Dark leafy greens are absolutely vital to optimum health.
When you add ample amounts of greens to your diet, they simply crowd out all the over processed, nutrient-devoid foods that make you sick.
Nutrition is the number one foundation for vibrant health.
Dark leafy greens are much more delicious and nutritious than iceberg lettuce, which contains very few nutrients. Rather, dark leafy greens include succulent specimens such as broccoli, broccoli rabe, bok choy, collards, green cabbage, kale, nappa cabbage, mustard greens and watercress. Greens that are commonly enjoyed raw in salads include arugula, chicory, endive, varieties of dark lettuce, mesculun and various wild greens.
Greens are brimming with vitamins A, C, E and K. They are also chocked full of calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc. Plus they are high in fiber, folic acid and beneficial phytochemicals.
As a matter of fact, your body absorbs more calcium from dark leafy greens than it does from drinking a glass of milk! Drinking milk actually creates a calcium deficit, as the body flushes out the excess protein.
Additional health benefits of eating dark leafy greens include:
- Reducing mucous and clearing congestion
- Encouraging healthy intestinal flora
- Improving circulation
- Strengthening the respiratory system
- Purifying the blood
- Preventing cancer
- Boosting the immune system
- Increasing liver, kidney and gall bladder functioning
There are so many ways to enjoy dark leafy greens!
Cooking and preparation methods include:
- Raw in salads or with dips—this imparts the most nutrients and live enzymes, plus it
reduces the amount of time spent in the kitchen! - Boiling—this methods plumps and relaxes greens. Boiling for less than one minute will
retain the most nutrients. Use the cooking water as a nutrient-rich broth for soup stock
or even to drink as tea! - Steaming—this renders greens more tight and fibrous. An excellent method if you’re
following a weight-loss diet. - Sautéing—in oil or water.
- Sweating—cooked over very low heat with no water or oil, with the lid on to bring out
natural juices.
Not only do dark leafy greens nourish our bodies, but they nourish our souls as well. Another great reason for these super foods to become your new bestie!
Consider these intriguing points:
- Green is likened to spring, renewal, rejuvenation and vital life force energy
- Greens boost the spirit and help prevent depression
- In traditional Chinese medicine, green is associated with the liver, creativity and
emotional stability - Broccoli resembles a tree, imparting strength and grounded energy
- Greens are your internal rain forest, strengthening the respiratory system and blood
- Greens are particularly uplifting for urban dwellers who rarely see countryside scenes of
pastoral green fields
Cool hey?
What’s your favourite green vegetable?
And how can you get more of it in your diet?
What green veggie is your new bestie?
Live Inspired,
Sonja.
