Stay Alkaline Eating Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are a natural very concentrated source of vitamins and minerals. They have a huge ROI in terms of calories ingested for maximum nutrition.  They are worth almost zero calories.

Leafy greens are also a rich source of minerals including calcium, potassium and magnesium. In terms of vitamins they include K, C, E and many of the B vitamins. They provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related degenerative diseases.

Eating Leafy Greens Prevents Eye Problems

Lettuce

In fact green leafy vegetables may be the best medicine when it comes to slowing down the progress of age related macular degeneration.  Leafy greens are an abundant source of  lutein which  is found in the macula of the eye. This is not a substance that is produced naturally by the body but it is found in all leafy greens.  The highest sources of lutein include kale, spinach, collard, mustard greens, Swiss chard, chicory, escarole, and turnip greens. Eye experts say that eating five or more servings of these per week with at least half a cup per serving at every meal can slow the progression of many age related eye diseases.

First of all the darker the greens are, the more lutein and vitamins the vegetable is likely to contain. So if you don’t like eating salad keep in mind that the darker the green, the better it is for you.

Leafy Greens Are a Rich Source of Vitamin K

Dark leafy greens are also an abundant source of Vitamin K which performs a plethora of miracles inside the body including

Protecting bones from osteoporosis

Reducing calcium and arterial plaque in arteries

Reducing the inflammation of arthritis

Preventing diabetes

Vitamin K also plays a vital role when it comes to regulating blood clotting so wounds may heal faster if your body is well stocked with it.

Are you on a diet that requires that you spare pouring on the salad dressing?  Ironically you must eat your greens with salad dressing or a little bit of oil or you will not reap the benefits of vitamin K. That is because it is a fat-soluble vitamin.

However despite the fact that you have to eat them with a bit of oil leafy green vegetables are the perfect diet food. They are counted among the foods that are low glycolic and low carbohydrate. One of the benefits of eating leafy greens is that they have very little effect on blood sugar because they take so long to digest.

Adding Greens to Your Diet

It’s easier then you think to add the benefits of leafy greens to your diet.

You can eat leafy green vegetables as part of salad but you can also fry it in a bit of oil or steam it.  You can also drop a few leaves of spinach or kale into any kind of soup that you are making – this is one way to make canned soup more nutritious. Just remember that if you do eat your leafy greens raw or steamed to add a touch oil so your body will be able to absorb the Vitamin K.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.