Making your own greens powder has quite a few perks;
- It’s a great way to use leftover greens
- It saves money, and you get to be the decider of what ingredients you would like to go in it!
So, preserve those fresh garden greens and reduce food wastage at the same time by turning them into a super greens powder, and get a powerful boost of nutrition all winter long!
Have you ever thought about making your own organic superfood greens powder?
I only started making my own this year. I’ve had pre-made greens powders in the past, but it’s not something I take often as they can be quite expensive!
The reason I started making my own was because my family and I couldn’t keep up with the amount of kale, spinach, lettuce, and herbs we were growing in our veggie patch. A lot of it was spoiling, and I felt like it was going to waste by throwing it in the compost, as later during the winter months, our greens supply drops and it would be great to have all these nutritious greens then. Thus, this greens powder.
Are Greens Powders Really That Good for You?
We hear all these superfood products coming out that are “a must” to include in our diets, but it can be hard (and pricey) to keep up with them all. Plus, they don’t always work (some are very poor quality). So, is harvesting, dehydrating and blitzing greens into a powder really that beneficial?
The short answer… YES! Greens are nutritional powerhouses, and the best part about a greens powder is you only need a small amount to receive the nutritional benefits!
Now, greens powders can not replace vegetables and a wholefoods diet. I’ve written a post before discussing why it’s not possible to out-supplement a poor diet, and the main reason is because there are many parts that contribute to overall health – sleep, exercise, healthy eating, supplementing when needed, reducing stress, etc. – and they’re all necessary to live a healthy life. If you were to consume solely protein shakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’d be getting plenty of protein, but what about all the other micronutrients, fatty acids, etc. You’d be cutting out so many other vital nutrients your body needs.
The benefits of consuming a wide variety of wholefoods are that they come with a range of vitamins, minerals, fats, protein, phytochemicals, etc. Plus, they contain nutrient pairs. These are nutrients that need one another for proper absorption in the body. For example, iron is absorbed twice as well when paired with vitamin C.
As often as possible, we want to be eating fresh, organic, locally-grown produce.
The options are limitless when it comes to what you can do with a greens powder;
- Smoothies
- Juices
- Soups
- Dressings
- Scrambled eggs or omelette
- Casseroles
- Stews
- Baked goods; cookies, muffins, etc.
- Bread
- Nice-cream or ice-cream
- Protein bars
- Fruit roll-ups
And more!
What Greens can be Used to Make a Greens Powder?
There really is no limit here. Almost any edible greens can be used to make a greens powder. Some common examples:
- Lettuce/salad greens
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
- Kale
- Beet greens
- Carrot greens
- Dandelion greens
- Clover
- Purslane
- Mustard greens
- Herbs
- Barley grass
- Wheatgrass
- Oat grass
- Alfalfa grass
- Brassica leaves (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)
- Cabbage
- Celery leaves
- Turnip
- Collard greens
- Young pumpkin leaves*
- Radish greens
*You want to use pumpkin greens in their early stages, as they can develop a spikey, furry coating which can be unpleasant to eat.
Choose Raw or Cooked and Prepare Accordingly.
Cooking or steaming greens reduces the amount of oxalic acid, which may be a helpful for those with certain health conditions, like kidney stones.
Before we get started in learning how to make this super greens powder – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!!
Homemade Super Greens Powder
Pop a tablespoon of this greens powder in your smoothies, juices, salad dressings, or even nice-cream for a nutrient-boost!
Be sure that greens are completely dry before blending, as any moisture will cause the greens to go mouldy.
Always opt for organic produce, as this is a concentrated dose of greens, and you don’t want to bombard your system with these toxic pesticides and chemicals that come along with the greens.
Ingredients:
- Any type of edible greens: kale, collards, beet greens, herbs, lettuce, purslane, clover, dandelions, etc.
To make:
- Harvest and collect greens, and wash if needed. Dry well.
- Line dehydrator trays with greens.
- Dehydrate at 43°-51°C (110°F-125°F) for around 4-8 hours, or until greens are crispy and completely dry.
- Place dried greens into a food processor or high-speed blender and process until a fine powder forms.
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. You can also use dark amber-coloured glass jars to prolong the life of your greens.
As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.
Have you made a greens powder before? How did it go? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
🖤 Vanessa
Sources:
Thomas, Carolyn. (July 24, 2020). DIY Homemade Greens Powder: Preserve Your Garden Greens. Homesteading Family. Retrieved from https://homesteadingfamily.com/diy-homemade-super-greens-powder/
DIY Homemade Green Powder From Dehydrated Greens. The Purposeful Pantry. Retrieved from https://www.thepurposefulpantry.com/homemade-green-powder/
Paspeul, Aleisha. (February 23, 2015). Making Your Own Organic Green Powder. Thank Your Body. Retrieved from https://www.thankyourbody.com/make-green-powder/
