Why you should listen to your mum and EAT YOUR GREENS!
We all know that eating at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day has its benefits. Kiwi organisation 5+ A Day has been around for years, promoting healthy living through eating at least 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit every day. But did you know green vegetables, in particular, are extra good for us? Why is this? Well, grab a snack (kale chips anyone?), take a seat and keep reading.
Eating green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, cabbage, chard and lettuce encourages better health for numerous reasons, but the main reason is they are nutritional powerhouses. And the darker they are in colour means the greater the nutritional value they contain. Greens are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre. Common nutrients found in green vegetables include Vitamins A, B, C, E and K, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. These are essential for improving digestive health, maintaining good eyesight, balancing cholesterol levels, enhancing youthful skin, treating anemia, strengthening the scalp, fighting free radicals, supporting cardiovascular health, promoting weight loss, boosting energy levels, and in general increasing lifespan.
Want to get scientific? Below are some excellent reasons to pack your daily diet with greens.
GREENS BOOST ENERGY LEVELS
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of iron deficiency. Green vegetables, and in particular leafy green ones such as spinach and kale, are an excellent source of iron, which is a key component of energy production in the body. Iron helps boost energy levels by increasing the production of red blood cells for the efficient delivery of oxygen to your cells, which is known to fight fatigue and leave you feeling energised. Eat some greens for lunch and you probably won’t experience that afternoon energy slump.
GREENS ENCOURAGE NAIL, HAIR & SKIN HEALTH
Greens contain lutein which protects the skin from oxidative damage. Lutein can cause the skin to become dry and wrinkled. What’s more, they also contain sulforaphane which is a powerful protective agent against sun damage. There is also evidence that sulforaphane helps maintain collagen levels in the skin which reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
Leafy green vegetables are excellent sources of iron and calcium as well, which are essential for fast hair growth. Iron helps in the transportation of oxygen to the hair follicles. The best green leafy vegetables for hair growth are kale, broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach and lettuce.
Eating spinach and other leafy greens is a great idea for your nail health. That's because dark green veggies have vitamin E, iron, B vitamins, folate, and vitamin A, all of which benefit nail strength and growth.
GREENS IMPROVE DIGESTION
Green vegetables are rich in fibre, beta-carotene, calcium and iron. These nutrients are very helpful in maintaining a good flow of your digestive processes as they smoothen the movement of the bowel and maintain a healthy digestive tract lining.
GREENS IMPROVE IMMUNITY
When your diet contains too many acidic foods such as dairy, eggs, fish, grains, and meat it creates an acidic body, which is more susceptible to illness and disease. By eating more foods that leave behind alkaline byproducts, you can reduce the body’s acidity, support your kidneys, improve the pH of the body, and ultimately create a more robust immune system.
An Australian study discovered that a gene called T-bet plays an important role in promoting good digestion. This gene signals the production of immune cells, known as innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the gut. Eating cabbage, watercress, kale, collards, bok choy, broccoli and cauliflower produces these ILCs. So eating your greens is good for gut health and boosts immunity.
GREENS PROMOTE WEIGHT LOSS
Still, need another reason to eat your greens? They help with weight loss. Green vegetables contain a lot of fibre which fills you up so you feel full for longer. On the other hand, they are low in calories and contain no fat, so the more the merrier. They also have a high water content which ensures you stay hydrated which helps with flushing out toxins and also leaves you feeling fuller.
Here at Go Good, we know getting enough greens in your daily diet is important, but not always easy. Go Good Detox is ultra convenient as it allows you to ingest a good portion of healthy greens on the go. Mix it with a dose of protein powder and you’ll obtain a complete meal replacement. A scoop of Detox booster represents the equivalent of 150g of alkalising green vegetables.
When it comes to consuming your greens, there’s no such thing as too much. So what are you waiting for?