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Green Leafy Vegetables
Nine Uncommon Green Leafy Vegetables Worth
Trying
Article by SixWise.com
You hear it virtually everywhere these days: eat
more green leafy vegetables. And with good reason; leafy greens are
among the most nutritious of all vegetables, offering major benefits
to your entire body, including your brain, your bones and your heart,
while helping to prevent cancer, detoxify your body, boost your immune
system and give your more energy. Not bad for a bowl full of greens!
However, most Americans are not eating enough of
these incredibly healthy foods. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) reported that less than one-third of American adults
eat the amount of fruits and vegetables the government recommends,
despite the fact that diets rich in these healthy foods are known to
prevent disease.
Give These Uncommon Greens a Try
If your diet is lacking in healthy greens, or if
you're looking to experiment with a tasty and healthy side dish
tonight, the following greens deserve a spot on your table. They're
incredibly good for you, low in calories, easy to prepare and, best of
all, they're delicious!
Kale
Kale has a pungent, earthy flavor that is
excellent on its own or mixed with other vegetables. Once you sauté or
steam it lightly, kale makes a great side dish and is delicious added
to cole slaw, stir fries, soups -- even mashed potatoes and homemade
pizza!
- Notable Nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C,
manganese, fiber, copper, calcium, vitamin B6 and potassium
- Health Benefits: Kale contains compounds that
fight many forms of cancer, optimize your cells' ability to
detoxify, lower your risk of cataracts, promote lung health, support
your immune system and help keep your brain sharp as you age.
Collard Greens
Though collard greens are popular in Southern cooking because of
their rich smoky flavor, they are largely ignored by other cuisines.
This is a shame, as collard greens are delicious lightly steamed and
served with lemon juice and olive oil, garlic and onion or even
black-eyed peas and rice (for a more Southern flavor).
- Notable Nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C,
manganese, folate, fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin B2 and vitamin
B6, and a good source of vitamin E, magnesium, protein, omega-3
fatty acids, vitamin B1, vitamin B5, niacin, zinc, phosphorous, and
iron.
- Health Benefits: Collard greens are rich in
phytonutrients that help your body to detoxify, fight against
cancer, provide antioxidant protection, support your immune system,
protect your heart and lungs, ease the symptoms of menopause and
protect your mental function as you age.
Mustard Greens
Mustard greens have a strong, peppery flavor and their brown seeds
are used to make Dijon mustard. Simply sauté them and add them to
sweet potatoes, stir fries, casseroles and even pasta salad for a bit
of a spicy kick.
- Notable Nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C, folate,
vitamin E, manganese and fiber
- Health Benefits: Mustard greens are packed with
antioxidants that fight against the damaging effects of free
radicals, protect your lungs and heart, help keep your mind sharp,
reduce the symptoms of menopause and protect against rheumatoid
arthritis.
 Turnip
Greens
When it comes to turnips, most people focus on the root, but the
greens of this plant are also incredibly healthy (and have a pleasant,
slightly bitter flavor). Turnip greens are delicious sautéed or
steamed as a side dish with garlic, onion, olive oil and lemon, or as
an addition to soups, stews and pasta.
- Notable Nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin
E, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, copper, fiber and manganese
- Health Benefits: Turnip greens help provide
relief from rheumatoid arthritis, promote colon health (including
lowering the risk of colon cancer), fight against atherosclerosis,
promote lung health, and fight against declines in mental function.
Turnip greens can be added to soups, stews, and
pasta and they help keep your colon, lungs, heart and brain healthy.
Sea Vegetables
Sea vegetables, better known as seaweed, are the leafy greens of
the sea. Though not technically a vegetable (they're actually
classified as algae), seaweed is loaded with nutrition and has a
unique, slightly salty flavor. Sea vegetables can be eaten on their
own as a snack (in the dried form) or can be added to soups, salad,
stews and stir fries.
- Notable Nutrients: Seaweed contains the broadest
range of minerals of any food -- the same minerals found in the
ocean and in human blood, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium,
iron, and iodine. It also contains vitamin K, folate, and the
B-vitamins riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
- Health Benefits: Sea vegetables may help to
prevent cancer, promote healthy thyroid function, prevent birth
defects and heart disease, provide relief for the symptoms of
menopause and help reduce inflammation in the body.
Romaine Lettuce
When many Americans think of lettuce, they may think of iceberg
lettuce -- the nutrition-less, flavorless, pale lettuce that usually
comes on fast-food hamburgers. Romaine lettuce, on the other hand, is
loaded with nutrition and has a crispy texture and fresh flavor.
Romaine lettuce makes an excellent base for salads, a great topper for
sandwiches and an ideal "wrapper" that can be filled with anything
from hummus to chicken salad.
- Notable Nutrients: vitamin A, folate, vitamin C,
manganese, chromium, fiber, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, potassium,
molybdenum, iron, and phosphorous
- Health Benefits: Romaine lettuce helps protect
the heart, particularly by supporting normal cholesterol levels and
blood pressure.
Endive
Endive, which is the second growth of the chicory plant, can be pale
yellow or purple in color and has a pungent, bitter flavor. This
crisp, lettuce-like vegetable makes a unique addition to salads but
can also be steamed or sautéed and served as a hot side dish.
- Notable Nutrients: Potassium, calcium, magnesium,
iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin C, folate and selenium
- Health Benefits: Endive is rich in compounds that
help boost the immune system, detoxify the body, promote regularity,
lower the risk of cataracts and protect the heart.
 Brussels
Sprouts
Brussels sprouts often get a bad rap because of their strong
flavor and smell, but when prepared correctly they are delicious!
Steam them until they're tender, then season them with some butter,
salt and pepper, or try them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar or even
feta cheese. You can leave them intact or cut off the base and
separate the leaves (then toss them with seasonings and serve like a
salad).
- Notable Nutrients: vitamin C, vitamin K, folate,
vitamin A, manganese, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 and thiamin
(vitamin B1), omega-3 fatty acids, iron, phosphorous, protein,
magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin E, copper and calcium
- Health Benefits: Brussels sprouts help to prevent
cancer, detoxify your body, promote healthy skin, colon and immune
function, protect against rheumatoid arthritis and protect against
birth defects.
Brussels sprouts look like tiny cabbages, and they
have the health benefits to match. Brussels sprouts protect against
cancer, birth defects, rheumatoid arthritis and more.
 Bok
Choy
Bok Choy is a type of Chinese cabbage with a mild flavor and a
great crisp texture. It's excellent sautéed with onions, olive oil and
salt and pepper, or add it to stews, soups and casseroles.
- Notable Nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C,
beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, potassium and vitamin B6
- Health Benefits: Bok Choy can help prevent
cancer, protect against cataracts and fight free radicals in your
body.
Also tastes great as a side dish and also helps
prevent cancer, protect against cataracts and fight free radicals in
your body.
Sources
CDC:
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report March 16, 2007
The World's
Healthiest Foods
Endive World
Note from Christine:
If eating your greens and vegetables is a challenge for you, try
supplementing with a nutritious Super Green food formula. We recommend
either:
Garden of Life’s Perfect Food- click here for product information
or
New Chapter’s Berry Green - click here for product information
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