dark leafy green vegetables are all the rage among healthc conscious eaters but the fact is that only a few Americans meet the minimum requirement of these nutritional powerhouses hi viewers and welcome back to bestie green leafy vegetables are some of the most important foods they provide you with essential vitamins minerals antioxidants and fibers that keep you healthy the best part is that there's so many of them to choose from and in today's video we'll tell you the healthiest green leafy vegetables that pack the most powerful nutritional punch from Brussels sprouts micro greens arugula color greens
to broccoli and more watch till the end to learn about all of them number one kale probably the most famous leafy green vegetable kale has a leg up with its hearty green leaves unlike lettuce and spinach it's a cruciferous vegetable it contains vitamins K C A and B6 it's also loaded with minerals like folate fiber and manganese apart from these it's also loaded with something called gluin lates which are sulfur containing compounds that support immune function and normal inflammatory process cesses they also help your body remove toxins through natural detoxification in the liver so what's
a delicious way to get all the health benefits of kale well you can eat it raw in a salad of course but there's an even better way combine it with a splash of olive oil and heat it in a pan on the stove which complements the slightly bitter flavor the Heat and olive oil will break down fibers and make the nutrients more absorbable when prepared properly K may even help balance LDL or bad cholesterol levels are you a fan of K what's your preferred way of preparing it we would love to know Down Below in
the comment section number two brussels sprouts brussels sprouts are another healthy cruciferous vegetable they contain certain antioxidants shown to help counteract cell damage it's also an approachable Gateway vegetable for Skeptics when roasted until crispy in addition to helping you ward off adverse health conditions they're chalk full of vitamins minerals and fiber they're particularly high in vitamins a c and k as well as potassium and folate these make them a great pick for supporting overall immune function blood and bone health not only did their antioxidants play a pivotal role in keeping you healthy but brussels sprouts
provide 3 G of fiber per one cup which can help you feel more satisfied after a meal number three spinach how can we talk about the healthiest green leafy vegetables and not mention spinach there are many different kinds but the most common is flat or smooth leaf spinach which you can easily find at your local store other varieties include seavoy and semi seavoy spinach which both sport a more wrinkled Co or Leaf no matter which variety you choose they contain ample amounts of nutrients including vitamins k a c e and B2 also folate calcium potassium
manganese zinc and fiber these nutrients are crucial for your body to function smoothly they support muscle mass bone density heart health kidney function and your body's inflammatory response spinach is also known for its high protein content it contains a whopping 3 g of protein per 100 G serving that might not sound like much until you compare it to something like peanut butter but that only has 25 G per 100 G serving but then again who puts peanut butter in a salad when you compare it to Roma lettuce less than half a gram it stands up
as a great choice keep in mind the nutritional value of spinach changes based on how you prepare it many vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and folate are lost when it's cooked on the other hand cooked spinach provides higher levels of vitamin A and iron than when eaten raw additionally one cup cooked contains over 800 mg of potassium and 4 G of fiber number four micro greens here's proof that great things come in small packages micro greens are the underdeveloped greens of vegetables such as kale arugula and broccoli they're harvested just one or two weeks
after planting and are a treasure Trove of vital nutrients a study found that several varieties of micro greens including cabbage and cilantro contain nutrient levels up to six times greater than those found in mature plants during early development vegetables need a full arsenal of vitamins minerals and antioxidants to support their growth so they're packed with more of the good stuff ranging in flavor from peppery to Tangy use micro greens to punch up salads soups and sandwiches number five Swiss ched this may be the healthiest green you're not eating a relative of the Beet family ched
tastes similar to spinach and it's growing in popularity while it does have a higher sodium count than other salad greens with 77 G per cup it also has more than double your daily requirement for vitamin K it contains 12% of your daily requirement of vitamin A and C consider combining it with a few other greens to make your own mix Swiss chard has a distinct flavor that not everyone appreciates it tastes great sauteed with garlic and onions and mixes into a kiche or frittata well number six mustard greens as the name implies these are the
Lacy edged leaves of the same plant that gives mustard seeds they tend to be a little less better and more peppery tasting than kale or swiss chard and come second only de kale in beta carotene inside your body beta carotene can be converted to vitamin A to bolst your eye and bone health these greens also contain an arsenal of phytonutrients called gluc inates that can rev up detoxification enzymes these can help protect the cells of your liver and other organs from all the nasties of free radical damage number seven arugula arugula has a pungent peppery
flavor that has worked its way into the recipes of many Rockstar chefs you'll most often find it at the grocery store and plastic containers alongside baby spinach vegans those lactose intolerant and anyone who doesn't like milk should know note that it's a surprisingly good source of calcium in fact it has one of the highest amounts of this bone Builder on her list loading up on arugula may also help you Breeze through your workouts since it has high levels of natural nitrates this is what your body converts to nitric oxide which increases muscle blood flow studies
found that they can help your muscles work more efficiently during exercise number eight spirulina this nutritious algae isn't just for pretty turquoise smoothies spirulina is one of the most impressive greens you can add to your diet study show that it can help support regular immune function in its powdered form 100 G of Spirulina contains exceptional values of vitamins minerals and protein it contains 60 to 70% protein depending on where it was harvested it's full of vitamin A K and a range of B vitamins as well with just one serving women can hit nearly 50% of
the daily recommended intake of calcium including it in your diet can help support healthy cholesterol levels too number nine colored greens this Southern favorite has large leathery leaves and a somewhat mild flavor but its tough texture calls for longer cooking times than other Greens on top of providing a pad of vitamin K C and beta carotene collards contain higher amounts of dietary fiber than other leafy greens a study found that women who ate the most fiber had almost 25% lower risk of suffering heart disease than those who consumed the least did you know that not
all vegetables are created equal some of them are good for you while others are not to know what we're talking about watch this video titled eight healthy vegetables you should be eating and eight you shouldn't now back to healthy green leafy vegetables you should eat every day number 10 Water Crest popular in Europe This salad green is often used in the United States as a mere garnish but don't underestimate its power in your diet it's more nutrient Rich than Roma and leaf lettuce just one cup fulfills almost 3/4 of your daily requirement of vitamin K
it's also a good source of vitamin C Water Crest makes a delicious addition to a salad it has a peppery flavor which you can enjoy alone B with just a touch of oil and vinegar you can also puree it into a soup for an extra dose of flavor and nutrition number 11 parle while not technically lettuce this leafy garnish that sits on the side of your plate is a quiet superfood it's so packed with nutrients that even one sprig can help you meet your daily requirement of vitamin K moreover research suggests that it can also
help control your appetite in a study participants ate significantly less of a dish that smelled strongly of spice than a mildly scented version of the same food adding herbs like parsley creates the sensory illusion that you're indulging in something rich without adding any fat or calories to your plate number 12 broccoli this vegetable is part of the Cabbage family although it looks similar to cauliflower it's rich in nutrients with a single cup packing 135% and 116% of the recommended values for vitamin C and K respectively it's also a great source of fiber calcium folate and
phosphorus of all vegetables in the Cabbage family broccoli is the richest in the plant compound sulfurane this may improve your bacterial gut flora and decrease your risk of cancer and heart disease while vegetables are a great way to stay healthy you can do the same by avoiding certain types of foods get to know what they are by finding out the foods to avoid at all costs if you want a healthy liver or knowing the foods to avoid for the flat belly you've always dreamed of these two videos will definitely better your understanding of healthy foods
what's your favorite green leafy vegetable let us know in the comment section below
