eat the rainbow: green
HI, GREEN!
69% fall short in green
Words to Associate:
Nitrates
Chlorophyll
Cardiovascular Health
Antioxidant
Benefits:
Antioxidant
Blood vessel support
Role in healthy circulation and methylation
“Research shows that 15.8% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk could be reduced by “almost every day” consumption of green leafy vegetables, which included those in the cruciferous variety.”
Phytochemicals/Nutrients Found in Green:
Lutein: kale, spinach, leafy greens (turnip, collard, mustard), romaine lettuce, broccoli, green peas, kiwifruit, honeydew melon
Helps maintain good vision
Reduces the risk of cataracts or macular degeneration
Indoles: broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, Bok choy, arugula, Swiss chard, turnips, rutabaga, watercress, cauliflower, kale
Reduce the risk of cancer (particularly breast and prostate)
Reduce the risk of tumor growth in cancer patients
Chlorophyll: All! green! vegetables!
Powerful antioxidant
Inhibits carcinogen uptake
Phytomethylators: leafy greens
Methylation
Cell growth
Phytosterols: Vegetable oils, whole grains, nuts, legumes
Cholesterol reduction
Anti-inflammatory
Reduce cancer risk (especially prostate cancer)
The list goes on…
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Magnesium
Potassium
Folate
Calcium
Iron
etc.
WHAT THE HECK ARE NITRATES!?
Nitrates, while in the mouth, convert by way of our saliva into nitrites which then converts to Nitric Oxide (in the stomach and blood vessels) which helps our blood vessels expand.
The highest nitrate containing green foods include celery, cress, chervil (an herb related to parsley), lettuce, and spinach.
Green Produce Options (list is not exhaustive):
Avocado
Brussels sprouts
Green tea
Green apples
Limes
Olives
Pears
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bean sprouts
Bell peppers
Bok choy
Broccoli
Broccolini
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumbers
Edamame
Green beans
Green peas
GREENS! (Beet, chard, dandelion, collards, kale, lettuce, mustard, spinach, turnip)
Okra
Rosemary and other herbs
Snow peas
Watercress
My favorite ways to integrate GREEN:
Avocado, in my smoothie, on toast, on a grass fed burger, or straight up with a spoon!
Brussels sprouts, roasted or sautéed with balsamic or shredded and tossed in a salad
Green apples, in fresh juice or with Peanut or almond butter
Asparagus, roasted in avocado oil with garlic powder, parmesan, and S+P
Broccoli, good gosh I love broccoli! Steamed, or roasted with seasonings in avocado oil
Kale, massaged with a favorite dressing or roasted as a kale chip
Spinach, blended into my smoothies or sautéed in EVOO and garlic
