Green Leafy Vegetables
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5 Reasons Why Your Mom Forced You To Eat Your Greens!

At some point, as kids, we have all been fussy eaters. If it weren’t for our mothers, we wouldn’t have eaten so many foods. Who wouldn’t have tossed spinach for a pizza, kale for a burger, or lettuce for a candy, as a kid? A child’s nutrition is definitely a mother’s prerogative and we owe our good health along with so many other good habits to them. Yes, if it weren’t for them, most of us would have definitely not touched our greens.

Green leafy vegetables feature as one of the healthiest foods you can give your children during their growing years as their bodies tend to require essential nutrients to build a strong immune system. Moms have to be smart and tactful in disguising healthy foods into fun meal recipes to ensure their kids eat what they like without compromising on the nutrition aspect of it. The eating habits developed at a young age go a long way in shaping our nutritional habits for life. If you’re someone who can’t live without a green juice, pesto salad, or some or the other green leafy vegetable in your food and feel great inside-out because of it, you know who you need to thank for it. In this article, we shall explore in depth 5 reasons why your mom forced you to eat your greens.

Benefits of Eating Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and antioxidants that all contribute to you becoming a healthier individual. They also contain less calories, which make it the go-to food option if you are on a calorie-deficit diet. The essential component that these vegetables contain, which separates them from the rest, is chlorophyll. Yes, this green pigment is not only responsible for the colour, but is also scientifically proven to be an elixir for your health that helps reduce the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and other obesity-related issues. Just a portion of it in your everyday diet is enough to meet all your essential micronutrient needs that are necessary for strengthening your immune system. Let us look at these benefits in detail below.

Rich in antioxidants

Green leafy vegetables are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that help to fight the free radical activity in the body that causes oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is responsible for cellular damage and a plethora of chronic diseases, not to forget it also causes your body to age faster. A balance between free radicals and antioxidants is necessary for proper physiological function. So when you add green leafy vegetables in your daily diet, either in the form of salads, or juices, or as part of your main course meal, you provide the body with sufficient antioxidants that naturally offset the free radical activity in the body. They also have anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the chances of inflammation in the body. This further strengthens the body’s ability to fight infections and stay healthy.

Improves gut health

Green leafy vegetables are rich in dietary fiber. This means that they tend to keep you satiated for long, preventing you from binge eating often, and helping you to keep a check over your body weight. Eating a lot of leafy greens also allows you to develop a healthy gut microbiome. Given that it contains fiber, it bulks up the stool and prevents constipation. It also ensures proper digestion, keeping other gut related issues at bay. Moreover, they are also alkaline in nature and so they play a vital role in maintaining the pH balance of the body, and keeping acidity and heartburn at bay.

Enhances Skin Health

Leafy green vegetables are rich in vitamin C that is known to inhibit the free radical activity caused by UV exposure or any form of inflammation in the body and protect the skin cells. This in return slows down the aging process and prevents fine lines and wrinkles from developing. Vitamin C also inhibits the production of melanin in the skin that helps to reduce hyper pigmentation and brown spots, enhances skin glow and radiance and provides an even skin tone.

Besides, it aids in proper digestion due to its fiber content keeping the gut microbiome healthy. Numerous studies have linked gastrointestinal (GI) health to skin health, stating that any disruption in gut health could trigger inflammation and reflect on your skin in the form of acne, pimple, or any other form of skin reaction.

Regulates Blood Sugar Levels

Green leafy vegetables contain high concentrations of polyphenols and vitamin C, both of which are antioxidants that play a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels. Some leafy greens like spinach also contain magnesium, which may also contribute to reducing the risk of diabetes. Moreover, they are rich in dietary fiber, which the body takes a lot of time to digest. This means that it helps slow the rise in blood sugar following a meal.

Contributes to a Healthy Heart

Green leafy vegetables like mustard greens, spinach, kale, arugula and collard greens are well-known as rich sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are particularly a great source of vitamin K, that plays a vital role in protecting your arteries and promoting proper blood clotting. Moreover, leafy greens are rich in nitrates that help to manage blood pressure. They are also low in calories and help keep the body weight within a normal range, thereby reducing the risk of obesity-related diseases, one of which is cardiovascular diseases. They also keep bad cholesterol under check.

Final Takeaway

There are various ways in which you can incorporate green leafy vegetables in your diet. You can add them in gravies, sandwiches, dals, soup, juices, smoothies or salads. These vegetables are available in canned, dehydrated or frozen forms, though eating them fresh is the most ideal thing to do. Ensure that you don’t overcook the greens as that causes their nutrient value to decline!

If your mum couldn’t convince you to eat your greens as a kid and if you are not habituated to eating them regularly, then maybe we have a solution for you! You can supplement your existing diet with Wellbeing Nutrition’s Daily Greens. Made of 39 farm fresh vegetables, fruits, and antioxidant-rich superfoods, Daily Greens are effervescent tablets that are not only delicious to taste but also give you the goodness of all the aforementioned benefits of green leafy vegetables. So what are you waiting for? Visit our website and place an order of Daily Greens right away!

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