Hopefully, you’ve long outgrown that and have eaten lots of veggies since. If you haven’t, don’t fret, it’s never too late to start eating vegetables, even if it means just starting with the green ones.
Here are 10 reasons why your parents insisted you eat your greens, and the many ways your body will benefit from it, especially if you eat them every day.
The benefits of eating greens
1. Your gut will become healthy.
On top of the list is how eating greens can help you develop an ideal gut microbiome. How? Greens contain a sugar molecule called “sulfoquionovose.” This sugar is a good energy source for good bacteria, and prevents bad bacteria from taking over.
2. It will reduce inflammation in your body.
Have you ever heard of inflammation? When your body encounters outside invaders such as bacteria and viruses, your body’s white blood cells do a double time to fight infection. As a result, the body becomes inflamed, causing pain in areas such as muscles, soft tissue of joints, and internal organs.
Vitamin K-rich leafy greens like kale and spinach can help reduce inflammation in your body. If you want to know more about anti-inflammatory food, check out this story.
3. Your skin will get radiant.
If you’re following a skincare regimen religiously, such as using face creams and moisturizers, you might want to start loading up on veggies too.
Leafy greens are rich in Vitamin A and antioxidants, which help prevent the development of free radicals that could make your skin saggy and wrinkly.
Kale, broccoli, cabbage, and spinach are rich in Vitamin A and antioxidants, and can easily be mixed and matched with other ingredients to make delicious yet nutritious meals.
4. You’ll have more energy.
Popeye the Sailorman attained superpowers when he devoured spinach for a reason. Spinach, like all leafy greens, is rich in iron, a mineral that supplies energy in the body.
As a component of red blood cells, iron binds with the oxygen that is eventually absorbed and distributed throughout the body. Oxygen is essential for a body to maintain and spend energy.
When you’re iron-deficient, you’ll feel it the moment you wake up. No amount of caffeine can give you enough energy to power through the day. Why is it important to eat your greens? They give your body ammunition to conquer your everyday tasks by having enough energy to burn.
5. You will lose weight, or manage your weight better.
Compared to other food sources, leafy greens are rich in minerals and vitamins, yet low in calories. That’s why people trying to lose weight incorporate greens in their diets. Simply replacing simple carbohydrates like rice and potatoes with green salad can spell a huge difference on your weight goals.
But even if you’re not trying to lose weight, try to follow this rule of thumb: at the least eat 5 portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. And you don’t even have to eat them raw. Have fun experimenting with recipes. With veggies, you can enjoy them in stir-fried, oven-baked, roasted, sautéed, and many more.
6. You’ll have stronger bones.
Milk and dairy products are not the only rich sources of calcium. Green veggies like broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, and okra contain vitamins and minerals that can help you build and maintain bone mass.
How does your body do this exactly? Greens are very effective in promoting your body’s alkaline state. When your body’s pH balance is lopsided, it extracts calcium and minerals from your bones to neutralize it again. Want to have stronger bones? Experts recommend you eat one and a half cups of fruit and two cups of vegetables daily.
7. You’ll enjoy a better bowel movement.
Notice when you subsist on junk food, and you tend to be constipated? In contrast, when you give your body a detox by filling your tummy with fruits and vegetables, your bowels are in good shape. The reason? Fiber, fiber, and fiber! Vegetables are laxatives that prevent constipation, and let you enjoy a comfortable bowel movement. This is why you should eat your greens.
8. You’ll have more brainpower.
Books can make us smarter, but did you know veggies can do the same? In a 2018 study published by the journal Neurology, they found that those who consumed approximately one serving of leafy greens per day had a lower rate of cognitive decline.
9. Your heart will be healthier.
Did you know that eating five portions of leafy greens and fruits can lower the chances of heart disease? Eat your veggies if you want to have a healthier heart.
10. You will live longer.
Lastly, with all of the aforementioned nine health benefits you will gain from eating greens every day, you will surely age gracefully.
Experts swear by a healthy diet’s capacity to reduce the risk of getting ill, not only from heart diseases, but also respiratory diseases, brain diseases, and cancer. You won’t exactly cheat death, and there’s no guarantee you’ll live to be a hundred, but isn’t it great to know you’ll enjoy a longer and worry-free life just by sustaining a healthy habit, such as eating your greens?
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References:
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/eat-your-greens
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/eat-your-greens
https://yogalondon.net/monkey/eattherainbow-tips-eating-green/
https://www.sfadvancedhealth.com/blog/eat-your-greens
Five Benefits of Eating Green Veggies by Advanced Neuropathic Medical Centre (YouTube video)
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