10 reasons to eat more greens
Written by Adriana Krueger
Superfoods are nature’s “power food” that give the body a power boost so that you can have magical superpowers just like Popeye!
I’m strong to the finich, ‘cause I eats me spinach, I’m Popeye the sailor man!”
A large part of our childhood memories consists of watching Popeye and getting hyped up about becoming strong like him. It presented the perfect opportunity for our mothers to encourage kids to eat spinach, and all the other vegetables.
“Eat your spinach and you will be as strong as Popeye” - children around the world heard and hear these words!
And kids, the ones dreaming about growing strong like Popeye after a dose of spinach, ate their vegetables up like little angels. It was great!
Comic book hero Popeye always knew it: Spinach really makes you strong. The nitrates contained in vegetables improve muscle efficiency.
Spinach and other green leafy vegetables are so-called superfoods.
What exactly are superfoods?
Real superfoods have to meet some criteria so that they can really be counted among the superfoods. Above all, real superfoods have to contain a very large amount of different nutrients, active ingredients or vital substances. These must be significantly higher than those of normal foods. In addition, a real superfood should also be natural and come either from wild growth or from an organic farm. Green leafy vegetables are one of the superfoods and are often underestimated.
Green leafy vegetables - what does it involve?
Green leafy vegetables are considered original food and were consumed in large quantities many centuries ago. On the one hand, this was due to the fact that it was always and everywhere available and on the other hand it was really filling. It also supplied the body with important nutrients.
For example, green leafy vegetables contain:
- Plenty of vitamins A, B, vitamins C, E and folic acid; these are good for the skin, eyes, nerves and the immune system
- Large amounts of minerals and trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron; these are good for bones, heart, blood and energy metabolism
- Secondary plant substances; these have an anti-inflammatory effect, lower blood pressure and are a natural preventative measure against cancer
- Amino acids; are vital plant protein building blocks
- Chlorophyll; which is good for blood formation (it is also called "green blood"), detoxification, wound healing, digestion etc.
- Lots of fibre; these have a digestive effect, lower cholesterol and act as a natural preventive measure for colon cancer
- Valuable fatty acids; they are important for the cardiovascular system and the brain
- Green leafy vegetables make you alkaline; no other food has such an alkaline effect on the organism as raw green leafy vegetables - this superfood provides alkaline minerals in such large quantities and of such perfect, easily usable quality that their alkaline effect is completely undisputed
10 reasons to put more greens on your plate
1. Digestive stimulation and appetite suppressant through bitter substances:
Bitter substances taste slightly salty and can be found, for example, in celery, spinach, dandelion, rocket, wormwood or in artichoke leaves. They support digestion and ensure a faster feeling of satiety. Healthy digestion is a prerequisite for optimally absorbing all nutrients and vital substances. As soon as the green comes into contact with the tongue, the bitter substances start to work. Digestive juices and digestive enzymes are released.
2. Supply of iron
Eating green leafy vegetables is providing your body with more iron than eating meat products ever could - as is so often assumed. Spinach, for example, contains 3.5 to 4.1 mg per 100 g in contrast to meat, which only provides between 1 and 2.5 mg per 100 g. Dairy products are very low in iron at 0.1 to 0.3 mg per 100 g.
3. Vitamin C for improved immune defense
Vitamin C is naturally contained in green leafy vegetables and ensures an improved absorption of iron. It is therefore not necessary to take in additional vitamin C when consuming green leafy vegetables. In addition, vitamin C strengthens your immune system enormously by accelerating all defense reactions.
4. Detoxification of the organism
Chlorophyll has the property of helping your organism to detoxify. Since the chlorella alga has a particularly high chlorophyll content, it is often used for detoxification, e.g. also for amalgam removal in the tooth area. Heavy metals such as mercury can be bound and excreted through the intestines.
5. Protection against cancer formation
In specialist journals such as “Carcinogenesis” or “The International Journal of Cancer”, it has been reported that chlorophyll can protect the cells of the intestinal mucosa from growths and prevent the cell division of carcinogenic cells.
6. Mineral and vital substances en masse
In addition to the green pigment chlorophyll, you will also find almost all micronutrients in green leafy vegetables. Our body uses beta-carotene to form vitamin A for the mucous membranes of the eyes, vitamin C has already been mentioned above. You will find vitamin K, folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin B6, copper, calcium, potassium and trace elements as well as even omega-3 fatty acids and all essential amino acids. You can also prevent magnesium deficiency with greens because in every chlorophyll molecule there is also a magnesium particle.
7. Against inflammation and oxidative stress
In the green leafy vegetables, there are also secondary plant substances, trace elements and enzymes that are real health boosters. Various substances of the respective green provide antioxidants and enzymes that eliminate free radicals and counteract inflammatory processes.
8. Life energy through biophotons
How we can actually use our nutrients and whether they arrive at the desired target cells should largely depend on the biophotons. It's not just about the nutritional content of the food, but also that the nutrients are directed to the right places. Only with sufficient biophoton content can we get energy, strength and vitality from our food instead of feeling sluggish and lacking in energy after eating. As a store of light energy, chlorophyll provides us with particularly large amounts of biophotons and structure-giving energy, which enable the extremely large number of metabolic processes that take place permanently in our body to be properly organized.
9. Blood purification and blood formation
In its chemical structure, chlorophyll differs from our red blood pigment haemoglobin is only one atom. This is also the reason for its hematopoietic and purifying properties. Healthy blood is the basis for healthy organs and a healthy organism in general.
10. Preservation of youthfulness
The extremely positive effect of chlorophyll on the regeneration and rejuvenation of the entire organism goes hand in hand with the improvement of blood circulation and blood-forming properties. This is another reason why it is worth increasing the amount of green on your plate.
So our mothers really did not lie when they tried to convince us that we should finish our plate of spinach: Spinach and all the other green leafy vegetables make us strong like Popeye!
The spinach gives the muscular sailor real superpowers. Popeye pumps up his limp upper arms in seconds with his spinach cans. Whether as a vegetable, salad, soup or smoothie – Popeye’s favourite is a real all-around talent that you should definitely not do without in the kitchen!
Popeye was wrong about one thing though: The spinach should of course not come from a can, but should be as fresh as possible and, if possible, be eaten unheated.
If you are having a hard time adding green leafy vegetables to your diet, powdered chlorophyll may be an option that is easier for you. Chlorella, Spirulina, barley grass and wheatgrass are also available as a powder and you can either mix it into a smoothie or simply drink it with a glass of water.
10 reasons to eat more greens 10 reasons to eat more greens 10 reasons to eat more greens
