It’s spring. (Finally!) Green is the color of spring and the color of veggie most missing from American diets. Quick check. . . when is the last time you had leafy greens?
Some of these leafy greens are kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, broccoli rabe, spinach, dandelion greens, and cabbage. While the levels of each nutrient vary from leafy green to leafy green, in general, they are loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, iron, sulphur, potassium, and many have more calcium per serving than a serving of milk.
The nutrients in leafy greens help the liver to detoxify harmful chemicals and all of the fiber helps clean out the colon. Spring is a great time to increase your intake of leafy greens! As an Integrative RDN, I recommend two large handfuls of leafy greens per day raw, or one cupped handful of cooked greens as a good starting goal to make sure you’re getting enough of these nutrient packed superfoods.
Here are 7 ways to get more green leafy veggies in your diet and 14 recipes that will show you how:
1. Start your lunch or dinner off with a salad.
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Creamy Avocado Kale Salad
- Rainbow Cabbage Coleslaw
- Swiss Chard Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts
2. Make a whole grain salad with greens as a meal or side.
3. Snack on them.
4. Toss them in soups, stews, or chili.
5. Add greens to an omelet, egg scramble, or frittata.
6. Juice them.
- Zingy Apple Carrot Beet Juice with a handful of spinach
7. Add a handful of greens to your smoothie.
Can you think of more ways to eat those beautiful and wholesome leafy greens? Leave a comment below or share your favorite recipe!
