SGN Nutrition Emerald Balance
Emerald Balance was originally created by herbalist/nutritionist/cosmetologist Jan Lovejoy as an easy-to-drink nutritional supplement for her mother, who “…was suffering from fatigue, edema, pre-diabetes, and post pacemaker surgery.” Emerald Balance became the first product for Lovejoy’s company: SGN Nutrition. It’s a drink powder containing 40+ “superfoods,” phytonutrients, herbs and probiotics and a claimed ORAC value of over 3,000 units per serving.
Emerald Balance comes in two additional versions: Amazon and Chocolate Emerald Balance Plus.
Manufacturer’s Description: Emerald Balance is a delicious, nutritious superfood drink your body will love!…And best of all we made it taste great, because we know all these wonderful ingredients won’t do you any good if you can’t get them past your nose. Emerald Balance is refreshingly different – a whole-food supplement your entire family will enjoy…Mix just one tablespoon or a convenient packet of this great-tasting drink with 6-12 ounces of pure water, or add to your favorite protein shake to get the antioxidant equivalent of 8-10 servings of vegetables and fruits.
Product Label:
| Serving Size 9.4g Calories 39 Calories From Fat 8 Amount Per Serving Total Fat 1g Sugar 3g Total Carbohydrates 6g Dietary Fiber 1.7g |
Protein 1g Sodium 11mg Potassium 84mg Calcium 39mg Silicon 54mg Vitamin A 160IU Vitamin C (Natural) 371mg Vitamin E (Natural) 97IU |
| Ingredients: Nutrient Dense Superfoods 2880mg Barley Grass Juice Powder, Certified Organic Beet Juice Powder, Organic Carrot Juice Powder, Chlorella – Cracked Cell, Parsley Juice Powder, Spirulina Powder, Watercress Juice Powder. Antioxidant Blend (ORAC Value= 3,083) 2675mg Acerola Berry Juice Powder, Bioflavonoids (Citrus), Blueberry Powder, Grape Seed Extract – 92% Green Tea Catechins – 60%, Orange Juice Powder, Pineapple Juice Powder, Red Raspberry Powder, Turmeric Powder, Vitamin C – Natural Rose Hips, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol), Dandelion, Aloe Vera – Freeze Dried, Spearmint. Pow R Fiber 790mg Apple Fiber, Apple Pectin, Flax Seed Meal – Certified Organic, Rice Bran Powder. Energizing Cellular Support 1695mg Bamboo, Cinnamon, Gingko Biloba – 24% Horsetail, Lecithin Powder – 99% Oil Free, Siberian Ginseng – Eleurtherococcus, Suma, Stevia. Immune Support Non-Dairy Probiotic Culture – 8.5 Billion 700mg Proprietary Blend: 710mg Astragalus Membranaceous, Damiana, Ginger Powder, Silymarin Silibum Marianum – 80%, Nova Scotia Dulse, Royal Jelly 5% 10-HRD, Plant Enzymes: Lipase, Protease, Amylase & Cellulase. |
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Comments: I picked up a 30-serving canister of Emerald Balance at bodybuilding.com for $28.79 – a considerable savings vs. buying direct from the company (I’ve seen it as low as $24.98 elsewhere, but I’m a bodybuilding.com regular, thanks to their low, flat rate shipping and fast, efficient service).
Dissolved in water, Emerald Balance looks just like the other “green” supps I’ve tried over the years…dark green with an ever-so-slight hint of grittiness. It has a rather peculiar flavor…sweet, but with 4 distinct flavors: spearmint, citrus, berry and tea. It was an odd and somewhat unexpected combination, but not unpleasant…I thought it was drinkable, enough.
Overall, it’s a reasonably healthful brew: it provides a solid whack of probiotic (good) bacteria, packs a good antioxidant punch, and – unlike some other “green” drinks I could name – contains a minimum of fibrous filler (which leaves more room for the actual green stuff).
One problem with drinks of this nature, however, is that the sheer number of ingredients makes it difficult to pack useful doses of individual components into a small serving size. Nonetheless, I expect Emerald Balance could make a decent contribution to a balanced diet (in terms of antioxidant intake and alkalinity), although, in my opinion, it’s not a substitute for eating whole, intact vegetables and fruits.
[usrlist “Taste:2.5” “Quality:4.5” “Efficacy:4.0” “Value:3.0″ avg=”true”]
