Tip #7 of 13 Tips to A Healthier Me

Eat Your Greens!

I know that you know that green veggies are good for you and that they are full of nutrients and fibre. They are high in calcium and magnesium to build strong bones and relax tight muscles. There are so many good health giving nutrients in those green veggies; they even have omega-3 fatty acids. But really do we need to know those details? I think what is more important than breaking a food down into parts is seeing food as a whole and what it brings to the body as a whole. Any unrefined, non-processed natural food is going to be good for you, unless of course you're allergic to it or it's poisonous.

What I like about greens is how they make me feel, how they taste, their texture and how they balance out my taste buds. Greens are great! I'm talking about veggies like broccoli, kale, chard, watercress, spinach, rapini, broccolini, rocket, brussel sprouts (love 'em), dandelion greens, escarole, bok choy, collard greens, arugula and more... These veggies make me feel full of energy, as well as feeling relaxed and balanced. I also feel like I have given my body something good. Greens are tasty too; they have a bitterness to them, sometimes light and sometimes strong. Greens even have a bit of sweetness, especially broccoli and broccolini, but also the more bitter greens. Greens are crunchy and fresh or soft when cooked, while still keeping their shape (unless boiled to mush, not recommended).

The really cool and unique thing about greens is they balance out a meal with that bitter flavour. Bitter balances out sweet and is the best way to stop those sweet cravings. If you start your meal with green veggies your taste buds will get that bitter flavour which stimulates digestive enzymes and balances out the sweet flavours that you have in your meal. The sweet flavours in a typical dinner include the carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, rice and other grains. Surprisingly meat is also a sweet flavour. Imagine if you have a meal of pasta with meat sauce and a slice of garlic bread, which all contain "sweet" flavours. You fill up as full as you can and then 30 minutes later you want desert. There are a few things going on here including, possibly Tip #3 of 13 Tips to Be A Healthier Me. But the big thing and the easiest thing to change is to add a green veggie; ideally at the start of the meal.

Here are some ways to get the greens into every meal, including breakfast.

1. Add a handful of spinach to a smoothie. Yes that's right, it is so tasty and I haven't had a complaint yet. Put some berries, half a banana, 1/2 a cup of apple or pear juice, 1tbsp of ground flax seeds and 2 tbsp of hemp seeds.
2. Lightly steam greens until they turn just bright green, not too long. Then drizzle on a bit of healthy oil (extra virgin olive or coconut oil , butter, flax, hemp...) and a pinch of Himalayan salt.
3. Add greens to a stir fry or pasta sauce right at the end.
4. Put a handful of spinach in the bottom of a bowl and put soup, stew or hot rice on top letting it warm and wilt the spinach.
5. Grate zucchini and use it in baking.
6. Add greens to your favourite wrap or sandwich.
7. Blend up greens into a salad dressing.

Enjoy!