7 Healthiest Dark Leafy Greens And Painless Ways To Eat Them More

Sometimes, it’s easier to accept an extra dessert or snack on your plate because frankly, it is exhausting to say no. A fact is that most parents find it hard to plead with their kids to eat just one more bite of vegetables. What they don’t know is that our bodies need lots of vegetables. In fact, we all need dark leafy green vegetables. Adults lead in eating junky foods forgetting the importance of these dark leafy greens in our body. What we forget is that leafy green vegetables are vital for our health. But what many people don’t know exactly is what leafy green vegetables are.

Well, leafy green vegetables are plant leaves which are eaten as vegetables. The leafy vegetables come from a huge field of plants most of them sharing nutrition values and cooking methods with other vegetable plants. The leafy green vegetables are highly nutritious and very healthy. They mainly come from herbs that live shortly and some woody plants.

Green vegetables are best for our bodies since help in improving our health and boost our weight loss. The leafy vegetables contain fiber and are accompanied with vitamins in green vegetables and minerals as well as plant-based substances. The leafy greens have antioxidants which are essential for weight loss. The vegetable also helps in stalling the aging process. Believe you me dark leafy vegetables will make you young as a youth.

Some of the dark leafy greens are often hard to eat, but one can always cook them in many diets without noticing their presence. There is a variety of the list of vegetables best for you but here are, some of the seven healthiest dark leafy greens that I can recommend for anyone.

1. Kale

This is one of the healthiest vegetables on earth. Kales are best sources of vitamins A, C, K, and calcium. Kales also supply folate and potassium to our bodies. Kales have a variety of different leaf colors. The colors range from cream, purple or even black. Other beneficial ingredients include calories, some components of proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber. The health benefits of kales include anti-cancer benefits brought by the Antioxidants from the vitamins and sulfur phytonutrients. Kales also promote eye health from the lutein compounds as well as the zeaxanthin compounds. Fiber contents also help lower blood cholesterol level thus reducing heart disease risks.

2. Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the dark leafy greens that are rich in vitamin A and C. it is also a source of potassium and folate. The stalks of broccoli and its florets add crunch and color to stir-fries. Other beneficial ingredients include calories, protein, carbs, and fiber. The high amount of potassium helps in promoting the healthy nervous system. They also help in maintaining an optimal brain function and regular muscle flow. Magnesium and calcium regulate blood pressure. Both calcium and vitamin K is important for bone health and prevents osteoporosis. Broccoli also helps in repairing skin damage and allows the skin to detoxify and repair itself among many other health benefits.

3. Mustard Greens

Mustard greens are available in both red and green varieties and have scalloped edges. They have pepper like taste. The spiciness can be reduced adding some vinegar, lemon juice or acid at the end of the cooking. Other beneficial ingredients include calories, proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber. Mustard greens help in reducing the risk of contracting some types of cancers such as breast, bladder, colon, lung, prostate, and ovarian cancer. The fiber in the mustard greens,antioxides and folates remove radicals from the body. The folate also helps in playing an important part in keeping the heart healthy. For smokers, mustard greens help prevents the lung inflammation and reducing the chances of getting emphysema.

4. Spinach

Spinach is one of the other dark leafy greens highly nutritious and low in calories. It is also high in vitamins A and C, as well as folate. Cooked spinach will give you more nutrition than the raw one. However, spinach is excellent when eaten raw in salads. Spinach has individual flavonoid compounds, which are cancer-fighting antioxidants. The magnesium in spinach promotes a healthy blood pressure levels as well. Spinach also contains a carotenoid which helps destroy prostate cancers.

Related:- HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS: BALANCED SNACKING IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK

5. Rapini (Broccoli Rabe)

Rapini looks like broccoli and is a member of turnip family. The beneficial ingredients include some of the protein, carbs, and fiber in smaller quantities. Rapini helps in preventing cancer through its phytochemicals such as glucosinolates which are converted by the body to cancer-fighting sulforaphane and indoles.

6. Cabbage

Cabbage is a green vegetable that is pale in color than other leafy greens. Cabbages are a great source of cancer-fighting compounds and vitamins C. There is a red and green cabbage variety. One can cook the cabbages or add them raw to salads. They are also good sources of fiber, potassium, and other nutrients. The Two types of cabbage provide beta-carotene an antioxidant which battles cancer and heart disease. If eaten in high volumes they can help lose weight.

7. Watercress

This is a member of cabbage family offering same health benefits as kale. It contains vitamin K which is linked to cancer prevention. The phytochemicals offer prevention of various diseases. Regular consumption of watercress also reduces the risk of developing certain types of cancer.

• Painless Ways Of Eating These Vegetables More

  If you are struggling to eat these dark leafy vegetables here are easy and tasty ways to eat them.

• Toss Them In a Smoothie

  All you do is tossing some spinach or romaine or any other dark leafy greens into a mixture of bananas or berries that are frozen and enjoy your drink without noticing the added health advantages of the hidden greens.

• Make Soup From The Vegetables

  The amount of soup will vary with the type of greens available. You can make your soup more nutritious by adding some of these green leafy vegetables in the soup. An example is spinach and kales which can make a wonderful in Italian soup.

• Replace Potato Chips With Green Chips

  You might be missing real chips if you haven’t eaten kale chips. All you have to do is tearing up the kale or other greens then toss them in salt, oil and lemon juice. Then cook them with 300degrees fire for 25 minutes with a baking sheet.

• Wilting Them

  When wilted the vegetables will still be nutritious. All you have to do is to add uncooked vegetables to hot pasta after it is drained. This can be done on steaming rice. Spinach and mustard are great, but you have to include herbs and spices to bring out a more delicious meal.

“Hope you find the post helpful and we are excited to hear what you think of it!”