Leafy green like kale, collard greens,
chard and spinach are a cornerstone of healthy diets because they
have qualities that reduce inflammation, improve detoxification and
protect your cardiovascular system. But if you need more evidence to
increase your consumption of powerhouse greens, check out these
nutritional research results:
Greens contain a form of vitamin E
called gamma-tocopherol that has been shown to reduce risk of
developing Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer in people who ate
them regularly. Vitamin E supplements and multivitamin pills rarely
contain this form of vitamin E, they are mostly alpha-tocopherol
which does not have the same health benefits. Higher quality
supplements will contain mixed tocopherols and/or gamma-tocopherol
however they are missing the fiber, chlorophyll and beta-carotene
that leafy greens have so they too pale in comparison.
Greens also contain the eye protective
nutrients lutein and xeazanthin in much higher concentrations than other foods. For example, 1 cup of kale contains eight times more
lutein than 2 large eggs!1
Components in kale, broccoli and
Brussels sprouts have been shown to induce breast cancer cell death,
reduce the ability of hormones to stimulate breast cancer cells and
slow down breast cancer cell reproduction.
A convenient way to increase your daily
intake of greens is to freeze them ahead of time in rolls and add them to your
morning smoothie:
Wash and thoroughly dry leaves of
spinach, kale or chard.
Remove the tough stems from chard or
kale then cut into strips.
Roll up the leaves and secure with a
toothpick.
Spread out rolls on plate or cookie
sheet to freeze, once frozen you can remove toothpicks and store in a
bag.
Add 2-4 rolls to your morning smoothie.
If you're just getting accustomed to
greens in this way, start with baby spinach because it's milder. Also
pineapple and banana tend to “hide” the bitterness of greens
well.
Tropical Green Detox Smoothie
Combine the following ingredients in a blender:
1/2 cup frozen mango pieces
1/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup water
1 cup" kale rolls", "chard rolls", or baby spinach leaves
1 tsp ground flax seeds
4 tablespoons Vital Clear protein powder
Tropical Green Detox SmoothieCombine the following ingredients in a blender:
1/2 cup frozen mango pieces
1/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup water
1 cup" kale rolls", "chard rolls", or baby spinach leaves
1 tsp ground flax seeds
4 tablespoons Vital Clear protein powder
What does the color
of your eyes say about how many greens you need to eat?
Check out this 3
minute video and find out...
1.http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision/lutein?sso=y