Eat Your Greens

In this week's challenge you must Add a green veggie to one meal every day. . Leafy green vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber but low in calories. Eating a diet rich in leafy greens can offer numerous health benefits including reduced risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and mental decline.

1. Day 1: Get Organized

   Load up on greens (at least three varieties!) and plan for the week. Broccoli rabe, kale, spinach, green beans… the options are plentiful. Decide when and how you’re going to incorporate your greens. Spinach breakfast scramble anyone? Broccoli rabe chips? Sautéed green beans with toasted walnuts as a side at dinner? Write it down, and be sure to get greens in at least once today.

2. Day 2: Keep it Simple

   Review your plan, and do some prep for the week. Chop kale for your go-to salad, for example, and wash and chop broccoli for dinner. If you’re saying, “Time? Yeah, right,” then order a side salad when ordering in. Remember that bagged, pre-washed organic lettuce is a life-saver.

3. Day 3: Do Recipe Research

   Research delicious, new, simple recipes to try. Crack open an old cookbook.

4. Day 4: Branch Out

   Today, take it up a notch and experiment with a new type of green—try Dandelion greens for your salad, collards to make a wrap, broccoli rabe in your scramble, Brussels sprouts for a dinner side dish, or endive as your hummus dipper.

5. Day 5: Ditch the Rice

   Replace a starchy side dish with a green side dish. If you’re eating out, ask for double greens instead of greens and a starch.

6. Day 6: Have Fun With Flavor

   Season your greens. Experiment with new flavors—try oregano, chili pepper, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper, and lemon. Or toss some heart healthy nuts on top.

7. Day 7: Go All Out

   Challenge yourself as the week ends by incorporating a serving of greens into every meal for the day. Yep, every meal.

Why You Should Challenge Yourself to Eat More Greens:

1. Greens Fight Disease. Green veggies offer a powerful dose of fiber, and vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants and phytochemicals, which have been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, and may help reduce the risk of cancer. The carotenoids in leafy greens, for example, act as antioxidants, slowing free-radical damage.
2. One cup of spinach has more than 1000 percent of your daily recommendation of vitamin K (for strong bones) and almost 300 percent of the daily recommendation of vitamin A.
3. Fill Up Until You’re Full. Leafy greens have a high water volume, which helps you stay hydrated. One study showed participants’ metabolic rates increased 30 percent within ten minutes after drinking 17 ounces of water. Their high fiber content not only leaves you feeling full for longer, it also helps keep things moving in the GI tract.
4. Amp Your Weight Loss. All veggies offer multiple nutrients for very few calories, aiding in weight loss efforts. When it comes to greens, the more the merrier.
5. Boost Your brain. One study found women who ate the most leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables had brains that were one to two years “younger” than those who ate fewer.
6. Promote Skin Health. Phytochemicals and antioxidants in green veggies can help protect your skin against UV damage by countering free radicals in your body to lessen the deterioration of skin’s vital components, like collagen and elastin. Say hello to greens and to gorgeous skin.

Suggested Reading:

12 Incredible Benefits of Getting More Greens in Your Diet - Learn more here.

Why You Need to Eat Your Greens - Learn more here.