Green foods for immune support

As we pass through the short days of winter, which also brings the cold and flu season to those of us in the northern hemisphere, our thoughts may turn to fortifying ourselves with a good diet, making it as healthy as possible till that day when the arugula sprouts in the garden or the new crop of berries arrives (ok, getting a little poetical here!)

Anyway, here are NYBC suggestions for green foods and green/red foods combinations, which many use to boost the nutritional content of their diet when that boost is most needed:

Organic DAILY 5 (Jarrow). A mix of greens and reds (fruits). Used as directed, it is a 30-day supply, at $23.40/month. It is a blend of high quality, organic (USDA seal) fruits and vegetables, rich in antioxidants such as proanthocyanidins.

Each single (6 g) scoop provides 3,240 mg of a blend of organic fruits and vegetables, including apple, carrot, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, blueberry, beet powder acerola powder, broccoli and spinach. In addition, each scoop includes 1,720 mg of organic flax seed powder as well as 110 mg of a blend of organic barley grass, wheat grass and oat bran powders.

Green Vibrance is a more complex mix of probiotics, greens, and immune supportive nutrients. The list of ingredients is long, so please follow the link to see how this green food supplement is structured. A month’s supply is $38.50, and a 60-day Green Vibrance is also available for the savings-conscious. (The large size will save you about 20% off the one-month version, if our calculations are correct.)

Super Blend from Super Nutrition

Super Blend is a comprehensive multivitamin enriched with organic green foods and herbs. NYBC members choose this multivitamin for its very wide spectrum of high-potency anti-aging nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phyto-antioxidants–a combination that can simplify supplement-taking by fulfilling multiple needs in one formula.

Some highlights of Super Blend:

100 mg alpha-Lipoic acid; 30 mg CoQ10; 75 mg N-Acetyl Cysteine; 100 mg Quercetin;18 phyto-antioxidants, including Grape Seed & Skin extracts, Lutein, Lycopene, Ginkgo Biloba, Green Tea extract; the prime antioxidants Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Beta-Carotene; a potent B-complex formula; bone health support – 1,000 mg Calcium, 600 mg Magnesium, 1,000 IU Vitamin D and 1,500 mg Vitamin C; for cardio support – 1,000 mcg Folic Acid, 1,000 mcg Vitamin B12, 200 mg Vitamin B6 and 800 IU Vitamin E. Suggested use is 8 tablets per day.

Note: NYBC stocks Super Blend – No Iron. In keeping with its non-profit mission, the NYBC co-op price is the lowest we’ve seen for this formula–$43.