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What is the best supplement for me? What potency is right? What does the research show? Is it worth the money? These and all of your other supplement questions are answered here. Jared St. Clair brings well researched information so that you can make more informed decisions regarding your health, specifically focused on how to effectively use natural supplements to optimize your health and Vitality. Of course supplement and food choices aren't the only factors in optimal health. Jared also shares a regular series of Emotional Vitality episodes that will help you release the negativity that may be holding you back and embrace your full potential. Vitality Radio is not JUST about health, it is about HEALTH FREEDOM. Jared provides needed insight into the current threats to your health as well as the threats coming from government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and modern medicine as a whole. With over 35 years of experience in the natural products world, and a hearty dose of wit and sarcasm, Vitality Radio isn't just educational but entertaining and enlightening.
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[00:00:00] Welcome to the Vitality Radio Podcast, your source for the truth about health, wellness, and real alternatives to drugs, surgeries, and the status quo of healthcare. Here you'll find information that empowers you to take control of your health. But it's not just about health and wellness, it's about the politics of healthcare and protecting your health freedom.
Now, here's your host, Jared St. Clair.
Hello and welcome to Vitality Radio. I'm your host each and every week. My name is Jared St. Clair. And Vitality Radio is the show where we help you master natural supplements, enhance your emotional vitality and thrive without pharma drugs. If you ever wonder what that enhance your [00:01:00] emotional vitality thing is about, there's a whole bunch of episodes that you may or may not have discovered called Emotional Vitality.
I don't know how many we have over a dozen I bet. And uh, these are incredible. Free to you episodes loaded with amazing content on how to get outta your own way. Uh, get into your subconscious mind and figure out what's going on up there that might be holding you back from achieving what you're trying to achieve in life from finding emotional and mental, spiritual peace.
So check those out if you haven't. Today's show though. It's all about greens. You know, greens, we hear about greens powders all the time. We hear about super foods. We hear about super antioxidants. I'm gonna target three specific greens, matcha, moringa, and barley grass. I'm gonna compare them to each other and, uh, give you an idea of which one might be right.
For you. I'm also gonna compare barley grass to wheatgrass and explain why I prefer barley grass, hands down [00:02:00] over wheatgrass. I'm gonna talk about the preparation of some of these things and why that matters. Uh, some brands that I trust and the ins and outs of what types of antioxidants are in them, what kinds of nutrients are in there, proteins in enzymes, amino acids, and everything else.
Hopefully at the end of this show, you'll feel like you know which one's right for you, if any of them match things that you are trying to accomplish. And then I'm also gonna hit up a formula that I love that is a combination of some super foods as well, and give you a little comparison there. I wanna start with matcha.
I think matcha is the most fascinating of all of these. I'm like a big, big, big fan of matcha, in fact. Matcha is an interesting one 'cause I didn't like matcha. Like I didn't like matcha. I thought it was super bitter, not good tasting. I didn't love green tea until I tried really, really high grade matcha, what's known as ceremonial matcha.
There's also a. Technically not ceremonial, but near ceremonial, uh, culinary grade matcha that is also very, very good. We [00:03:00] carry two here at Vitality that I really, really like. Uh, and, uh, that's saying something. 'cause I used to think green tea was gross. I didn't like matcha lattes. But what I found out is I was getting crappy matcha, uh, from, you know, Starbucks and places like that with that bitterness.
Now some people like the bitterness of matcha. If you like the bitterness of matcha, that's fine, but I will explain that it's not just the bitterness, uh, that is missing from ceremonial matcha, but also ceremonial matcha is processed at a very different, in a very different way at a different time of year and in a much, much more, uh, nutrient sparing, um, fashion we'll say.
But, uh. It's come down to this, I used to not like it. I found that the quality mattered. I started using a high quality matcha and now I mix it with vanilla protein and or chocolate protein either way. And I think it's great. So for centuries, Japanese monks and Samurai relied on matcha as. Both a meditative aid and [00:04:00] a source of focused energy.
The ceremonial preparation of whisked matcha tea, uh, where they take the matcha leaves and powder them, grind them into a powder and then whisk them, uh, is one of the most central of zen practices embodying mindfulness and presence today, machos move far beyond. Buddhist temples, uh, showing up in lattes, smoothies, and even desserts, but its roots in calm, alertness remain unchanged.
What makes matcha unique versus any other caffeinated plant is L-theanine. The caffeine in matcha is slowly released, offering steady, sustained energy instead of the spike and crash effect that you often get from coffee or synthetic caffeine like energy drinks. Now, the amino acid that makes this.
Subtle. More sustained release effect is called L-Theanine, and you've probably heard of me talk about it before. I love L-Theanine. I use it as a supplement. It's [00:05:00] fantastic stuff and I just, I adore this stuff, but what does it do well when matcha is harvested correctly and grown correctly, specifically grown in shade?
Interestingly enough, it. Creates more L-theanine. The ratio is about two to one caffeine theanine in matcha green tea. What does theanine do? It promotes alpha brainwaves linked to calm focus, while also enhancing gaba, which is gamma aminobutyric acid. GABA is the inhibitory neurotransmitter that quiets overactivity in tension in the brain, creating a sense of calm without drowsiness.
The result is a state that monks described as relaxed alertness. Doesn't that sound good, awake, present and centered feeling this synergy is something no synthetic caffeine pill or fortified beverage can replicate because those products deliver caffeine in isolation without the balance compounds naturally built into plants and no other source of caffeine.
[00:06:00] Naturally delivers theanine as a copilot beyond its calming energy. Matcha is revered for its antioxidant power as a whole leaf powder. It delivers concentrated levels of polyphenols, especially one known as Egal Catechin eeg, CG, one of the most studied catechins and green tea. Research has shown that EGCG is particularly effective at supporting cellular defense and maintaining a healthy inflammatory response because you consume the entire leaf rather than just a steeped infusion like you would from Tea Matcha provides exponentially higher EGCG levels than a standard cup of tea, making it one of the most potent natural antioxidant sources available.
This is one of the key reasons matcha has earned its reputation, is that longevity food. Both traditional and modern wellness practices and, and I really do think it fits at or near the very top of the list of amazing super foods. Um, [00:07:00] remembering that we would typically call it an herbal tea if it was ground into a tea or a tea extract into a capsule.
But when you're taking the powder, the whole leaf, it really is more like a superfood than it is like an herb at that point. Now for centuries. Uh, it's been used over in Japan, but it was about, I don't know, probably the eighties, uh, early nineties when it really started getting, uh, some love as a weight loss, uh, ingredient.
Now. I don't think there's an herb in the world that contains caffeine, that hasn't been studied for weight loss, because at least in theory, caffeine can rev up the metabolism if there's enough other things along with it that kind of make that thermogenesis happen. Well, in the case of matcha it, it seems to be the one that has the most merit in terms of, you know, does it actually help move the needle, but.
It's really important to [00:08:00] understand that matcha is a mild metabolism booster. It is not a, an aggressive metabolism booster, and part of that is because the EGCG in matcha oftentimes does get beat up a little bit in the stomach. You get a lot of those antioxidant benefits in the process, but not as much of the thermogenic benefit.
As you otherwise might get. But it does help with calorie burning. It does help with fat oxidation, using fat as fuel. Uh, and, and yet, like I said, it's a little bit modest in terms of the effect. The effective dose in most of the studies is about 300 to 600 milligrams of EGCG daily, often the equivalent of like three to five cups of tea.
Now you're gonna get more EGCG in a scoop of matcha powder, um, but still two to three teaspoons a day to give you the amount of EGCG that is used in the studies now, I personally am right now drinking. And I kind of trade off on these. I don't know that I necessarily have a favorite, but there's [00:09:00] one by a green foods company, simple name, uh, that is a matcha, ceremonial grade.
Matcha. I'll talk about what that means in a minute. And then there's another one from Sun Warrior. Both are organic. Uh, both are fantastic products. I do think that the, um. Sun Warrior one is a little bit more bitter, but it's also a lot more economical. It's not a true ceremonial grade. It's a high grade culinary grade.
And what that means basically is how it's harvested and when it's harvested. So the ceremonial grade is harvested at, it's basically the first harvest of the spring. And it's interesting because I've been working on possibly bringing out a green tea supplement. Uh. For vitality, nutrition, a matcha powder actually.
And we were working with a, uh, Japanese company trying to make it happen, and you have to work with them a full year in advance. In fact, preferably a year and a half to two years in advance to [00:10:00] actually get, um, the matcha from them because of when it's harvested. If you want the ceremonial grade, it can only be only be harvested for just a couple of weeks outta the entire year.
And most of theirs is spoken for a year in advance. So it may happen down the road. But that's been a real challenge for me and I imagine a challenge for any of the manufacturers of macho, which is. Probably why ceremonial grade? Well, it's more expensive 'cause it's harder to get. And also there's just simply less of it, less supply and a high demand.
So the green foods company has, um, a ceremonial grade. I, like I said, I do think it's a little less bitter. I, I love it in vanilla protein powder, but I really do like the Sun Warrior one too. And from an economy standpoint, the Sun Warrior one is gonna be substantially less expensive on a per serving basis.
Uh, and so you're, you're saving money. You're still getting most of the benefits when you go to culinary grade from [00:11:00] ceremonial. The biggest difference is taste, and then there is a little bit of loss in some of the nutrients and antioxidants, but it's pretty small, like 10, 15%, not dramatic. So you can kind of decide which route you want to take if you want to go with a matcha powder.
But I trust both of these. They're both organic, you know, all the stuff that you want. Now, back to the weight loss thing. The mechanism of action on EGCG appears to slow down an enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine, a signaling molecule that increases fat burning. With more norepinephrine available, the body can oxidize more fat, especially during exercise, and so it does help to tip.
Metabolism slightly in your favor. Kinda like what I've said about apple cider vinegar. It's good for it, but it's not a world beater. Uh, but if you're doing a few of these things, uh, then yeah, you can get some extra benefit when it comes to weight loss. But I would say the majority of people are using matcha because it's a, it just absolutely.
Blows coffee, energy, drinks, soda outta the water in terms of how you feel. [00:12:00] Sustained, even energy. Not as strong unless you're doing like a double dose to get the caffeine level up. 'cause a single dose is gonna have somewhere between 60 and a hundred, uh, milligrams of caffeine. Usually actually 30 to 60 is more like it.
So if you double it up, you might get up to 120, which is. Kind of in the energy drink category in terms of potency, so not too bad. And then that's counterbalanced with atheneum, which makes it much more even keeled. So energy, calm, focus, uh, sustained, relaxed energy is the best way I can put it. It's, it's really interesting stuff if you haven't tried it and then just.
Powerhouse antioxidants. So really, really good, uh, for detoxification and uh, helping the body with antioxidant benefits. Alright, it's time for another POW product of the week. It is clinical Immunity quickstart from Life Seasons. If you wanna strengthen your first line of defense against seasonal cold and flu challenges.
This is a great formula to grab. [00:13:00] Quickstart is built to activate your immune response fast. Combining some of the most clinically researched ingredients for immune resilience, all in one potent blend. It's a six capsule a day. Hit it hard when things are hitting you hard. During this cold and flu season, the star player in the formula is known as Epicor.
This is a fermented yeast extract from Scro cer, which uh, is a. Phenomenally powerful immune modulator. So this is actually great. Even if you have autoimmune disease in studies, it's actually shown to boost immune response in as little as two hours in a substantial way, and help your immune system stay balanced as well, uh, not, uh, crashing the immune system.
Not spiking the immune system, just really elevating immune function when you need it most. It is an amazing, uh, ingredient. I absolutely love this stuff and the studies on it are awesome. Plus you get this really cool added benefit that [00:14:00] it's a really, really great post biotic for gut health as well, so not too bad.
It also has a really high quality form of pure whe c, one of the more bioavailable vitamin Cs on the market. Vitamin D three and zinc elderberry, andrographis. Olive leaf and echinacea and my favorite spore probiotic, bacillus coagulants all rolled into one formula. Together, these ingredients help you to respond quickly, recover smoothly, and stay resilient through the season.
I love to use this with our vitality, nano silver. I'll also throw some getwell staywell on there if I'm really trying to hit it hard, especially if everybody around me is sick, which has been happening lately. Uh, in fact, as I'm. Speaking, I've got multiple people that are close to me that have been fighting colds and flus, uh, cold and flu symptoms anyway, so normal price on this is 34.99.
It's 40% off, which makes it 21 bucks, uh, during the POW 16, uh, sale. That's one week only. Use the code PPOW 16, that's [00:15:00] all one word at checkout. For this amazing deal on the quick start, uh, clinical immunity from life seasons, one of my favorite products. It's gonna be running for a week, or of course, come by and see us at Vitality Nutrition in Bountiful.
Again, it's POW 16 quickstar Immunity. Awesome formula, awesome deal. 21 bucks while supplies last normally $35. And now back to the show. So there's your mental clarity and focus. Green food. And now I want to get into moringa. Now moringa is something that I didn't even know existed until about six, seven years ago, and it's had it had a big surge for a minute.
And it kind of died off in popularity, and now it's surging again. For thousands of years though, Maringa has been treasured in India and Africa, where it's known as the miracle tree. In Ayurvedic tradition, every part of the tree, the leaves, the seed, the pods and the roots was used to nourish families [00:16:00] and support resilience in harsh climates.
Communities relied on it both as food and medicine, and it became a staple crop in regions prone to drought because of its ability to thrive in. Poor soil, even today in rural villages around Africa and South Asia. Moringa is cultivated as a lifeline against malnutrition. It's that important. Now, in modern wellness, moringa has taken on a new life as a nutrient dense superfood.
The dried leaves are ground into powder or packed into capsules, so it's, it's made some similarly to how matcha is made, uh, providing a convenient way to capture its broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It's one of the only plants that has all nine essential amino acids in it. And of course it's high in antioxidants.
It's now featured in smoothies, teas, protein blends, energy bars. Uh, you're gonna see it around way more than what we used to see it. Now let's talk about how it tastes though. 'cause we talked about the bitterness of green tea and how if you get up to ceremonial, it really loses that bitterness. Well, the flavor and [00:17:00] form of of moringa is interesting.
It's grassy, it's earthy. It has a slightly bitter taste as well. I would say more bitter than certainly than ceremonial green tea, maybe on par with regular green tea. And it tastes somewhat like a cross between like spinach and green tea with a. Peppery bite. I mean, it's, it's funky stuff because of that.
Some people prefer capsules to avoid the flavor, but the powder is the best value, less expensive, easier to mix in the smoothies and get a, a significant dose without having to take a significant number of pills. Now we have Maringa. In a variety of different forms. We have a couple of different capsules, couple different powders from different brands.
Uh, organic India, the food movement, Yoruba Prima, all make really, really great, uh, moringa soda solar array. We have some excellent options and it's typically recommended that you do somewhere around like. Three to six capsules a day. But if you really wanna get into like the high concentration of nutrients, you may take as much as a tablespoon of the powder per [00:18:00] day.
And from an economic standpoint, the powder's gonna be substantially less expensive than are the capsules. Some people compare it to a multivitamin, it's not. Technically a comprehensive multivitamin. It's not gonna quite Trump something like Ultimate Vitality Multi, but it's a hundred percent whole food, super high absorption, and an incredible little adjunct to your diet to just fill in a bunch of gaps that you may have.
There is some research on it for weight loss, but the primary benefit that people might use it for beyond just a super food. Is blood sugar balance and because of what it does for blood sugar balance for both hypoglycemia and diabetes, it seems to be effective. That can help with fat metabolism. And so in terms of metabolic health, I would say it's on par with green tea for slightly different reasons, and some may like one, some may like the other.
Now, in terms of antioxidants, maringa is rich in polyphenols and vitamin C, but in sheer antioxidant density, matcha [00:19:00] beats it pretty easily. Matcha is not as loaded with other nutrients. Matcha is more comprehensive. Green tea is, you're really looking at high concentration of antioxidants. High concentration of caffeine and, uh, theanine.
Those are the. The big things that you're taking matcha for, so more of a, you know, wake up, get going, kind of a thing. Now, barley grass is the oldest one in the whole book. Probably, I don't know, maybe green tea's been used for 10,000 years, but we know that barley grass has been used for 10,000 years making one of the world's oldest grains.
Um, well, barley, sorry, it's been used for 10,000 years, but long before the grain itself became a staple food, ancient civilizations actually valued the young barley shoots. The Egyptians were believed to have consumed barley grass for vitality. Roman gladiators reportedly used it to build strength and stamina.
Uh, in traditional Chinese medicine, young barley grass was uh, recognized for its cooling and restorative properties. Today, barley grass [00:20:00] is harvested at just the right stage before the grain forms, when the nutrient content is at its peak. And because it's harvested so early, it's generally considered gluten-free, even though mature barley does contain gluten.
That's one of the most common questions I get on barley grass. Barley grass is sold in several forms, powder, tablets, uh, and can be whole dried grass, or it can be barley grass juice powder where the fresh grass is juiced and liquid is then dried. The juice form is far more concentrated in chlorophyll enzymes and antioxidants because the fibrous portion is removed.
It's also more easy to digest whole grass. Powder, on the other hand, contains the natural fiber, which is. Great. It makes it more affordable. And the fiber that's in barley grass actually is a prebiotic. So there are benefits that way, but it's not nearly as concentrated and it's not as easily digested. So I do typically prefer the juice.
Um, it's prized for detoxification. It's very alkalizing helps to support digestion [00:21:00] 'cause it's loaded with enzymes. Uh, and one of the things that makes barley gras stand out is its unique enzyme, well, not unique to it, but it's. One of the primary sources of this enzyme called superoxide dismutase or SOD, it is a master antioxidant enzyme, one of I think, the best and most important enzymes out there.
And it's not nearly as abundant in wheat grass, for instance, or many of the other, uh, superfoods. It's. Fairly unique to Barley, although not completely unique. Wheatgrass has a lot of it, but not close to as much as barley. Another area where barley grass shines over wheatgrass is it simply tastes better.
It's easier to digest. Uh, it has a better, more mild flavor and uh, has a little bit of sweet taste to it. Wheat grass tends to be a little bit more bitter. It also is higher in magnesium and potassium, the electrolytes. So for me, barley grass is the obvious choice over wheat grass. Uh, you still get the chlorophyll, the vitamins, the cleansing green, uh, power that wheat grass is known for, but with better antioxidant enzymes, a [00:22:00] broader nutrient balance and a flavor profile that I actually enjoy.
It's not just another green shot. It's actually a really, really good high concentration of nutrition. So how do these three compare? Why would somebody like one versus the other barley grass, again known for its superoxide dismutase content? Powerful antioxidant. Really, really good. There's some interesting research on SOD specific to, um.
It actually works a lot like a systemic enzyme. So if you heard me talk about fiza, this is kind of a natural source of that type of enzymatic activity. Um, but also really, really good for the joints. I've had a lot of people that have said when they take barley grass juice on a regular basis or barley grass juice powder, that they have.
Healthier, less achy joints, that kind of thing. Also great for detoxification. Probably the best detoxifier of this group matcha the calm energy. Green delivers the caffeine paired with a theanine plus powerful, powerful [00:23:00] antioxidants, sustained energy, mental clarity, and that antioxidant kick, and then maringa.
Again, look at it like a whole food multivitamin, almost, uh, just a powerhouse loaded with vitamins, a CE minerals, uh, and a rare complete protein profile that is extremely unusual in, um, veg vegetable sources, we'll say, as opposed to animal sources traditionally used for resilience and stamina. It's now popular as a broad spectrum nutrition and metabolic health support, so.
Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, there are your options. Now, you can also kind of mix and match. Now, two years ago, I think we released the vitality Organic greens and shrooms. Spirulina is the first ingredient. I didn't talk about that. I am gonna do a show on the sea vegetables here pretty soon, where we're gonna have spirulina.
Kelp chlorella, blue-green algae, that kind of thing. But I didn't wanna try and fit all that [00:24:00] into this as well and kind of keep those ones separated so it makes a little bit more sense. But, uh, this also has broccoli sprout extract, which is phenomenal for endocrine detoxification, barley, grass juice, not powder, the important form of barley grass.
That's much more concentrated beet juice for your nitric oxide. Matcha green tea, and then also a thousand milligrams of mushrooms from lion's mane, Turkey tail, and reishi in a flavored sweetened drink that is pretty good tasting, actually, the greens and shrooms. So if you like the idea of kind of covering all the bases, the greens and shrooms is a great option if you like the idea of just a single more targeted approach.
Matcha, barley grass, maringa, depending on what you're after, are all excellent options. I'm gonna link to all of these in the show description, so you can kind of look between the brands. Um, know this, in the case of these specific, uh, ingredients and superfoods, I've just simply brought in brands that I trust that I think make really good stuff.
I don't have a really strong feeling about one over another. [00:25:00] I think in terms of moringa, probably the food movements. Favorite, I really do like theirs. Um, from a bang for the buck standpoint. Their eight ounce powder is a really, really good value. So maybe I'd pick that one over the others, but the other ones that we have are very good as well.
I already explained the difference between the two matcha. You'd have to kind of try there and see what you think. And then on the barley grass, really, we have barley, grass, powder, barley grass, tablets from pines, a great company, and then the vital greens and shrooms. So that's pretty much it. Uh, we have.
Those formulas available for you if you're interested. And if you've wondered about the green foods, hopefully this gives you a little bit more insight. Uh, that is why do this show, to try and answer these kind of questions. Let me know what you think. Jump on the Facebook group. If you're not in there yet.
The link will be in the show description. Uh, you can also hit us up on the chat vitality nutrition.com, or you can hit us up on the phone. (801) 292-6662. Thank you so much for listening to me after this show. I'm going on vacation, so, uh, I'm pretty [00:26:00] excited about that and I'll, uh, catch you very soon. Don't worry.
I did like 10 shows in advance to make sure that I didn't miss anything while I was gone. 'cause I've got, I've got a week or so of vacation, then I've got a business thing, then I'm back for a week and then I'm gone for another week. It's a nutty October. I don't know when you're hearing this show, 'cause I'm probably recording it three weeks in advance or something like that.
But, uh, I've got a bunch of really cool shows that are prepared and ready to go for you for while I'm gone. Uh, I hope to learn a lot, uh, because. One of the shows that I'm going to, the very end of October, right before Halloween in Las Vegas is Supply Side Expo. Supply side is the best show for someone who formulates supplements for a living.
I am so excited to find out what I can find there. I've got some cool stuff coming your way. I cannot wait to share it with you. Thank you so much for listening to me. My name's Jared St. Clair, and this has been. Vitality Radio.[00:27:00]
You've been listening to the Vitality Radio podcast. Enjoy your week. In the meantime, Jared will be feverishly searching for the latest nutrition info to educate you on and wading into mounds of propaganda to help steer you through it. Vitality Radio is researched and written by Jared St. Clair. Our awesome music is by Brian Bob Young, support Vitality Radio by subscribing and giving us a five star review on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast source.
Don't forget to follow us at Vitality Radio on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Please let us know your thoughts about this episode by using the hashtag Vitality Radio podcast. And if you like what you hear, go tell somebody with a share, a screenshot or an airdrop. Thank [00:28:00] you.