Juvo- My Green Powder of Choice

Most people don't get their recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables all in one day.  I am one of those people. SO... how does one solve this horrendous problem?  Well, we purchase "greens."  Greens come in a form of a green powder that includes a bazillion fruits and vegetables. ONE SCOOP boosts up our veggie servings up to SEVEN servings!  Seem to good to be true?  Well, consider this. The leafy veggies and fruits are FREEZE DRIED. Yes, this is different than dehydrated.  It's better. This means that NO heat was used in the processing and therefore all of the cool vitamins and minerals stay in tact. After the freeze drying process, the fruits and veggies are ground into a fine powder. That means something that was big is now very small.  Thus we see, we get a lot of punch in one small package.   WHAAA!?!?!

Most people mix their greens with water, juice, or throw it into their green smoothie- which is what I do. The problem is that a lot of greens have a HORRIBLE taste!!  Oh yes.. I'm talking NAS-TAY!  Well, my lovelies, I have finally found a brand that has everything that I am looking for, AND the taste is....non-existent.

What to look for in a greens drink.

Not my Kid

In looking at different greens, it's important to know WHAT you are looking for them to accomplish.  If you work out a lot, you might want something that is heavy protein.  I was looking for a little of everything.  I wanted something to serve as a protein, a meal replacement (should I be in a hurry,) a weight loss aid, and
an immune booster. Yup, I wanted ALL (or a lot) of the "superfoods" as I could find. Leafy green vegetables are often called superfoods as they are packed full of vitamins and minerals.They are rich in folic acid and B vitamins, which are necessary for healthy cell growth. Leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, and parsley are loaded with vitamin C , vitamin A and powerful antioxidants, which support a healthy immune system.They are high In nutrients and enzymes such as iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium, which keep muscles, ligaments and skeleton healthy. Plus, Phytonutrients protect your cells from damage and maintain good vision. (Insert Charlie Brown "wah wah" voice)  I know, not too interesting, but still important to know.

Many greens are also rich in Omega3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are essential to healthy brain development. So your greens powder breakfast smoothie helps to keep you and your kids focused during the day.According to science writer Susan Allport, Omega3 fatty acids have also been lnked to reducing the risk of heart disease, arthritis and cancer.

Many of today’s food are overly acidic and greens help balance your body’s pH, which in turns leads to a good night’s sleep. And chlorophyll detoxifies your blood, which leaves you feeling more energized during the day. So, Superfoods are HUGE in the greens powder catagory.

In addition to superfoods, I wanted something with mushrooms. Known as the Herb of Good Fortune, the Reishi mushroom has a long tradition of supporting the immune system, cardiovascular system, and for stress support. Mushrooms are also known for their role in mental clarity and immune boosting.

Seaweed was very important to me as well. Seaweed's best-known benefit is that it is an extraordinary source of a nutrient missing in almost every other food: iodine. Consuming healthy levels of iodine is critically important to maintaining a healthy thyroid. For those that don't know, the thyroid is a gland in your neck which helps produce and regulate hormones. A malfunctioning thyroid can result in a wide range of symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness and high cholesterol (to name a few). So, you can see why I wanted some seaweed in the greens.

FINALLY, I, of course, wanted to make sure that I wasn't ingesting pesticides and other GMO's. SO.. I looked for something RAW (meaning freeze dried,) and ORGANIC.  I also threw in kosher, gluten free, dairy free and vegan. OH, and pretty fair on the price as well.  I don't want to pay $75+ for a 30 day supply. Not too much to ask for, right?

What I found?

I found Juvo Superfoods. Juvo has a unique an interesting formulation that, I think, you need to try for yourself and see if it works for you. The mixture is fairly heavy in grains (millet, rice solids, various beans), which some say is more of a filler, but they also provide some cleansing action and protein. It has quite a lot of veggies (kale, beet, parsley, carrot, tomato, pumpkin, radish, and cabbage) and a huge amount of alfalfa as the primary green superfood (other greens include spirulina and chlorella, radish leaves and seaweeds). The mixture also offers a lot of fruits (lingonberry, black currant, aronia, concord grape, pomegranate, sour cherry, acerola, blueberry, cranberry, elderberry, and others).

Finally, the formula includes a larger than normal amount of mushrooms. Mushrooms include Shitake, Reishi, and Agaricus. This impressed me since it is hard to find a greens drink that includes mushrooms. They can be expensive to add and usually bring the cost up quite a bit.

What Do They Have to Say For Themselves?

According the the website ( www.gojuvo.com) JUVO retains nature’s purity without any modification or additions. The whole grains, vegetables, sea vegetables, mushrooms, and fruits of JUVO are grown organically in fertile land to bring you the purity and full vitality that mother nature offers. JUVO is made with organic, kosher, and NON-GMO ingredients from whole grains, vegetables, sea vegetables, mushrooms, and fruits that are grown organically in fertile land to bring you purity and full vitality of nature. JUVO ingredients are freeze-dried to keep nutritive properties and enzyme. It’s absolutely free of preservatives, whey, yeast, dairy, artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners.

The price is actually really good at $35-$45 per bottle and that will usually last 1-2 months (depending on how often you use them.) The taste is non-existent and the powder really packs a punch.  (I might warn those that try it for the first time that there MIGHT be a SLIGHT detox that happens... stay close to a bathroom.....not that I know from experience, but.... just sayin.)

In my opinion, Juvo has a little bit of everything.  They have a protein and weight loss formula as well, but really, if you are going to just live a healthy lifestyle, go with the superfoods.  This will enhance your already awesome, whole foods, diet.

I like to purchase it from Lucky Vitamin.  They do a "the more you buy, the more you save" sort of thing.

I'm in a GIVING mood!!

This is what I use, and will continue to use until I find something better! In fact, I like it so much, I feel a giveaway coming on!!! Want a bottle of Juvo Superfood to try for yourself?

1. Leave a comment on the blog and make sure that you "like" the Facebook page and/or Follow me on Twitter.  I will choose a winner from the comments and announce it on my social media pages! Winner will be chosen on February 5th! 

2. Want an EXTRA entry?  Share this with your friends and tell them to mention YOUR NAME in THEIR comment on the blog!  

Do you have a greens drink that you love? Share it with us! Any comments with a link to personal websites for products will be deleted.  But, feel free to mention the brand!  Thanks a bunch!

For my Green Smoothin Recipe that includes Juvo CLICK HERE. For more info on supplements that I add to my diet CLICK HERE.

TL;DR- I choose to use Juvo Superfood as a green powder supplement for my green smoothies.  It is a great blend of powerhouse ingredients and packs a punch! Plus, how to enter the new Giveaway.