A fun nutrition exercise is what we’ll do now: Grab some paper and a pencil, or start a note on your phone. Recall your recent eating habits. Note down every veggie you consumed in the last 30 days. Now go back and review the list. Give green and leafy veggies a star. How many vegetables that are leafy greens have you eaten? Only one? Five? Ten?

You probably already know that all veggies, including green vegetables, are healthy, regardless of the number of vegetables or the total number of leafy green vegetables you specified. According to a study, eating more leafy greens may lower your chance of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and several cancers. 

People say it’s easy being green but also easy eating leafy greens. Despite the immense benefits of leafy green, it never makes it into your shopping cart.

Even if it makes it to the grocery basket, you can find yourself watching it wilt slowly inside your refrigerator. Happy news: Today will bring about a change in your outlook toward greens.

Miraculous Benefits Of This Underrated Veggie:

They are the finest example of superfoods, containing an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Did you know that green leafy vegetables for weight loss have advantages beyond just being high in fibre and low in calories? 

Leafy Greens

Greens can help you lose weight, and some plant compounds may reduce your chance of developing certain cancers, heart disease, and osteoporosis (a disease that causes brittle bones). 

And yes, they can be tasty! Whether eaten raw or cooked, they are packed with all the nutrients necessary for a balanced diet, as well as several components that fight disease and prevent it. According to studies, the minerals in leafy greens may aid cancer prevention, eye health, and pregnancy health. And that’s only the beginning.

Want to increase the number of greens in your diet, but all you can think of is spinach? The other varieties of green leafy vegetables include kale, mustard greens, cabbage, coriander, fenugreek, amaranth, and moringa leaves. By combining these leaves and microgreens into various cuisines, you can enjoy their various flavours.

Green Flavors Can Be Different. Some have a slight sweetness (bok choy), a strong flavour (arugula, mustard greens), or a sour taste (sorrel). Greens typically fall into one of two categories: Hardy with a strong flavour (kale, collards, mustard greens, and turnip greens) or soft with a moderate flavour (spinach, chard, and bok choy).

Nutritional Content Of Leafy Greens:

• Rich In Vitamins

All leafy greens include a significant amount of vitamins found in nature. Green leafy vegetables are abundant in vitamins. Also, you can obtain significant amounts of vitamins A, K, E, and C, beta-carotene, folate, B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6 from these veggies.

• High Mineral Content

Green leafy vegetables naturally add minerals to your diet, such as iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, and salt. By including sufficient minerals in each bite, they assist in meeting the daily need and overcoming dietary mineral deficiencies.

• Rich In Dietary Fibre

Green leaves have a lot of fibre, which makes you feel full after eating them. In addition, fibre offers a number of useful health benefits.

• Low-fat content

Leafy green vegetables have zero fat content.

Recommended Consumption Of Leafy Greens:

Children: 50g/day

Adult Men: 40g/day

Adult Women: 100g/day

List of Healthy Green Leafy Vegetables:

Many struggle to shed the bulging fat that stubbornly clings to their arms, thighs, hips, and bellies. Furthermore, our bodies get to extremely unhealthy sizes due to our sedentary habits and undisciplined lifestyles. However, burning fat requires more than just working out every day. A major part of it is eating a balanced diet. Some incredibly healthy meals have built-in fat-burning abilities, and eating these foods can aid in weight loss. Yes! I am talking about including greens in your diet.

Some leafy greens are similar to one another and can be used interchangeably, while others have flavour profiles that are noticeably different. Learn more about the most common varieties of greens and what makes them unique.

1. Spinach

Popeye’s favourite food is one of the vegetables with the highest protein content, containing 5.36 grams of protein per cup (boiled). Dark green, rounded leaves make up spinach. 

The mild flavour of spinach makes it a good complement to many foods. It can be prepared for dinners or eaten raw as a salad. Add it to a fruit smoothie, an omelette, a pastry, a creamy pasta dish, etc. It can also be added to your smoothie. It is important to keep in mind that the volume of spinach will significantly decrease while cooking, so make sure to use more than you think you need. Also, you can prepare a spinach pulao recipe.

Benefits Of Spinach:

• The minerals iron, magnesium, vitamin K, and vitamin A are all abundant in spinach. It is one of the green vegetables with the highest protein content.
• It also contains folate, necessary for synthesising red blood cells and promoting baby growth during pregnancy.
• Burning belly fat is a wonderful benefit of spinach. 
• Also, it helps prevent various health problems, including Alzheimer’s disease, anaemia (iron deficiency), and age-related visual difficulties.
• The spinach’s low sodium and high potassium content may help you manage your blood pressure.

2. Cabbage

Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and kale are relatives of cabbage, which is a member of the Brassicaceae family. The leaf clusters can develop in white, green, or purple shades. Glucosinolates, which are present in these vegetables, give them a bitter taste.

Typically, cabbages are boiled or sautéed in soups and stir-fries. It is frequently fermented to make kimchi for Korean meals and sauerkraut for German and Pennsylvania Dutch dishes. Have you tried the cabbage roll or stuffed cabbage? If not, try it today to get a warm hug from your kid.

Benefits of Cabbage:

• Cabbage provides the advantages of vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and several anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
• Further, they are believed to have qualities that can guard against esophageal and lung cancer. It can enhance immunity and digestion when fermented into sauerkraut. It also helps people lose weight.
• Cabbage is a powerhouse of nutrients, including sulforaphane, magnesium, potassium, folate, and a tonne of vitamins that may help fight cancer.

3. Microgreens

Microgreens aren’t one particular kind of green. Rather, they’re the early stage of many different kinds of greens and herbs. You’ll often find watercress seedlings, radishes, arugula, lettuce, endives, and other plants in a microgreen mix. Usually, they are removed when they have grown to a height of 1-3 inches.

Microgreens are frequently used as a garnish in cuisine to improve food presentation. To add a final touch, sprinkle them on top of salads, soups, or steak dinners.

They make a delicious complement to many different cuisines, such as sandwiches, smoothies, wraps, and salads, as well as pizzas, soups, omelettes, curries, and other warm dishes.

Benefits Of Microgreens:

• Microgreens have up to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts.
• They are a fantastic source of vitamins C, E, and K. Furthermore, depending on the type of seedling utilised, the list of nutrients will change.

4. Mustard Greens

The frilled edges of mustard greens, also known as curled or green-leaved mustard, make them easy to spot. Mustard greens come in a few distinct kinds, including American and Asian varieties. When cooked, these greens develop a spicy, peppery kick that goes well with acids like vinegar or lemon juice.

Mustard greens are a common ingredient in Southern cuisine and are frequently prepared and served with ham dishes. They lose some heat as they cook longer, but they can still lend a little heat to hearty recipes.

While mustard seeds are used to prepare the famous mustard sauce, mustard greens are most frequently used to make zesty mustard sauces.

Benefits of Mustard Greens:

Calcium, folic acid, magnesium, and vitamin K are all abundant in them. They are good for bones and have energy-boosting qualities.

Other Types Of Leafy Greens Are:

• Collard Greens
• Asparagus
• Curry Leaves
• Coriander Leaves
• Mint
• Celery
• Spring Onion
• Radish Green
• Lettuce

Leafy Greens For Weight Loss:

Salads frequently contain leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and lettuce. These have a direct impact on weight loss. These aid in shedding pounds and raising energy levels.

• Green leafy vegetables are beneficial for those with heart disease, obesity, and other health conditions and assist in regulating blood sugar levels. 
• Also, experts claim that spinach helps people lose weight more quickly. Because spinach contains few calories, it can keep you satisfied for longer. A 100 gm serving of fresh spinach contains only 23 calories.
• In addition, spinach has a low carbohydrate content. Further, carbohydrates are macronutrients that provide the body with energy and are linked to weight growth and water retention. Only 3.6 grams of carbohydrates are present in a serving size of 100 grams of spinach. Research suggests that cutting carbs can also help you lose weight.
• Due to its high fibre content, spinach aids in maintaining a healthy digestive system and promoting regular bowel motions. But, too much spinach might have negative effects. Experts claim that one cup of spinach per day has many health benefits and few negative consequences.

Tips To Include Leafy Greens In Your Diet:

People can attempt to include leafy greens in their diets in a variety of ways, such as:

• Salads: Spinach, Lettuce, and Radish greens are examples of greens that can be eaten raw. Combine them with lemon juice and consume them as a salad.

• Wraps: As a wrap filler, combine lettuce, cabbage, or Swiss Chard leaves with other components.

• Sauces: Leafy greens can be chopped or pureed and added to sauces. For instance, green veggies like beet greens can be blended and added to marinara sauce.

• Pizza: Make a healthier pizza by substituting greens for meats and processed toppings.

• Soups: Some greens, such as celery and Swiss Chard, are common ingredients in soups. Toward the end of cooking, stir chopped greens into soups or stews.

• Chips: Kale chips are deliciously crunchy and can make up your kid’s snack box.

• Juice: For more nutrients and a spicy taste without the heaviness that smoothies may provide, add some greens to your juice, like kale and parsley.

• Sandwich:  People can add greens like lettuce and spinach to sandwiches in addition to the traditional tomatoes, pickles, and avocados.

• Smoothies: Make a healthy green drink by combining leafy greens like spinach with other nutritious fruits and vegetables, including beets, carrots, cucumber, and ginger.

• Add-ons: Greens can enhance the flavour of dishes. They can be prepared in various methods, including stewing, braising, steaming, boiling, and grilling.

A healthy diet must include leafy green veggies. They include a wealth of fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Leafy greens come in a wide range of textures, flavours, and nutrient profiles, and they’re simple and easy to add to your meals in interesting ways.

To get the health advantages and broaden your palate, try to include some new and different leafy greens in your regular diet. When purchasing greens, search for firm leaves that are a vibrant shade of green. With edobo, this is not much of a task, buy fresh, organic leafy vegetables from edobo!