Tuesday, 21st of December 2010 at 02:04:37 PMWe have all been told, at one time or another, to eat our vegetables by our parents. As it turns out, they really did know what was best for you. Leafy green veggies are just about the best thing you can eat, regardless if you are on a diet or not. They are packed with goodness and they can be prepared a number of different ways so you’ll never get sick of them. If you are following a weight loss diet, including leafy greens is one of the best things you can do.
There are some great weight loss benefits of leafy greens so stock up today and see the pounds start to melt away.
Nutrients, Nutrients, Nutrients
Leaf for leaf, no other food on earth has more nutrients than leafy, green veggies. Spinach, for instance, is not only Popeye’s food of choice, it really is a wonder-veggie when it comes to keeping you healthy. In a serving of boiled spinach, you can obtain over 100% of your daily intake of Vitamin K and over 300% of your Vitamin A. If you eat it raw, you’ll be even better off. It used to be that you could only get spinach a few months per year, but now, thanks to worldwide farming, you can get it year round.
Antioxidants and Anti-Cancer Agents
The goal for most people when they start a diet is to lose weight, and hopefully begin a new chapter in healthy eating that carries over long after the pounds have disappeared. However, did you know that a diet heavy in leafy greens can help prevent cancer? It is true. Our good friend spinach as well as its other leafy green pals, such as kale, beet greens, arugula and bok choy, have been shown to be packed full of antioxidants, which are good for your blood flow and your heart and anti-cancer agents, as well.
There is also evidence that anti-oxidants may improve your body’s ability to burn fat (to learn more, read the post “How Antioxidants Enhance Weight Loss”). Since most of us need all the help we can get when it comes to shedding those pounds, it is nice to know that not only will leafy greens keep your body healthy, but at the same time they will help slim down your waistline.
Bone and Body Health
The Vitamin K that was mentioned above is good for you in a number of ways. Along with calcium, Vitamin K is a major player in bone health. This is especially important for older women on diets. Bone density loss is often cited as the main reason why bone breaks are more common in the elderly. Calcium supplements are a multi-million dollar business every year, but you can get all the bone health you need by having an extra helping of leafy greens every day.
Excellent Source of Fiber
Every dieters friend is fiber. Fiber helps to curb hunger because it is processed slower through the digestive system. Leafy greens are naturally high in dietary fiber and thus make an excellent addition to any weight loss menu plan (for an interesting read about fiber, see the article “How Fiber Helps Weight Loss”).
Common Types of Leafy Greens
There are many types of leafy greens and you can find many of them at your local grocery store. Some common types of leafy greens are: spinach, swiss chard, kale, endive, lettuce, arugula and bok choy. The darker the leaf the more nutrients it contains. Kale and spinach are ones I use all the time in cooking, whereas I consider iceburg lettuce to be the “junk food” of the leafy greens family as it has substantially fewer nutrients than most.
As you can see, there are some great weight loss benefits of leafy greens. Stock up today and see the pounds start to melt away.
Other Related Posts and Articles you May Find Interesting: “Weight Loss Foods with Healing Powers”, “Healthy Weight Loss Diet May Prevent Cancer”, “Best Foods for Weight Loss” and “Weight Loss Vitamins in Your Diet”.
Leafy greens are known to be really good for our health and can help us prevent illnesses and diseases. But what I like about leafy greens is that they are perfect for my diet. =)
Don’t forget about fruits, they are just as rich as vegetables in antioxidants. They are great to use to spice up your variety.
I had no idea iceburg lettuce doesn’t come up to par with the nutrients in other lettuce. My husband and I have been eating iceburg lettuce for years as our “salad” intake. I just assumed all lettuce was created equal. It’s too bad because we are finally used to it as we had to force greens into our diet. Thanks for the eye opener. Back to the drawing board I guess.
LisaRae
The best leafy greens for weight loss are spinach, collard greens, kale, rainbow chard and mustard greens. They say you should have at least three servings of leafy greens per day and it will help you to avoid diabetes, fight off heart disease, as well as protect you from certain cancers and lose weight all at the same time.