The Importance of Eating Green Vegetables

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Imagine a food so powerful that it can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of cancer, make you look younger, strengthen your bones and has even been attributed with living longer? Imagine if this food tasted good, was readily available and relatively inexpensive. No need to imagine, it’s a reality and they're called green vegetables.

The importance of eating green vegetables cannot be overlooked.

Green vegetables come across as quite unassuming, but they are packed with healthy nutrients such as Vitamins A, C, E and K (which are found in salad greens, kale and spinach). Many of the B complex vitamins are also found in broccoli, bok choy and mustard greens as well as fiber and calcium. There are so many great varieties of green vegetables and so many vitamins and minerals to be had!

However, while green veggies are full of fiber and vitamins, what makes green vegetables (and really all fruits and vegetables) so healthy is their abundance of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are chemicals found in plants that help protect plants from disease, insects, injuries, etc.; they’re basically a plant’s immune system. And they work for our immune system too. Phytochemicals have been shown to be effective in treating cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. They also help prevent cell damage and can decrease cholesterol levels. Phytochemicals are incredibly powerful and by eating healthy, natural foods (like Diet-to-Go), we can be assured of getting adequate amounts of these nutritional goldmines. 

Eating Enough Green Vegetables

How much is enough? The daily recommendations vary depending on age, gender and activity level but basically, according to the USDA, adults need between 2 and 3 cups of vegetables daily. While that not may seem like a lot, many of us are not meeting the daily requirement. Fortunately many of Diet-to-Go’s meals are full of green (and various other) vegetables.

And for those times when you don’t have a Diet-to-Go meal, just be sure to sneak in some vegetables with every meal (yes, even breakfast). Most vegetables can be cooked, steamed, stir-fried, sautéed and eaten raw.

Storing Green Vegetables

Green vegetables tend to go bad quickly. So you need to eat them within a couple days of purchasing. To get a few extra days of edibility:

• Wash your the vegetables in cold water

• Pat them dry

• Leave them out to dry completely

• Once they are totally dry, bundle the greens loosely between two paper towels and store in a large plastic (sealable) bag.

The key is to keep the air out and the water away. 

The Take Away

Green vegetables may be the closest thing to a magic food. Green vegetables, and really almost all vegetables, can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of cancer, make you look better and feel better. Ensuring you get enough of these nutritional gems is paramount. Choosing Diet-to-Go is one way to do that; making smart food choices is another. Be conscious of what you put in your mouth and always strive for naturally-occurring foods over the processed alternatives. '

Author: Sue Ridgeway

Ingredients of Success

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