Benifits of Green Leafy Vegetables.

Benifits of Green Leafy Vegetables. 

1. Weight Control. Leafy greens are extremely low in calories, yet super high in nutrients. Make them the base of your lunch and dinner and weight control can be breeze.

2. Youthful Skin. Leafy greens like Kale, Spinach and Swiss Chard contain antioxidants including beta carotene, which helps renew and repair your skin.

3. Clear Skin. While researching a book I wrote about preventing acne, I discovered that leafy greens have clear skin benefits.Leafy greens are chock full of inflammation fighting ingredients and they also contain lots of fiber, which helps keep blood sugar levels in check. 

4. Beauty. Yes, leafy greens (and other high color vegetables) can actually make you prettier. Sounds absurd, doesn’t it? Well, a recent article in the LA Times by Karen Ravn referenced a study done at The University of St. Andrews in Scotland, that sought to find out how many fruits and vegetables a person would have to eat, and for how long before this could be detected in the skin. According to the article, scientists have long known that the pigments that give vegetables their color, “carotenoids,” accumulate in the skin and give it color, too. Apparently, they enhance our natural coloring and when we see someone whose skin reflects these enhanced carotenoids, they appear healthier and more attractive to our eye.

5. Better Brain function. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, dark leafy greens may protect against cognitive decline in older adults. This is attributed to the high folate content of the greens. Studies performed at Tufts University concluded that a diet high in folate protected against decline in verbal fluency and another cognitive test called spatial copying wherein subjects were asked to copy shapes and figures.

6. Disease prevention. Greens contain vitamins: A, B2, B6, C, E, folate, calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, zinc, fiber, which according to The Cleveland Clinic, are important to keep your heart healthy.

The folate in leafy greens helps reduce levels of homocysteine, which can contribute to cardiovascular disease and also cause strokes.

 

Hope I’ve persuaded you to eat your greens. They really are good for you!