We’ve been told countless times – vegetables are good for us! They’re rich in vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. What’s more amazing is that not only are they packed with nutrition, but they are also low in calories. This makes it perfect for those who are aiming to lose weight the healthy way.
How To Enjoy Green Leafy Vegetables
As a general rule, one should eat at least 2 ½ cups of cooked vegetables per day, including leafy greens. Still, many Americans do not incorporate enough leafy green vegetables into their diet, resulting into illness and obesity.
Start transitioning by making small changes to your diet. You don’t have to abruptly switch to a purely vegetarian diet. If you’re eating out, make sure to order a salad with your meal. Or, sneak in some vegetable goodness in your smoothie or juice. Prepare sauces or soups using blended vegetables. Add some lentils to your sandwich! There are so many ways to enjoy vegetables so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to get accustomed to its taste.
Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables
If all the advice your grandmother has given you about eating your greens is not enough, then this should convince you!
Stay Young
Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, dandelion green, and Swiss chard, are especially good for your body because it has Vitamin K. This helps prevent certain age-related conditions such as bone fragility and osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes and kidney stones. Be sure to take at least 1 cup of raw dark green vegetables daily!
Prevent Memory Loss
Also found in dark leafy vegetables, magnesium is a nutrient that does wonders for your brain health. It has been shown to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and to keep your memory in tip-top condition. Snack on sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, almonds and cashews to get your daily dose of magnesium. Out of all the herbs, coriander is known to be the richest in magnesium content.
Improve Vision
Spinach, broccoli, and mustard greens are rich in carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, both known to improve vision health. These help filter blue and ultraviolet light that may cause eye damage. You can maintain 20/20 vision and reduce the chances of cataracts if you love these green leafy vegetables.
Stay Fit
Raw escarole is a good source of vitamin B5, a water soluble vitamin that your body needs (but doesn’t store!) to help convert the carbohydrates in food to glucose. Your body then uses glucose to produce energy.
Dark vegetables are also rich in fiber and help lower cholesterol. The intake of green veggies plays an essential role in weight loss. Broccoli, lettuce, spinach, celery and cauliflower are known to be ‘negative’ calorie foods that require more food energy to be digested than it provides. It practically won’t add anything to your calorie count!
Aside from the benefits mentioned, vegetables boast a lot more advantages to one’s health. Contrary to the common belief that only milk is rich in calcium, you can actually get enough calcium from dark green vegetables like spinach, collard greens and rhubarb! So next time you’re doing the groceries, be sure to stop by the organic vegetable section and shop for these goodies!
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