The Health Benefits of Eating Greens

The Health Benefits of Eating Greens

Are You Getting Enough Greens In Your Diet?

Do you love eating greens (and no not green M&M's!), as in green vegetables and other edible plants? Some of you maybe saying "yes", and the majority of you maybe saying "NO". I think most of us would admit that eating more food in its natural state is better for us, especially eating enough green plant matter.

Depending on where you live and the climate, eating enough greens can be a challenge. I often find that in the winter time, I just don't crave greens, especially cold salads. If you are trying to get more greens in your diet there are several ways to accomplish this.

Ways of Eating Greens

One way is through eating a variety of salads of course. However, the latest "buzz" in getting more greens into one's diet is through juicing, especially wheatgrass juicing.

Have you heard of taking wheatgrass shots? Why a shot? Well, concentrated grass juice is pretty potent, and a "shot" is usually about as much as most people can handle to get down.

So, you can do shots of just green juice like wheatgrass or dandelion greens, or you can use juice recipes and mix greens with fruits like apples. Adding apples is a great way to make the juice more palatable.

Another way to get greens into your diet is through adding them to smoothies. This way is actually touted as being healthier, because you are getting the fiber as well, which has important nutrients in itself. Plus, fiber is the broom that cleans out your digestive system.

Even for those who like to eat their veggies raw, there are ways of making green foods warm for those cold winter months. Having a powerful blender like a Vita Mix is a great way to blend foods and warm them without cooking them on the stove. The longer you blend your ingredients the warmer they will become. This is a good way to make soups without getting them too hot and destroying the important nutrients and enzymes in the food.

A second way to warm foods without cooking them, if you want to keep the integrity of the plant to protect the nutrients and enzymes, is to use a food dehydrator. In the raw food world, keeping food under 115 degrees when preparing it is the basic standard used to keep food from being denatured.

Benefits of Eating Greens

Perhaps, you know it is a good idea to eat more greens in your diet, but at this point, you're not really motivated to make changes to your diet habits. Here are some good reasons to consider adding more green plant foods to your diet.

• Green plant foods balance your pH. Many modern foods are acidic in nature and can lead to health issues, so balancing your body with neutralizing foods like greens keeps your body's pH at a healthier level.
• Some dark greens include omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are important to many of the body's functions, especially for brain function.
• Chlorophyl in green plants acts as a blood detoxifier.
• They are high in nutrients and enzymes necessary for your body to function, such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. (Dead foods like white bread, refined sugar, cookies and the like rob you of health and vitality.)
• In greens, you'll find a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect your cells from damage and your eyes from age-related problems.
• Greens are powerful antioxidants, and they support the immune system.

And these are just some of the benefits of eating greens. Living a longer more productive life is the best one!

Famous Raw Foodist, Victoria Boutenko, on Eating Greens

Now watch what Victoria Boutenko author of Green for Life and leading raw food speaker and teacher has to say about the importance of eating green.

She shares how she overcame tremendous health issues through diet.

Part One

Don't miss Part Two for the final part of the story on how Victoria overcame the downfalls in her health program and diet.

Part Two

Making A Green Smoothie with Victoria Boutenko

And, for more information on getting greens into your diet and for some great ideas on how to do that, check out the two articles below.

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