subject: The A to Z on Green Vegetables [print this page] I know leaves taste pretty bland when compared to a burger... they're not salty, they're not fatty and they're not sweet either... they won't excite your taste buds but the little leaf is perhaps the most concentrated form of nutrition of any food.
In this article you will discover how to pick your green vegetables, store them, make them taste better and you will also learn about the tremendous health benefits they provide.
Benefits of dark green leafy vegetables
Out of all foods, dark green leafy vegetables provide the most nutrients per calorie. They are a powerhouse of folic acid, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium plus a bunch of phytochemicals such as lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and beta carotene (lutein and zeaxanthin are very important for eye health protecting the eye against cataract and macular degeneration, the major cause of blindness in the elderly)
Because they are low in fat and high in dietary fiber, they reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and cardio-vascular disease...
They are such a perfect food for people suffering from diabetes because of their low glycemic index and high magnesium content. An increase of 1 serving/day of dark green vegetables was associated with a 9 percent lower risk of diabetes...
Also, they have Vitamin K which helps with bone health... You don't want that dreaded hip-fracture once you're past your middle age, do you? Vitamin K also regulates blood clotting and inflammation and I know I had to take it in pills before surgery a few years ago... Little did I know that one cup of cooked greens provides 10 times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K.
Green vegetables are also rich in calcium, iron and vitamin A and the variety of carotenoids, flavonoids and antioxidants they provide have cancer protective properties and decrease risks for stomach cancer, colon cancer, etc The vitamin A and the Zinc also significantly help your immune system function.
It's so easy to take your vitamins from greens. Just one cup of cooked collard greens provides more than the daily recommended value for vitamin A.
Greens are also very soothing and very alkalizing reset your body to its optimum pH levels. They help the body heal itself and remineralize and cool off the inflammation caused by disease and excess sugar..
