It was common for our paleo ancestors to eat up to six pounds of leaves per day. You can imagine them just walking along picking and eating leaves as they went. Can you imagine eating that much? Unfortunatley, most of us don't eat the minimum USDA recommendation of 3 cups per day, yet leafy greens a jam packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Per about.com: "Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats."
With our busy modern day lifestyles, it can take a bit of planning and teamwork to get leafy greens into our diet. Your local farmers market is a GREAT place to find new greens that are in season. Here are some greens that you might not have tried which are awesome and can be found in most grocery stores or farmers markets:
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Mustard Greens
- Rainbow Chard
- Collard Greens
- Kale
Remember, because the glycemic load of leafy greens are so low, you can eat A LOT of them. Stick with the DARK leafy greens since they provide more nutrients. Check out some cooking ideas and suggestions and make them in bulk to incorporate during the week!
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Ritu Riyat
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