7 Green Vegetables You Need in Your Diet

We are told that in order to be healthy we need to eat the rainbow every day, meaning we need to eat as many colorful fruits and vegetables each day as possible. And, while colorful foods are indeed rich in important vitamins and nutrients beneficial to our health, green vegetables are the real powerhouses of health.

Green vegetables are loaded with magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, as well as vitamins K, C and E. And, when you see the veggies on this list, you’ll understand that all of those health benefits are wrapped into some of the most delicious veggies on the planet!

Spinach

Popeye knew what he was doing when he downed those cans of spinach! Though this dark, leafy green contains many beneficial nutrients, the three biggies are folate (also known as folic acid), potassium, and magnesium. Just a half cup of cooked spinach boasts 50% of the recommended daily amount of folate. Folate is essential for a healthy nervous system and the production of healthy blood cells. The magnesium found in spinach relaxes sore muscles, is good for heart health, and helps your body properly use calcium.

Spinach is incredibly versatile and delicious raw and cooked. Toss a handful into your smoothies, saute some up with a little olive oil and garlic, or make a quick and easy salad for lunch or dinner.

Kale

Kale is an excellent source of vitamin C. In fact, just 100g of kale provides 120 mg of this powerful antioxidant. Another one of kale’s power nutrients is calcium, so it’s great for keeping those bones strong and healthy as we age.

Kale is another versatile green that can be eaten raw or cooked, so toss some in that smoothie, in your omelet or salad or steam it for a healthy side dish.

Bok Choy

Besides being rich in potassium, which is crucial for healthy muscle and nerve functioning, it’s also an excellent source of vitamin A. Vitamin A is what keeps our eyes and skin healthy and helps to prevent cancer.

Bok choy is delicious when braised with veggie stock, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce. Since the leaves are so soft and pliable, you can easily stuff and roll them with cream cheese or peanut butter for a healthy snack.

Avocado

Okay, if in your head you’re saying, “But wait, I thought avocados were a fruit,” you are correct, they are. But since many people forget this fact, we thought we’d add them to our veggie list.

Don’t let its small size fool you, the avocado is packed with nutrients. It actually has twice the potassium of a banana, contains around 10g of fiber, and is loaded with vitamins K, E, and B6.

Add some avocado to your salads and sandwiches, and, of course, whip up some guacamole – a healthy alternative to dip.

Broccoli

If you didn’t like broccoli growing up, let’s hope you like it now, because it’s one of the most highly nutritious foods on the planet, containing over 20 vitamins and minerals. It’s rich in vitamins A and C, and contains sulforaphane, which aids in increasing the levels of enzymes that block cancer. But that’s not all – broccoli also contains indole-3 carbinol, which helps to balance hormones. In this way, broccoli has been found to be very effective at fighting hormone-related cancers such as breast and prostate.

Broccoli can be eaten raw, though most people prefer it steamed or sautéed in a little olive oil and garlic.

Dandelion Greens

Many of us can remember being young and turning our noses up at our grandparents digging in the yard for dandelion greens, then cooking them on the stove and offering us some. But it turns out, our grandparents knew something we didn’t. Mainly that this commonly overlooked leafy green has more than double the vitamin A of spinach and is also highest in thiamin and riboflavin – two important members of the B vitamin family.

Dandelion greens can be really bitter, and my grandmother always soaked hers in cold salt water for 10 or so minutes. Then she’d cook them in butter, olive oil, red onions, salt and pepper and serve them up. I may have said no as a kid, but now I can’t get enough!

Asparagus

You know it’s spring when local asparagus becomes available. But luckily we can eat this delicious green veggie all year round. Asparagus is packed with Vitamins C, A, and K as well as Folate. The phytochemicals in asparagus produce an anti-inflammatory effect that may benefit arthritis pain.

[Editor’s note: Of course, to really treat arthritis pain once and for all, you’ve got to get to the root of the problem. And now, with Triflexarin, you can. Find out how you can eliminate arthritis pain for good in as little as 7 days.]

For optimum health, start eating more fresh, organic green veggies. Your body will thank you.