One important part of a heathy diet is leafy green vegetables. They contain minerals, vitamins and fiber and are also low in calories. Eating a diet rich in leafy greens provides your body with many health benefits.
It is good to eat greens everyday. They make you healthy. The fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in green vegetables provide you with all the nourishment your skin and hair need. They also give them a natural glow.
If you eat green vegetables regularly, you can reduce the effects of environmental pollutants that accelerate aging as you will look younger and healthy. You will also live longer and have all the energy you need to go about your daily activities.
How much green vegetables should you eat a day? It is recommended that you should eat between 2 to 2-1/2 cups of vegetables a week depending on your age and gender.
A diet rich in vegetables can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of digestive problems.
This will have a positive effect on your blood sugar and also help keep appetite in check. This is what happens to your body when you start eating more vegetables.
If you don’t eat leafy green vegetables regularly, you will suffer digestive disorders such as constipation, hemorrhoids and obesity.
Vegetables, especially leafy ones contain cellulose, which increases stool weight, eases passage, and helps you poop.
Below are 10 health reasons to eat green leafy vegetables:
1. Promotes weight loss.
2. Supports healthy aging.
3. Relieves stress and reduces anxiety.
4. Supports optimal gut health.
5. Fights belly bloat and belly fat.
6. Tames the toxins in your body.
7. Boosts digestive enzymes.
8. Supports your immune system.
9. Makes your skin glow.
10. Protects your brain.
Dark green vegetables contain a rich source of minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. They also provide important vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins.
How to increase your intake of green vegetables
There are different green leafy vegetables to choose from if you want to embrace a healthy lifestyle and lose weight at the same time. To add varieties of green vegetables into your diet, experiment with them and consume different types of green leafy vegetables.
Smoothies
You can add frozen green leafy veggies like kale, spinach, parsley and celery to your green smoothie along with fruits like pineapple and apple. If you don’t like veggies, this is a great way to increase your intake because they will taste better with the addition of fruits.
Sandwiches
Make your sandwich healthy by filling them with leafy greens like spinach or lettuce. You can also try using green leafy vegetables in the place of bread in sandwiches or wraps to reduce your consumption of starchy and processed carbs.
Egg scrambles
Eggs are good for breakfast. You can increase your daily intake of green vegetables by adding them to egg scrambles and omelets. This is a good way to start your day.
Even if you already eat vegetables once in a while, increasing your intake may produce an increase in happiness according to a study. This is why you feel so good after eating vegetables.
Green leafy vegetables are Kale, Spinach, Lettuce, Watercress, Collard Greens, Chard, Cabbage and Parsley.
When it comes to nutritional makeup, Kale has more calcium, vitamin K, and contains twice as much vitamin C as Spinach but Spinach has more iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate, and vitamins A and E. Both of these vegetables are power houses of nutrients and highly nutritious too.
Nigerians, eat your green leafy vegetables, your body will thank you for it. Make a conscious choice to live a healthy life today.