Glorious Greens

Toss your salad with a variety of greens to elevate your fiber intake and antioxidant levels.  Arugula, chicory, dandelion greens, escarole, radicchio, and watercress offer numerous nutrients and health benefits.

• Beta-carotene – watercress, escarole, and especially chicory and dandelion greens, are excellent sources of this healing pigment, which may help to prevent acne, cancer, and vision loss.
• Folate – one cup of raw chicory provides half of the daily requirement for folate, which helps to protect against cardiovascular disease and birth defects. Arugula also supplies ample folate.
• Potassium – salad greens, particularly chicory, provide appreciable amounts of this cardioprotective mineral. One cup of chopped chicory provides 756mg of potassium.
• Vitamin C – chicory, dandelion greens, and watercress are very good sources of this antioxidant, which may benefit immunity and cardiovascular health.
• Vitamin E – chicory and dandelion greens contain appreciable amounts of vitamin E compounds, which may protect against cancer and vision loss.
  

Greens, Greens, Greens!

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies?

• They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc
• Powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K.
• They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals.
• Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy.
• In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity.
• Greens aid in purifying the blood.
• Greens strengthen the immune system.
• Greens improves liver, gall bladder and kidney function.
• Greens fight depression.
• Greens aids in clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.