Everything is green these days! Be green, eat green, live green. While it might be easy to buy green and be green, it isn’t always easy to eat greens. Very often in my naturopathic medicine practice, I will have patients record what they are eating for a few days, or at least tell me what they are eating. What I see a need for is overall better food choices, but in particular, an increase in greens!
Green vegetables don’t need to be scary, or taste bad. In fact, everyone can find a green that they like or a way to increase them in their diet. What are green vegetables or dark green leafies as we sometimes refer to them?
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Romaine Lettuce
- Arugla
- And many more!
Why do we need to eat our greens?
- Rich in essential vitamins and minerals
- Good source of vitamins A,D,E, K
- High in Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium
- Good source of Folate
- High in Fiber
- Acts as a digestive aid helping prevent constipation and IBS
- Helps promote optimal liver function for better hormone metabolism. Less PMS and menopause symptoms!
- Provides nutrients important for cholesterol metabolism and blood pressure regulation
- Rich in antioxidants that are important for cancer prevention and healthy aging
- Greens are the secret to glowing skin, notice a decrease in acne, rosacea, eczema!
- Boosts the immune system
So how do we get our greens? I love to make green smoothies. I recently made this recipe. Here are some other ways:
- Spinach is excellent sautéed with some olive oil and garlic. Don’t limit yourself to just spinach, experiment! Sauté with your other favorite vegetables and add try adding spices.
- Include greens in frittatas, or scrambled eggs.
- Make a fresh salad
- Consider a greens supplement. While there are a plethora on the market, we carry GreensFirst: it is organic, free of pesticides and heavy metals…and it tastes good! Add it to your protein shake or have on its own and enjoy a day full of energy!