“Eat
your Vegetables!”
How
many times have you heard this advice?
How
often do you follow it?
Every
health agency and nutritional guru recommends at least 3-5 servings of
vegetables per day. Research shows that
only about 9% of the population gets the recommended amount and even more
concerning is that over half of the population may go days without eating a
single vegetable.
Let
me give you some good solid reasons why eating vegetables is a good idea:
·
Lowers
your risk of heart disease
·
Reduces
your risk of certain cancers
·
Improves
teeth and bone structure
·
Improves
memory and brain function
·
Less
chance of weight gain
·
Improves
immune function
If
you need to increase your vegetable consumption and are looking for a good place
to start, start with leafy greens.
They
are superstars and there is a wonderful world of variety when it comes to
greens.
Kale: Is loaded with antioxidant vitamins, and
rich in the natural plant compounds
called photochemicals. Provides high doses of Vitamin K, A and C.
Spinach: One of the best
food sources of vitamin K. It's also
rich in flavonoids
compounds that do double duty as antioxidants and
cancer-fighters.
Swiss Chard: Is a close
relative of spinach and of beets. It is a
great source of
beta-carotene, vitamin A, potassium, calcium and vitamin C.
Dandelion Greens: Contain more
beta-carotene than any other green veggie, and have
more vitamin A than any
food except cod liver oil and beef liver! They are also rich in
calcium,
potassium, vitamin K and fiber.
Eat your veggies and eat you weeds!!
Not only do dandelion greens provide a wealth
of vitamins and minerals they are also beneficial in easing digestion, decreasing
inflammation, aiding in detoxification and eliminating water retention. Many grocery stores are beginning to offer cultivated dandelion
greens during the spring, you can also grow and harvest your own. Just be certain that your dandelions do not
come in contact with any fertilizers or pesticides and are away from any
exhaust fumes.
Every
year I get so excited as my garden begins to come back to life after a long
winter. The very first greens to start popping
out of the dirt. . . these are my dandelion plants. Some people would quickly get out the shovel
and dig out the roots or spray on the Round-up. Not me!
I love watching the dandelions grow.
I harvest them for salads, toss some leaves into my morning smoothie or layer
them on a veggie sandwich. My son uses them to feed Smaug his bearded dragon. If we
can’t keep up with their production, I wash them, spin them dry in a salad
spinner, bag them and freeze them for future smoothies.
