“Eat your greens….!” probably the most obnoxious & redundant phrase that’s hated by all and for all the “bland” reasons. Its a fairly commonly known fact that including green leafy vegetables in your diet is one of the most easiest way to lead a healthier lifestyle. Even then, almost all of us plainly ignore their existence, especially when they’re on our plate. It doesn’t matter if you are an adult or a child, leafy greens benefit everybody equally. But what makes leafy vegetables so good for our health? Let’s find out
What are Leafy Vegetables?
Leafy vegetables are generally the “Leafy” part of a vegetable. One can refer to these vegetables as Leafy Greens, Vegetable Greens & are eaten as a vegetable. Some common examples of leafy vegetables are Spinach, Amaranthus, Kale, Bok Choy & Mustard Greens.
Importance of Leafy Vegetables
Leafy vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals & a long range of essential compounds that are crucial for a healthy body. Moreover, they contain extremely low calories which makes them ideal for weight loss & a great addition to a wholesome diet. Research has shown that regular consumption of of leafy greens reduces the risk of contracting heart disease, obesity, blood pressure ailments & brain ailments as well.
Almost all leafy green vegetables are an abundant source of powerful plant compounds like vitamins, minerals & antioxidants. Leafy greens like Moringa, Kale, Spinach & Cabbage are known for their “superfood” status. Compounds like Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Beta-caortene, folate, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5 & B6 are present within almost all leafy greens
Leafy Greens are also a rich source of dietary fiber which is an essential compound that aids in digestion by helping in the formation of stools. Consuming foods that are high in dietary fiber aids in weight loss by making you feel full for longer. Leafy Greens are known to have zero fat content, making them the best additon to your healthy & balanced diet.
Our bodies need various minerals to carry on essential activities & leafy greens are a one-stop-shop! These healthy greens are a rich source of minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, and sodium. Adding a portion of leafy greens to your meals helps you satisfy your daily recommended requirement of vitamins & minerals.
How many Leafy Greens should I eat daily?
The daily recommended intake for Green Leafy vegetables is, 50g/day for children, 100g/day for adult women & 40g/day for Adult men.
How do I include Leafy Greens in my diet?
There’s no need to hide the fact that it is a task adding leafy greens to your daily diet, we’ve all been there. But with a little twist to the normal recipes, consuming green leafy vegetables will eventually turn out to be a bliss. Here are a few tips & tricks that you can use to include green leafy vegetables in your diet, effortlessly:
1. Dress Em Up!
Tossing a handful of fresh leafy greens are probably the easiest & healthiest way to add some green to your diet. Make sure you dress your salad, it’ll add that zing & taste to the salad leaving you asking for more!
2. Add them to your favourite
Start with adding a small amount of greens with your favourite dish. You can toss it in a stir fry, boil it in a soup with your choice of protein or just have it raw with your favourite dish.
3. When it doubt, SMOOTHIE IT OUT!
The internet is flooded with countless “Green Smoothie” recipes. Adding vegetables to your smoothies may sound farfetched & downright crazy but its actually one of the best & easiest way to add greens to your diet. Simple add, blend & gulp down your healthy-multivitamin concoction.
4. Uncooked is the way to go.
It doesn’t matter how you eat them (deep frying excluded😜) as long as you are including leafy greens in your diet, you’re good to go. But its always recommended to eat leafy greens raw in case you wish to utilize & absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from these vegetables.
Including leafy greens or leafy vegetables is crucial for overall health. The best thing about these vegetables is that there are countless ways to use them & that makes working with these ingredients a lot more interesting. Toss them in a salad with a zesty dressing or pair it up with your favourite meal or you can even blend them into a soup or a smoothie- no matter what you do “Don’t leave the Leaf” out of your diet!”