AIM LeafGreens™ - Details

The story

AIM develops products that are innovative and often continue to evolve long after their introduction. Several years ago, AIM considered developing a soy, rice, pea, or hemp protein product.
These proteins are produced from plant seed, bean, or grain, and are typically deficient in the amino acids lysine and methionine. AIM harvests barley before it produces grain to ensure a superior nutrient dense juice powder. We decided to take the same approach to create a superior plant-based protein. While researching manufacturing processes, we discovered that most protein concentrates and isolates utilize harsh acid and base chemicals that result in denatured or degraded proteins. AIM chose ultra-cold filtration, the least invasive, non-chemical process that preserves the proteins, amino acids and other nutrients found in each leaf of AIM LeafGreens™. Although protein was the target, we quickly realized that nutrients, such as iron, condensed to over 40 times that of ordinary juice powders. The process also produces extraordinary levels of vitamin A, vitamin K, chlorophyll, and many other beneficial nutrients. The result: AIM LeafGreens™, a highly concentrated green leaf product exclusive to The AIM Companies™.

The process

What makes this product different from anything on the market today? AIM uses an exclusive ultra-cold filtration technique. The juice is chilled to below 6 °C (44 °F) and concentrated through a series of filters. The ultra-cold filtration unit pushes water, salt, sugars and some potassium through a semi-permeable, thin layer membrane.
This membrane is capable of separating substances when pressure is applied across it, concentrating the remaining leaf juices. With the removal of these unwanted compounds, the juice can be further concentrated to create a viscous slurry of leaf juice. This slurry is then spray dried into a powder at a low temperature. This mechanical process uses no chemicals or additives.
Through this concentration process, it takes 10 kilograms of leaves (22 pounds) to make a 228 gram canister of AIM LeafGreens™. More leaves equals more nutrition.

Spinach leaf

Spinacia oleracea is a flowering plant native to south-western Asia, spinach has become one of the most prominent health foods of the 21st century.

This vegetable has been a common food in Old World diets for thousands of years, including those in the Middle East and later western Europe.

Spinach is rich in nutrients, including many essential vitamins, minerals and potent antioxidants. Due to its rich nutritional value, spinach is a suggested addition to most contemporary diets. Spinach contributes much of the 70% daily recommended value of vitamin A, which research shows is crucial for new cell growth. This means vitamin A supports vision, healthy skin, hair and tissues, as well as proper bone growth and tooth development. Choline and inositol, both B vitamins found in spinach, are substances that have been shown to help fight atherosclerosis, or the thickening and hardening of arteries.

The flavonoids found in spinach have been studied extensively for their antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Specific reports published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention and the International Journal of Cancer Research noted that antioxidants found in spinach might reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Lutein is a carotenoid found in dark green, leafy vegetables, and particularly abundant in spinach. In the body, lutein is concentrated in a small area of the macula, the area of the retina responsible for central vision. Studies show that this concentration of lutein helps protect the eye from oxidative stress and high-energy light. Research indicates that lutein intake may increase the amount of pigment in the eye and decrease the risk of eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration. Lutein also filters blue wavelengths from the visible-light spectrum by as much as 90%. Blue light, from both artificial light and sunlight, is believed to induce oxidative stress and possible free-radical damage to the eyes and the skin. AIM LeafGreens™ contains nearly 5 mg of lutein per serving, comparable to many standardized lutein supplements on the market.

Among its many documented health benefits, the spinach leaf may also aid in curbing anemia, constipation, insomnia, obesity, high blood pressure, bronchitis and dyspepsia. On the whole, a diet that includes spinach supports overall wellness.

Faba bean leaf

Viscia faba is a member of the vetch family and has been cultivated for centuries. All parts of the faba bean plant are edible, and its seeds have been a staple of human nutrition. Many cultures have enjoyed the leaves of the faba plant, preparing them similarly to spinach.

As was discovered with barley, when the faba plant begins its reproductive cycle, the young plant is at the peak of its nutritional value. The nutritional composition of the leaf is different from the actual bean. During this early growth stage, the plant has an abundance of certain flavonoids.

Quercetin, found in the faba bean, field pea, and spinach leaves, belongs to a group of plant pigments called flavonoids, which are partly responsible for the colour of many fruits and vegetables. Unlike the synthetic form of quercetin dehydrate found in most supplements, the quercetin found in AIM LeafGreens™ occurs naturally in the leaves. This is important because synthetic quercetin dehydrate is not soluble in water. Therefore, consumption of this synthetic compound provides no meaningful benefits. The natural quercetin found in AIM LeafGreens™ is more bioavailable and absorbable because it is not synthetic.

Quercetin offers a variety of potential therapeutic uses and benefits. Recent research shows that quercetin inhibits the production and release of histamine as well as other allergic and inflammatory substances. Histamine contributes to allergy symptoms such as runny noses, watery eyes, and the swelling of soft tissue. Quercetin can also inhibit the aggregation (abnormal clotting) of platelets, fibrin and other blood components that cause obstruction of blood vessels. This flavonoid is binding selectively to platelet aggregation on blood vessel walls and restores the natural compound prostacyclin, a vasodilator (opens blood vessels). In other words, quercetin has an anti-clotting function that can help improve circulation.

The anti-inflammatory properties of quercetin have been researched extensively. In one quercetin study, individuals with arthritis experienced reduced joint inflammation. There have been several reports of people who increased their flavonoid intakes and felt symptomatic relief from rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Loss of vision can result from untreated cataracts. Patients with cataracts have been found to have very high levels of hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous humor of their eyes. In a recent study, it was discovered that when quercetin enters the eye, it binds with a naturally occurring enzyme in the lens. This newly formed metabolite protects the lens from opacification (becoming cloudy) and oxidative damage from high levels of hydrogen peroxide.

Quercetin also reduces the production of uric acid by inhibiting xanthine oxidase, which can ease gout symptoms.

Dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter in the human body. L-Dopa, which is found in faba bean plants, is its chemical precursor. Both compounds are precursors to the well-known neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and epinephrine. Studies indicate L-Dopa is helpful in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, because it can cross the blood brain barrier, whereas dopamine cannot.

L-dopa is supplemented in the diet to increase the libido and human growth hormones, and combines with tyrosine to produce melanin, the natural pigment in our skin.

Field pea leaf

Pisum sativum is likely to have originated on the Asian continent. Pea sprouts and leaves have been a part of Chinese cuisine for centuries.

Kaempferol, a flavonoid, is found in field pea, faba bean, and spinach leaves.
Kaempferol inhibits the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein and the formation of platelet clusters in the blood, potentially providing benefits for those with arteriosclerosis.

This flavonoid has also been found to be a component of the diuretic and natriuretic peptide (polypeptide hormones that regulate the water-sodium balance in the blood), improving urination and the functioning of the kidney cells, thus increasing permeability and circulation.

Kaempferol improves kidney function by moderating water retention, which is a secondary symptom of diabetes.

Recent research suggests oxidative stress may cause certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. A study in 2002 found that flavonoids like kaempferol can suppress oxidative stresses which may help prevent such neurodegenerative diseases.

In the Nurses’ Health Study conducted from 1976 to 1998, it was observed that women who consumed higher amounts of kaempferol were less likely to die of heart disease than women with lower intakes.

Barley leaf

Research in the late 20th century revealed that young barley grass (Hordeum vulgaris) is the most nutritious of the green grasses. Japanese scientists discovered that the young green barley grass was a remarkably complete source of nutrition, containing a wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, proteins, enzymes, chlorophyll and phytochemicals. Barley leaf concentration completed the formulation, contributing the highest values for vitamin K and chlorophyll. Vitamin K is essential to the body’s utilization of calcium for healthy bone density and to the formation of blood clots to heal wounds. New research indicates that vitamin K may also help prevent the calcification of arteries and regulate blood sugar. Adding the potent barley leaf ensured an optimal blend of leaf concentrates for improved health benefits.

Nutrition

With the synergy of faba bean, field pea, spinach and barley leaves, AIM LeafGreens™ provides a new angle on green nutrition, especially protein and lutein. Proteins are the building blocks of muscle, skin, blood and internal organs. Next to water, protein is the most abundant substance in the body.

AIM LeafGreens™ contains 50 percent protein, and the combination of the four leaves creates a complete protein. This 50 percent is truly an impressive amount compared to other whole foods:

It is important to note that AIM LeafGreens™ has a greater protein content than even soybeans, which are well known as a protein source. In the above chart, spinach is only 2.86 percent protein. This visually demonstrates the high concentration that is achieved in AIM LeafGreens™.

Many protein supplements come from animal sources or from the seeds of plants such as soy, hemp, or rice. Plant seed proteins are deficient in the amino acids lysine and methionine. Animal proteins are high in sulphur which can increase the acidity of the blood, also known acidosis. Calcium is resorbed from our bones to neutralize acidosis, resulting in bone loss. Coming from a green leaf source, AIM LeafGreens™ alkalizes the blood, thus preventing bone loss.

Proteins are composed of amino acids, which are linked by peptide bonds. Of the twenty amino acids necessary for human existence, there are eight essential amino acids that adults are unable to synthesize, so they must come from food intake. If even one essential amino acid is missing from our diets, this deficiency causes the deterioration of body tissues. A complete protein is created when no deficiencies exist in the essential amino acids found within the protein. When formulating AIM LeafGreens™, amino acid profiles were made of each of the four leaves, along with evaluating their individual strengths and weaknesses. The formulation of AIM LeafGreens™ ensures that you will receive a complete protein that provides the body with all of the essential amino acids required for growth and healthy maintenance.

Antioxidant Protection

AIM LeafGreens™ also leads the way in protecting your health with antioxidants. Even though oxidation is an integral function in your body, a negative altering of molecular structure from excessive oxidation has a harmful effect on your health. Antioxidants combat free radical formation (from oxidation) that leads to chain reactions of cellular damage and disease. AIM uses ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), a recognized method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of foods. Some of the highest ORAC values are found in exotic fruits, such as mangosteen – 225 μmol TE/g (micromole Trolox equivalent/gram) and acai – 185 μmol TE/g.

Wild blueberries rate 92.6 μmol TE/g. AIM LeafGreens™ measured 247 μmol TE/gram; higher than those foods thought to contain significant antioxidant protection and without the inflammatory properties of the sugars contained in fruit.

Conservation

Not only do both field pea and faba bean plants provide important nutritional health benefits, but such species also fit into our philosophy of conservation. Both plants have the capacity to fix nitrogen into the soil, allowing AIM to rotate faba bean and field pea crops between the planting and harvesting of barley and spinach. A natural fertilization program is created that reduces the application of natural nitrogen potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. AIM is able to adhere to conservation farming practices while still providing nutritious whole food supplements.

How to use

Daily serving: Mix 6 g (2 teaspoons) with 300 ml of cold water or your favourite non- acidic juice. Take once daily on an empty stomach. New users, begin with 1 teaspoon.

Q&A

Q | Can I take AIM LeafGreens™ and AIM BarleyLife® at the same time?

AΙ Yes. If you desire, take one teaspoon of AIM LeafGreens™ and two servings of AIM BarleyLife® at different times of the day.

Q | Are there people who should be concerned about the high levels of vitamin K in AIM LeafGreens™?

AΙ According to the Merck Index, there is no toxicity for natural vitamin K1 (from plants). However, individuals with sensitivities to vitamin K and who are taking blood-thinning medication should regu late their vitamin K intake. Each 6 gram serving of AIM LeafGreens™ contains 406 mcg of vitamin K. AIM suggests beginning with 1 teaspoon, or 3 grams, containing 203 mcg of vitamin K. Your intake should be constant if on medication. Your physician can then determine the proper dosage.

Q | Do I need to take AIM LeafGreens™ if I eat vegetables regularly?

AΙ Yes, it would be beneficial. One serving of AIM LeafGreens™ contains as much iron as 18 servings of spinach, as much vitamin K as 50 servings of peas, and many other necessary nutrients that no one vegetable can provide.

Q | What are xanthan gum and rice lecithin and what role do they have in AIM LeafGreens™?

AΙ Xanthan gum is derived from a bacterial fermentation process with the use of the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris. This ingredient improves the body and texture of AIM LeafGreens™.
Rice lecithin is comprised of phospholipids from brown rice.
Phospholipids are the main structural components of our cell walls and improve the solubility and texture of AIM LeafGreens™.

Q | I started taking AIM LeafGreens™ and I feel worse. Why?

AΙ When you make a positive change in your diet, your body often goes through a cleansing known as detoxification. This can manifest itself in fatigue, rashes and headaches. For more information, see AIM’s Detoxification datasheet.

Q | Is there anyone who should not take AIM LeafGreens™?

AΙ AIM LeafGreens™ is a whole food concentrate. Most people should be able to take it. Those with severe medical problems or on a restricted diet (especially in regard to green foods) should consult a health practitioner before introducing something new to their diets.

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