging, stain–resistant carpets, and carpet–cleaning solutions, was found in the serum of nearly all subjects tested. The potential toxicity of this chemical is subject of ongoing research.

Perchlorate – a chemical which is both naturally–occurring and man–made. Its industrial uses include the manufacture of explosives, flares, and rocket fuel. High–level exposure to perchlorate is known to impair thyroid function, and the consequences of chronic, low–level exposure are currently under intense investigation. All participants tested exhibited measurable levels of perchlorate in their urine.

Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium – Heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, and cadmium are naturally–occurring, but modern industrial usage of these metals may lead to unprecedented levels of exposure. Research is ongoing, but it's currently unknown what level of bodily exposure to these metals can be deemed safe.

Numerous studies show that sea vegetables may possess the unique ability to help rid the body of such harmful environmental chemicals. Animal studies have shown Chlorella possesses the ability to aid in the detoxification of the carcinogenic insecticide, chlordecone; the environmental pollutant, dioxin; and the heavy metals, cadmium and lead:

Study Link – Detoxification of Chlordecone Poisoned Rats with Chlorella and Chlorella Derived Sporopollenin."

Study Link – Chlorophyll derived from Chlorella inhibits dioxin absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and accelerates dioxin excretion in rats.

Study Link – Effect of Chlorella intake on Cadmium metabolism in rats.

Study Link – Protective effects of Chlorella vulgaris in lead–exposed mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes.

Similarly, various seaweeds have been shown to aid in the detoxification of chemicals such as dioxin a well as offering protection against radioactive elements:

Study Link – The role of marine plants on radiation protection.

Study Link – Seaweed accelerates the excretion of dioxin stored in rats.

As the above study illustrates, sea vegetables are even able to increase the excretion of environmental chemicals which have been stored in the body. These chemicals are continually complexed with bile and are excreted into the intestines. A significant portion of the toxins in bile, however, aren't eliminated, but reabsorbed into the body via a process known as enterohepatic circulation. Nutritional strategies for detoxification often act, in large part, by preventing the re–uptake of bile–borne toxins:

Study Link – Enterohepatic circulation of organochlorine compounds: a site for nutritional intervention.

Sea vegetables, for example, contain several substances (e.g., chlorophyll, dietary fibers, alginate) uniquely suited to prevent the absorption and re–absorption of toxins from the gastrointestinal tract. Taken regularly, the ingredients in Green Detox may be able to steadily reduce the body's burden of toxic substances.*

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Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Detox Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Greens Supplements

Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other "Greens" Supplements

2011-12-07T08:30:00-06:00

Q. How is Green Detox different from other "greens" supplements?

A. "Greens" products are concentrated sources of whole–food nutrition – often targeted towards people who don't consume the recommended 3 to 5 servings of vegetables each day. These nutritional supplements contain a wide array of concentrated vegetables, grasses, herbs, seeds, and other components. Often, however, it seems that the makers of greens products place too much emphasis on including dozens of different ingredients – even if the dose and type of ingredients they use stand little chance of offering any health benefit. More importantly, many greens formulas contain ingredients which simply aren't optimal nutrition for humans.

For example, the following ingredients commonly found in greens formulas, are ones which we feel are best avoided:

Grasses (e.g., wheat grass, barley grass)

While cereal grasses such as wheat grass and barley grass are concentrated sources of nutrients, humans may not possess the optimal digestive system to extract these nutrients. Some greens products address this by using powders made from cereal grass juices which may be easier to digest. But, even still, we feel that cracked–cell chlorella is a far better choice for a greens formula than any cereal grass. Not only is chlorella a more concentrated source of nutrients and chlorophyll than cereal grasses, but processes which crack the chlorella cell wall allow nutrients to be accessed by the human digestive system while still offering the unique detoxicative benefits of chlorella's unique dietary fiber.

Seeds/Legumes (e.g., flax seeds, flax seed meal, hemp seeds, chia seeds et al.)

While seeds contain nutrients necessary for germination, they also contain substances which are mildly, but meaningfully, toxic. As a defense mechanism, seeds are specifically designed to resist destruction by the digestive systems of foraging animals. These defenses include not only a fibrous outer shell which is resistant to digestion, but numerous anti–nutrients and digestion–inhibiting substances inside the seed as well (e.g., phytates, trypsin inhibitors, amylase inhibitors, cyanogenic glycosides, tannins and phytoestrogens). Even polyunsaturated fatty acids in seeds can be counted among these anti–nutrients, as these lipids inhibit digestion (especially when rancid – as would be a likely occurrence in any greens product). Ultimately, some of nature's most potent food–based toxins and anti–nutrients are found in seeds, making their inclusion in nutritional products ill–advised.

Vegetables which contain anti–nutrients

In addition to important vitamins and minerals, many vegetables contain anti–nutrients – substances which can inhibit digestion and the absorption of nutrients. Spinach, for example is nutrient–dense, but also contains oxalic acid which may impair mineral absorption and digestion. Vegetables of the brassica family (e.g., cabbage, brussel sprouts, kale) contain goitrogens which are known to inhibit thyroid function. Alfalfa sprouts contain canavanine, analog of the amino acid, arginine, which has been associated with hemolytic anemia and immune dysfunction:

Study Link – Effects of L–canavanine on T cells may explain the induction of systemic lupus erythematosus by alfalfa.

Traditional cooking methods often served to maximize the nutritional content of vegetables, while minimizing such anti–nutritional factors. However, the effects of consuming dried, concentrated versions of these vegetables (and the anti–nutrients they contain) - as would be found in greens formulas – are simply unknown. Depending upon the formulation, some greens formulas may expose users to far greater risk of toxicity than the consumption of food vegetables.

Not only are sea vegetables likely to be far more concentrated sources of nutrition than land–based vegetables, sea vegetables are also likely to contain far fewer anti–nutrients than land–based vegetables as well. In addition, certain sea vegetables contain health–promoting substances (e.g., fucoidan) which are simply non–existent in land–based vegetables. Sea vegetables are also almost completely absent from the diet of people in the U.S. and many parts of the industrialized Western world. All of these factors make carefully–selected sea vegetables uniquely suited for use in dietary supplements.

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Green Detox Q & A - Green Detox Versus Other Detox Supplements

2011-12-05T08:30:00-06:00

Q. How is Green Detox different from other detox supplements?

A. Many supplements marketed for body detoxification contain harsh laxative herbs such as cascara sagrada or senna as their main ingredients. Though supporting healthy digestive function and elimination are important for detoxification, the use of harsh laxative herbs is not the best way to accomplish this. Because of their potential to cause side effects and dependency, these herbs should not be taken for extended periods of time, if at all. In fact, rather than being detoxifying, herbs such as cascara sagrada pose a toxicity risk all their own:

Study Link – Botanical Dietary Supplements Gone Bad.

Quote from the above study:

The chronic use of Cascara sagrada involves several risks. Besides cramp like pains in the gastrointestinal tract, chronic use disturbs the electrolyte balance, especially potassium deficiency, causing a circulus vitiosus and a dependency on purgative dietary supplements. In addition, several studies reported genotoxic and mutagenic effects in vitro and in vivo for emodin and its derivatives causing them to be classified as prospective carcinogens. Cascara sagrada products are still advertised as slimming or detoxification products; however, considering the potential side effects after chronic use, the intake of this herb for these indications should be restrained.

Other detox supplements often contain mixtures of herbal components such as milk thistle, red clover, or green tea extract. But, though many of the ingredients in these herbal mixtures may have some therapeutic value for some people in some situations, there's little reason to believe that these haphazard mixtures of herbs will truly support the body's detoxification mechanisms in the long–term.

Many supposedly "detoxifying" herbs may transiently stimulate liver function, or the activity of detoxifying enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract – but they also have the potential to do harm with continued use. Red clover, for example, contains potent phytoestrogens – substances that could ultimately add to the body's toxic/estrogenic burden when consumed regularly or in excess. Similarly, high intakes of green tea extracts have also been shown to cause liver damage:

Study Link – Hepatotoxicity from green tea: a review of the literature and two unpublished cases.

Quote from the above study:

Our analysis of the published case reports suggests a causal association between green tea and liver damage. The hepatotoxicity is probably due to (–)–epigallocatechin gallate or its metabolites which, under particular conditions related to the patient's metabolism, can induce oxidative stress in the liver.

But Green Detox is different – it doesn't contain harsh laxatives or herbs which tax detoxification pathways. The cleansing properties of green detox are much gentler, and are largely attributable to two factors:

• Unique dietary fibers and polysaccharides uniquely found in chlorella and seaweeds.

• Particularly high concentrations of the detoxifying green pigment, chlorophyll.

Dietary fibers and chlorophyll are essential for proper body detoxification, and sea vegetables are among the most concentrated sources of these substances. With the unique nutrition they offer, it's no wonder that sea vegetables/seaweeds have been staples in the diet of various cultures for centuries. As a whole–food nutritional supplement which concentrates the nutritional value of such foods, Green Detox is ideal for everyday use.

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