Eating Green!

I’m always looking to optimize my own nutritional status and recently, when I took a good look, I realized that even though I eat at least one to two salads per day, I definitely lack in the more potent greens.

Dark leafy greens are, calorie for calorie, the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of the minerals iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium and potent in vitamins which include vitamins K, C, E along with many of the B vitamins. They also provide phytonutrients such as beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin that protect our cells, eyes and bodies against degenerative diseases. Dark leafy greens even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats. For those of you that bruise easily, dark leafy greens may offer some help as only two cups provides nine times the recommended amount of vitamin K.

Green, leafy vegetables provide a great variety of colors from the bluish-green of kale to the bright kelly green of spinach. Leafy greens run the whole gamut of flavors, from sweet to bitter, from peppery to earthy. Young plants generally have small, tender leaves and a mild flavor. Many mature plants have tougher leaves and stronger flavors. Collards, Swiss chard, bok choy, and spinach provide a mild flavor while arugula and mustard greens provide a peppery flavor. Nutritional powerhouses such as kale, collard greens, swiss chard, watercress, arugula, mustard greens and beet greens have been shown to prevent everything from cancer to heart disease while keeping your body and brain in tip top shape.  Many are intimidated to try these delicious greens, as most are unfamiliar with how to cook them. Although they can be added to salads and stir-fry’s, sautéed or steamed with a bit of garlic and sea salt is surprisingly tasty and nothing is easier.

The latest rage is kale chips that are very expensive to buy.  Homemade kale chips taste better and are so easy to make on your own.  Preheat the oven to 350. Wash and thoroughly dry a bunch of kale leaves and lay them out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Brush or spritz with a small amount of grape seed or olive oil and season with a bit of garlic powder and sea salt.  Place in oven for 10-15 minutes till crisp and there you have a healthy snack to munch on.

A diet rich in greens may be the most effective natural cure for osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, digestive disorders, cancer prevention and cure. Green foods provide outstanding protection against cancer as it helps the body maintain a more alkaline pH, which is a higher pH.  Low pH or acidity in the body is the perfect environment for cancer along with many other diseases.  Most individuals who suffer from osteoporosis are likely to have a diet that is acidic so the body will pull calcium from the bone in an attempt to buffer this acidity. The problem is that most over the counter calcium supplements do very little to correct this problem. A daily diet rich in greens would be a far better choice in combating and preventing osteoporosis.

We can’t forget about the green grasses such as barley grass, wheat grass, sea vegetation and other products high in chlorophyll. These are also very effective “green” preventive and proactive super foods.

It is old news that avoiding cancer is much more likely if the diet is rich in deep-green pigmented foods and yet over 1 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year and sadly it is still a neglected topic in the management of these unfortunate cases.

For those of you who are not likely to add a few cups of greens to your daily diet, all hope is not lost. There are very effective forms of greens on the market and although the produce may very well be cheaper, the results are priceless. My favorite effect is the amazing increase in energy without the jitters that caffeine can cause. Afternoon drowsiness will be a thing of the past.

Do yourself a favor and give this a whirl — you can thank me later.