Rich in sodium and red meat, the modern American diet can often lack green vegetables.
Learning to prepare and eat these seasonal vegetables is the first step toward nourishing the body and creating sustained health.
Naturally delicious and endlessly versatile, greens strengthen the blood and respiratory system.
They are a cleansing food offering vitality and renewed energy.
Greens are packed full of vitamins and nutrients including calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and Vitamins A,C,E and K.
They are also an excellent source of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phyto-chemicals.
Blood purification, improved circulation, strengthened immunity, improved mood and light energy, cleared congestion and reduction of mucus are among the benefits of eating dark leafy greens.
There are so many types of leafy green vegetables readily available in supermarkets or health food stores that the palate may never tire of them.
Venture away from ordinary iceberg lettuce which doesn't have the nutrients of other greens and try the numerous varieties of dark leafy greens.
As with any food in your diet, it is important to eat a variety of green vegetables in order to reap all of the benefits and give your body the opportunity to absorb the nutrients.
Broccoli is a common green vegetable but traditionally, the term "leafy greens" refers to any member of the cabbage family whose leaves do not form a compact head.
Some of the most common greens include kale, collards, spinach, turnip and mustard greens.
Experiment with different greens and when you find the ones you love, eat them daily.
Choose locally grown, organic greens when possible.
Make sure that the leaves are deep in color and show no signs of wilting, yellowing or browning.
Kale: There are several varieties of kale each having a distinctive taste from bitter and peppery to sweet and delicate.
Kale tends to have a deep green or purple leaf that is dense and curly or embossed.
The smaller the leaves, the more tender the texture and milder the flavor the kale will have.
Collard Greens: The broad, blue-green leaf and the mild taste distinguish collard greens from kale.
Choose collards that are deep green all over and un-wilted.
Chill them in the refrigerator unwashed and wrapped in a damp paper towel.
The sooner they are eaten, the less bitter they will taste.
Turnip Greens: The leaves of the turnip plant, turnip greens are smaller and tenderer than collards and have a slightly bitter taste.
Usually available with their roots intact, they should be crisp and dark green in color.
Turnip greens store for about four days in the refrigerator once removed from the root and stored separately in a plastic bag.
Mustard Greens: Rarely green but more often red or deep purple in color, mustard greens have a distinctive pungent taste.
Their texture can vary from flat to wrinkled and the leaves are often jagged.
Spinach: A delicate green, spinach has a sweet taste when eaten raw and becomes more acidic when cooked.
There are various types of spinach like savoy, smooth-leaf, semi-savoy and baby spinach all with unique textures.
Swiss Chard: The wide, green leaves of this plant fan off of a tall, hearty stalk which comes in a variety of colors like red, white, yellow and orange.
Swiss chard tastes slightly bitter and salty.
Both the stems and leaves are edible.
Beet Greens: From the same family as spinach and chard, beet greens tend toward a bitter taste.
The leaves are crisp and crunchy and become soft when cooked.
So that they do not pull moisture away from the root, remove the greens from the root before storing.
While spinach, Swiss chard and beet greens pack a healthy punch, these greens must be eaten in moderation.
High in oxalic acid, they can deplete calcium from bones and teeth leading to osteoporosis.
To balance the effect of the oxalic acid, it is recommended to cook or consume the greens with rich ingredients such as tofu, seeds, nuts, beans, oil or animal products.
Much of the goodness of greens is in their versatility of preparation.
Greens can be steamed, boiled, sauteed in oil or water, eaten raw, juiced or our favorite -- blended into a smoothie.
When boiling, steaming or sauteing greens, be careful not to overcook them.
Most greens need under a minute to cook so that they maintain their fiber and nutrients.
Once your greens of choice have been cooked to perfection, balance any bitter tendencies with a drizzle of organic olive, toasted sesame oil or umeboshi vinegar or a sprinkling of gomasio or dulse flakes for added flavor nutrients and minerals.
Be creative and bask in the glow that greens can offer!
Learning to prepare and eat these seasonal vegetables is the first step toward nourishing the body and creating sustained health.
Naturally delicious and endlessly versatile, greens strengthen the blood and respiratory system.
They are a cleansing food offering vitality and renewed energy.
Greens are packed full of vitamins and nutrients including calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and Vitamins A,C,E and K.
They are also an excellent source of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phyto-chemicals.
Blood purification, improved circulation, strengthened immunity, improved mood and light energy, cleared congestion and reduction of mucus are among the benefits of eating dark leafy greens.
There are so many types of leafy green vegetables readily available in supermarkets or health food stores that the palate may never tire of them.
Venture away from ordinary iceberg lettuce which doesn't have the nutrients of other greens and try the numerous varieties of dark leafy greens.
As with any food in your diet, it is important to eat a variety of green vegetables in order to reap all of the benefits and give your body the opportunity to absorb the nutrients.
Broccoli is a common green vegetable but traditionally, the term "leafy greens" refers to any member of the cabbage family whose leaves do not form a compact head.
Some of the most common greens include kale, collards, spinach, turnip and mustard greens.
Experiment with different greens and when you find the ones you love, eat them daily.
Choose locally grown, organic greens when possible.
Make sure that the leaves are deep in color and show no signs of wilting, yellowing or browning.
Kale: There are several varieties of kale each having a distinctive taste from bitter and peppery to sweet and delicate.
Kale tends to have a deep green or purple leaf that is dense and curly or embossed.
The smaller the leaves, the more tender the texture and milder the flavor the kale will have.
Collard Greens: The broad, blue-green leaf and the mild taste distinguish collard greens from kale.
Choose collards that are deep green all over and un-wilted.
Chill them in the refrigerator unwashed and wrapped in a damp paper towel.
The sooner they are eaten, the less bitter they will taste.
Turnip Greens: The leaves of the turnip plant, turnip greens are smaller and tenderer than collards and have a slightly bitter taste.
Usually available with their roots intact, they should be crisp and dark green in color.
Turnip greens store for about four days in the refrigerator once removed from the root and stored separately in a plastic bag.
Mustard Greens: Rarely green but more often red or deep purple in color, mustard greens have a distinctive pungent taste.
Their texture can vary from flat to wrinkled and the leaves are often jagged.
Spinach: A delicate green, spinach has a sweet taste when eaten raw and becomes more acidic when cooked.
There are various types of spinach like savoy, smooth-leaf, semi-savoy and baby spinach all with unique textures.
Swiss Chard: The wide, green leaves of this plant fan off of a tall, hearty stalk which comes in a variety of colors like red, white, yellow and orange.
Swiss chard tastes slightly bitter and salty.
Both the stems and leaves are edible.
Beet Greens: From the same family as spinach and chard, beet greens tend toward a bitter taste.
The leaves are crisp and crunchy and become soft when cooked.
So that they do not pull moisture away from the root, remove the greens from the root before storing.
While spinach, Swiss chard and beet greens pack a healthy punch, these greens must be eaten in moderation.
High in oxalic acid, they can deplete calcium from bones and teeth leading to osteoporosis.
To balance the effect of the oxalic acid, it is recommended to cook or consume the greens with rich ingredients such as tofu, seeds, nuts, beans, oil or animal products.
Much of the goodness of greens is in their versatility of preparation.
Greens can be steamed, boiled, sauteed in oil or water, eaten raw, juiced or our favorite -- blended into a smoothie.
When boiling, steaming or sauteing greens, be careful not to overcook them.
Most greens need under a minute to cook so that they maintain their fiber and nutrients.
Once your greens of choice have been cooked to perfection, balance any bitter tendencies with a drizzle of organic olive, toasted sesame oil or umeboshi vinegar or a sprinkling of gomasio or dulse flakes for added flavor nutrients and minerals.
Be creative and bask in the glow that greens can offer!
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