Written by Sarah Milano (Nature’s Most Powerful Defender)
Growing up, our parents told us that we must eat all of our vegetables because they are good for us. Most parents of our time didn’t go over all the reasons we should eat vegetables but rather just told us we had to eat them. As parents, we are tasked with teaching the importance of vegetables to our kids, but do we really understand their real power?
Of course, we know that they are healthy and that we must eat them but for most of us, that is the extent of our veggie knowledge. However, how can we instil healthy eating habits in our children if we can’t even explain the importance veggies have?
The fact is, nature has provided us with powerful foods that can help to keep us healthy and help our bodies to function the way intended. Here are three major ways green vegetables can improve our health:
Greens Make You Stronger
The power of green veggies has been talked about since the 1930s when the cartoon “Popeye” came out. As soon as Popeye sucked down a can of spinach, he was instantly strong and able to fight off anyone, as his muscles instantly popped out of his sleeves. Kids may see spinach as Popeye’s super power, but did it really convince them to eat spinach to grow muscles like Popeye? Probably not, but it should have.
While spinach will not grow muscles instantly, it can make your immune system stronger when eaten as a part of your diet. In fact, spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense and thus healthiest foods on the planet. Bright, green vegetables, such as spinach leaves, are packed with Vitamin C.
Since Vitamin C directly impacts your immune system, studies show that eating a diet rich in Vitamin C can reduce your chances of picking up viruses such as the common cold and the flu. So by eating spinach and other green vegetables, you can strengthen your immune system and your overall general health.
Greens Help Reduce Cancer Risk
While there is no known miracle drug that can prevent cancer, doctors do know that a proper diet can help reduce your chances of developing certain cancers. Toxins such as those that are found in some foods, water and even the air around us, create free radicals that damage our cell structure. This damage to cell structure can lead to certain types of cancer.
However, one of the powers of green vegetables is an antidote to free radicals called antioxidants. Antioxidants essentially repair the damage done to cells by free radicals which can then reduce your chances of developing some cancers and other diseases. By increasing your green veggie intake, and reducing your intake of toxins derived from fried foods, tobacco, pesticides and other pollutants, you will be taking a step towards reducing your risk of developing certain diseases and cancers.
Greens Help Prevent Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
Vitamins and minerals are necessary for a healthy body, and if you don’t eat green vegetables, you simply can’t attain the required amounts without supplementation. Green vegetables are packed with the following vitamins and minerals:
- Calcium – Helps strengthen bones and teeth
- Iron – Metabolizes protein; assists red blood cells in carrying oxygen throughout the body
- Magnesium – Helps body to regulate temperature, form healthy bones and teeth, transmit nerve impulses, detoxify and produce energy
- Potassium – Helps regulate metabolism, water balance, nervous system, electrolytes, blood pressure as well as heart and kidney disorders
- Phosphorous – Assists in bone formation, aids digestion, balances hormones, helps cells repair and improve energy
- Zinc – Aids in wounds healing and necessary for proper growth
- Vitamin A – Aids bone growth, supports immune system, vital in eye health and reproduction
- Vitamin C – Supports immune system, cardiovascular system and eye disease.
- Vitamin E – Helps fight toxins that can cause eye disorders, neurological diseases and diabetes
- Vitamin K – Helps blood to clot, builds strong bones and supports heart health
- Fibre – Aids in digestion and digestive health
- Folic Acid – Helps body maintain and produce new cells
- Chlorophyll – Helps wounds heal and cleanse body of toxins
So the next time your children whine and ask why they have to eat their vegetables, you will have a better response than “because I said so”. By eating a diet rich in green vegetables you can improve your overall health, support all your body functions and use nature’s medicine as intended.
Nature’s Most Powerful Defender Nature’s Most Powerful Defender Nature’s Most Powerful Defender Nature’s Most Powerful Defender Nature’s Most Powerful Defender
