Supplement Godfather

As most of you MUSCLE INSIDER readers probably know by now, I’m a huge fan of greens supplements. They provide a huge number of benefits to athletes, lifters, and anyone looking to improve health and performance. The same can be said about superfoods. Because my column is focused on supplements, I’m going to give you the rundown on some of my favourite superfoods that are more commonly consumed in the form of supplements. Here are 12 superfood supplements that can provide you with a host of powerful benefits.

Acerola Fruit (Malpighia glabra)
Acerola is well known for containing high levels of vitamin C. It also contains vitamins A, B1, B2, and B3, as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids.

Bee Pollen (Apis mellifera)
Bee pollen is a secretion made by honeybees and is the food of young bees. Many consider bee pollen one of nature’s most complete and nutritious foods. Bee pollen is rich in protein and contains approximately 22 amino acids, 18 vitamins, 25 minerals, and 59 trace elements, plus enzymes and fatty acids.

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)
Beetroot contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants. Beetroot also contains betacyanin, which gives it its deep red color and provides incredible health properties.

Nova Scotia Dulse (Palmaria palmate)
Nova Scotia dulse is edible red algae that grow readily along the shore of the North Atlantic. It has been harvested as a source of food for thousands of years because it has high protein content and contains all trace elements needed by humans.

Astragalus Root (Astragalus membranaceus)
Astragalus contains a variety of active compounds including more than 40 saponins, several flavonoids, polysaccharides, multiple trace minerals, amino acids, and coumarins. Research suggests that astragalus can have positive effects on the immune system, liver, and the cardiovascular system. It also appears to improve the immune response.

Royal Jelly (Apis mellifera) (secretion)
Royal jelly is a milky secretion produced by glands in the heads of nurse honeybees. It has been used for several decades as a natural health tonic to help support the immune system.

Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice is licorice from which the glycyrrhizin has been removed because that component of licorice can actually have some negative effects. But the rest of licorice can help support adrenal gland function and help protect the body from illness.

Suma Root (Hebanthe eriantha)
Suma is used as an adaptogen to help the body adapt to stress by supporting the immune system. Suma also has a variety of general tonic functions that can help support optimal health.

Milk Thistle Seed (Silybum marianum)
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used for 2,000 years to support the health of the liver, kidneys, and gall bladder. Several scientific studies suggest that substances in milk thistle (mainly a flavonoid called silymarin) can help protect the liver from toxins. Research suggests that silymarin might even help the liver repair itself by growing new cells.

Bilberry Fruit (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Research suggests that the anthocyanidins found in bilberry extract may support the health of the liver and kidneys through free radical scavenging and by reducing lipid peroxidation.

Moringa Leaf (Moringa oleifera)
Some experts, such as the infamous Dr. Oz, tout moringa leaf as one of the most nutritious foods in the world. There is definitely some validity to this. Moringa leaves are a rich source of vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, potassium, protein, and essential amino acids such as methionine, cysteine, tryptophan, and lysine. The benefits provided by moringa leaves are a long list—much too long to list here!

Açai Berry (Euterpe oleracea)
Açai berries contain a wide variety of nutrients, including calcium, vitamin A, phosphorus, iron, and thiamine. In addition, açai contains several anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoids. Anthocyanins are potent antioxidants, and açai provides more antioxidant content than cranberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, and blueberry. Açai berries even contain several beneficial fatty acids.