Green With Envy

Do you think the other veggies know that they can't even begin to compare in nutritional value to leafy greens?  Do they lay awake at night in their little garden plots knowing that the neighboring kale is full of calcium that parsley is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can get and that arugula is one of the most nutritious salad greens?  I think they know.

So why is it that when I speak to groups about greens, most people only eat iceberg lettuce.  Jeeze!

Here's what you have to know about the most under eaten but most important part of a healthy diet....

Greens help build your internal rainforest and strengthen the blood and respiratory system.
 
Green is associated with spring, the time of renewal, refreshment and vital energy. In Asian medicine, greens are related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity.
 
Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K.
 
They are crammed with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals.
 
Whenever possible, choose organic. But eating non-organic greens is much better than not eating any greens at all!

Some of the benefits of eating dark leafy greens are:           
                 - Blood purification
            - Cancer prevention
            -  Improved circulation
            - Strengthened immune system
            - Promotion of healthy intestinal flora
            - Promotion of subtle, light and flexible energy
            - Lifted spirit and elimination of depression
            - Improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function
            - Cleared congestion, especially in lungs by reducing mucus
 
There are so many greens to choose from. Find greens that you love and eat them often. When you get bored with your favorites, be adventurous and try greens that you’ve never heard of before. Broccoli is very popular among adults and children. Each stem is like a tree trunk, giving you strong, grounding energy. Rotate between bok choy, napa cabbage, kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, dandelion and other leafy greens. Green cabbage is great cooked or raw, or in the form of sauerkraut. Arugula, endive, chicory, lettuce, mesclun and wild greens are generally eaten raw, but can be consumed in any creative way you enjoy. Spinach, Swiss chard and beet greens are best eaten in moderation because they are high in oxalic acid, which depletes calcium from bones and teeth, and may lead to osteoporosis. Cook these vegetables with something rich like tofu, seeds, nuts, beans, butter, animal products or oil. This will help balance the effect of the oxalic acid.

I recommend to all my clients to eat a salad for lunch everyday.  Add some protein, top with tons of your favorite veggies, squirt on some apple cider vinegar and flaxseed oil and you are sure to be more alert in the afternoon, slimmer in no time flat and have a digestion that runs well.  All this from some leafy greens!  It couldn't be any easier!  

You deserve to be Healthy!