Leafy Greens and Your Well-Being

Fiber, vitamins, and minerals abound in leafy green vegetables. Eating a good portion of fruit and vegetables every day will help you avoid diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, as well as help you live longer. Since your body is receiving the necessary nutrients that each cell needs to function properly, you can feel more satisfied.

Green leafy vegetables are a vital part of our daily diet, and there are so many varieties to choose from that they’re simple to include on your plate. Often go for crisp leaves that are bright green in color. When leaves turn yellow or brown, they are indicating that they are aging and losing their flavor.

Which Greens Do You Need?

Broccoli contains vitamins C and A, as well as potassium, folate, fiber, protein, and iron. Sulforaphane, a cancer-fighting compound found in broccoli, is also present.

Spinach is high in folate, as well as vitamins A and C. Raw spinach is less nutritious than cooked spinach.

Mustard greens have a nutritional profile similar to turnips and collards.

Kale: It has almost all of the benefits that leafy greens have to offer. Kale is high in calcium, folate, potassium, and fiber, as well as vitamins A, C, and K. It protects the heart and has the ability to prevent or delay the progression of cancer.

Cabbage: This vegetable is high in vitamin C as well as cancer-fighting compounds.

Cilantro, parsley, mint, spearmint, sage, thyme, and fenugreek are small leafy greens that are high in nutrients, similar to the large leafy greens mentioned above.

Lettuce, particularly green leaf, red leaf, and Romaine, is high in vitamin A and folate. The leaves with a darker color are more nutritious than those with a lighter color.

Turnip greens: Turnip tops are low in calories and high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium.

What Do Leafy Greens Do to Your Body?

• Your cholesterol will decrease
• Eating leafy greens instead of an extra serving of meat, seafood, or cheese can help you lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Have a lower chance of developing age-related macular degeneration
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition that can minimize or remove the central vision, making it difficult to do things like drive or learn. Aside from not smoking and having daily exercise, eating more leafy green vegetables and fruits is one way to avoid AMD
• Type 2 diabetes risk is reduced
• Leafy greens like spinach and collards are high in fiber, which can help you maintain a stable blood glucose (sugar) level on its own.
• Improve your memory
• According to average global cognitive scores over time, those who ate the most leafy green vegetables had a rate of cognitive impairment equal to being 11 years younger than those who ate the least (cognitively speaking).
• Builds strong bones
• Kale is high in vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting as well as bone health. For reference, the average adult woman requires 90 mcg of vitamin K per day, whereas men need 120 mcg. Vitamin K is required for the formation of osteocalcin, a protein that aids in bone formation

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References:

1. Why you need to eat your greens
2. What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Leafy Greens