When I think of greens, I think of energy and life. It wasn’t always easy to eat or juice greens for me.

Our taste buds have been conditioned with the intensity of artificial flavors and sugars. It’s time to taste the real food that our body needs!

Why does our body need greens? Greens are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber and low in calories.  Greens have many health benefits. They help reduce heart diseases, are high on vitamin K that help with anti-aging, are good for our skin and hair, can regulate cholesterol, have dietary fiber. Green leafy vegetables are high in vitamins A, C and K, and are rich in iron. 

Examples of green leafy vegetables include: 

Spinach

Collard Greens

Beet greens

Cabbage

Kale

Swiss chard

Dandelion greens

The question now, for some of you, is how can someone overcome the taste of greens? If you don’t like raw kale try to eat it steamed, in a salad, or you may like it as a kale chips. If spinach is not a usual item on your groceries list try to add some in your smoothie with fruits.  It will taste sweet and will help you get 1 serving of greens. 

A green sweet smoothie can look like this: 

A cup of almond milk

1 cup of spinach

½ cup of pineapple (fresh or frozen)

½ frozen banana

Add some ice and blend it all.

 

 

Here are some ideas on how to eat your greens.

Green salad:

2 cups of any leafy greens

1 chopped cucumber

1 tomato

Dressing: 2 tsp. Olive oil, 1 tsp. Honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

 

Green juice (maybe I should call it sweet juice, so you will try it :)

1 granny smith apple

1 cup of spinach

1 cucumber

2 stalks of celery

Enjoy!

 

Green Wrap

Wrap base: 2 Collard green leaves

Add (choose a couple): chipped cucumber, diced tomato, chopped bell pepper, green onion, chopped pineapple.

Add protein: 4 oz. fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans or chickpeas.

Add flavor: Lemon juice, salt pepper, hummus, salsa or hot sauce.

Easy simple lunch or dinner.

 

Happy healthy life from me to you,

Yours,

Osh