Leafy park vegetables are brimming with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Eating a healthy assign every day can help protect you from many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and can besides help you live longer. Your body can feel more quenched since it is getting the essential nutrients each cell requires to function properly .
Health Benefits of Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are packed with health benefits. hera are some examples of how these vegetables can improve your wellbeing :
- Weight management: Most green vegetables are low in calories. You can eat as much as you like without putting on extra weight.
- Mortality rate: Frequent consumption can substantially lower your mortality risk. Leafy greens contain vitamin K, Magnesium, the B vitamins, Calcium, amongst many other essential nutrients. These nutrients are critical for every cell function and hence, prevent the aging process and help us look youthful.
- Cardiovascular disease: Greens are low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich in folic acid, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and phytochemicals. One extra serving per day can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11%.
- Type 2 diabetes: The high level of magnesium and low glycemic index that can be found in greens is ideal for preventing and treating diabetes. Studies showed that if you increase your intake of greens by just one serving per day, your risk of diabetes is lowered by 9%.
- Bone health: The high levels of vitamin K, Magnesium, and calcium in leafy greens produces osteocalcin, the bone builders. Middle-aged women who eat over one serving of greens per day will lower their risk of a hip fracture by 45%.
- Immune function: The rich beta-carotene and Vitamin A improve the immune system.
- Protect eyes: Children who consume inadequate amounts of Vitamin A have a higher risk of going blind. Carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) found in leafy greens are concentrated in the macular region of the retina and the lenses of the eye. A diet dominant in leafy greens protects the eyes from needing eye glasses in kids to macular degeneration and cataracts in adults.
- Cancer: Carotenoids, antioxidants, and flavonoids found in leafy greens protect from most cancer.
Which Green Vegetables Should You Eat?
There are many leafy greens you can eat. here is a tilt of the healthiest greens normally available :
- Kale: It contains almost all the goodness leafy greens can offer. Kale is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, folate, potassium, and fiber. It protects the heart and can prevent or slow down cancer.
- Collards: Collards contain nutritional value very similar to Kale.
- Green leaf, red leaf, and Romaine lettuce: These are full of vitamin A and folate. The darker leaves are more nutritious than lighter varieties.
- Turnip greens: The tops of turnips are low in calories, and are loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, and calcium.
- Swiss Chard: These vegetables have a beet-like taste and a soft texture. They contain a healthy amount of vitamins A and C.
- Broccoli: It is rich in vitamins C and A, potassium, folate, fiber, protein, and iron. Broccoli also contain cancer-fighting sulforaphane.
- Spinach: Spinach contains folate, vitamins A and C. Cooked spinach is more nutritious than raw.
- Mustard greens: These greens have a similar nutrition profile to turnip and collards.
- Cabbage: This vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin C and cancer-fighting compounds.
- Small leafy greens, like cilantro, parsley, mint, spearmint, sage, thyme, and fenugreek: These greens are potent in nutrients similar to the large leafy greens noted above.
Eat Your Greens for Your Health
green leafy vegetables are an crucial character of our daily diet, and with so many varieties available, it ’ south easy to add them to your plate. Always choose crisp leaves with a fresh fleeceable semblance. When the leaves are turning yellow or brown, it means they are aging and losing their relish.
Visit Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D. for steering on how to customize your diet so that it is well suited for optimizing your health.
Read more: How To Enjoy Eating Healthy
Read more: Heart Healthy Foods We Love And This Is Why!
author
Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D .
Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D. is one of U.S. ‘s top leading consolidative functional medical physicians and the founder of San Francisco ‘ circus tent ranked checkup center, SF Advanced Health. Her well-experienced holistic healthcare team collaborates together to deliver whole-person personalized concern and combines the best in western and eastern medicate. By being an adept of cell function, Dr. Bhandari defines the root induce of illness and is able to subside any disease within weeks to months. She specializes in cancer prevention and reversal, digestive & autoimmune disorders. Dr. Bhandari received her bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 1997 and Doctor of Medicine degree in 2001 from West Virginia University. She the completed her Family Medicine residency in 2004 from the University of Massachusetts and joined a family medicine practice in 2005 which was finally nationally recognized as San Francisco ’ s 1st patient-centered aesculapian home. To learn more, go to www.sfadvancedhealth.com .