“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
This quote comes from Michael Pollan, contributor to the New York Times Magazine, professor of writing at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley, and last but not least he’s a food writer.
Eat Food. Not too much: What Pollan is saying here is to eat real, whole food, and to limit the consumption of “edible food-like substances”, aka processed foods.
Mostly plants: Foods that come from the ground are some of the most natural and nutritious foods to consume, which is the inspiration for this blog!
Do you get the recommended 2-3 cups of vegetables per day?
Adding dark leafy greens is one of the easiest ways to increase your vegetable consumption. All you have to do is throw a handful into your morning smoothie OR make a salad, wrap, soup, stir fry, or even toss them into an omelette.
Eating veggies is essential and consuming dark leafy greens provides numerous health benefits for the human body:
VITAMINS
A : good for skin, bones, vision
C: maintains cartilage, bones & teeth
K: assists in protein production for your bones & tissues
B (folate): helps make new cells, prevents birth defects
MINERALS
Iron (Fe): aids in blood production oxygen transport
Magnesium (Mg): nerve & muscle function, supports immune system and hormone balance
Potassium (K): nerve function & muscles contraction
Calcium (Ca): supports bones & teeth
Click here for a complete chart of vitamins and minerals and their health benefits
ANTIOXIDANTS (Carotenoids)
Lowers the risk of stomach, breast and skin cancer.
Decreases the risk of heart disease
FIBER
Regulates bowel movements
Maintains colon health
So Which Green Should You Eat?
Have you ever walked through the produce section and wondered which leafy green is the best? Well that all depends on what you’re cooking. Here’s a chart to compare the best leafy greens and their nutritional content.
| Raw Veggie | Amount | Vitamins | Minerals | Fiber | Protein | Calories |
| Arugula | ½ cup | 97 mcg Folate 47% DV Vitamin A, 136% DV Vitamin K | 16% DV Ca 8% DV Fe 12% DV Mg 5% DV P 8% DV K 3% DV Zn | 1.6g | 2.58g | 25 |
| Collards | ½ cup | 129 mcg Folate 100% DV Vitamin A 59% DV Vitamin C 8% DV Vitamin E 546% DV Vitamin K | 23% DV Ca 7% DV Mg 2% DV P 5% DV K 2% DV Se | 4g | 3.02g | 32 |
| Spinach | ½ cup | 194 mcg Folate 188% DV Vitamin A 10% DV Vitamin B6 47% DV Vitamin C 7% DV Vitamin E 604% DV Vitamin K | 10% DV Ca 15% DV Fe 20% DV Mg 45% DV Mn 5% DV P 12% DV K 4% DV Zn | 2.2g | 2.86g | 23 |
| Kale | ½ cup | 141 mcg Folate 200% DV Vitamin A 200% DV Vitamin C 5% DV Vitamin E 881% DV Vitamin K | 15% DV Ca 8% DV Fe 12% DV Mg 33% DV Mn 10% DV K 4% DV Zn | 3.6g | 4.28g | 49 |
Other greens that are not quite as big of nutritional powerhouses…
| Not So Super Greens | ||||||
| Raw Veggie | Amount | Vitamins | Minerals | Fiber | Protein | Calories |
| Iceberg Lettuce | ½ cup | 29 mcg Folate 10% DC Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C | 2% DV Ca 6% DV Mn 3% DV K | 1.2g | .90g | 14 |
| Romaine Lettuce | ½ cup | 136 mcg Folate 174% DV Vitamin A 7% DV Vitamin C 128% DV Vitamin K | 3% DV Ca 5% DV Fe 8% DV Mn 5% DV K | 2.1g | 1.23g | 17 |
Happy Greening STAT Tribe!
Data From: https://www.nutritionvalue.org/nutritioncalculator.php
