Green vegetables are one of the most important foods you can eat to achieve overall health and wellness. Not only are they rich in vitamins and minerals, but they’re also low in calories and fat, so they’re great weight loss foods, too! Make sure your plate always contains several servings of green veggies each day with these top eight healthy benefits of eating green vegetables.
Reduces risk of heart disease
Eating green vegetables is a great way to reduce your risk of heart disease. The antioxidants in these vegetables help protect the body from free radicals, which can lead to heart disease. Additionally, they are a great source of fiber and vitamins A and C, which help maintain strong bones. If you’re not a fan of eating green vegetables raw, try sautéing them in olive oil for an even healthier option. For a delicious side dish, try sautéing broccoli, kale and spinach together with other veggies. Add garlic and onions for extra flavor. Try throwing them in a soup or a stir fry as well. You can never go wrong with fresh vegetables.
Lowers cholesterol
A diet rich in green vegetables can lower cholesterol levels. The fiber found in greens helps to reduce the absorption of cholesterol and bile acids in the body. This is because fiber carries with it fat-soluble compounds that bind cholesterol on its way through the digestive system, carrying it out rather than letting it make its way back into the bloodstream. As a result, when people eat more high-fiber foods such as green vegetables, they excrete more bile acid and less cholesterol from their bodies. This is why a diet high in fiber has been linked to an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol and a decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Contributes to weight loss
Eating green vegetables can help you lose weight by providing an abundance of nutrition and fiber. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry found that eating two to three servings per day reduces a person’s risk for obesity by up to 29%. Furthermore, another study published in Nutrition Journal revealed that people who eat vegetables are more likely to be physically active than those who don’t. This is due to the fact that vegetables take longer to chew and digest than any other food type.
Improves vision
Eating a diet with plenty of green vegetables helps you improve your vision. The high levels of antioxidants found in green vegetables help protect the eyes from free radicals that can cause cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. A diet rich in leafy greens also reduces your risk for glaucoma, an eye disease that causes a loss or reduction in peripheral vision, by about 50%. Glaucoma can lead to blindness.
There’s even evidence that a diet rich in green vegetables may improve your vision, as it can reduce your risk for macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is a common condition that causes age-related deterioration to your eyes. It’s estimated to affect more than 10 million people in America alone, including many elderly people over 60. People who eat large quantities of leafy greens have been shown to have up to a 60% lower risk for macular degeneration compared to those who eat less of these foods.
Contain Antioxidants
Green vegetables are rich in antioxidants. These nutrients help fight free radicals and promote health by protecting cells from oxidative damage, boosting the immune system, and creating overall well-being. They also serve as powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can help relieve symptoms of arthritis and asthma.
Prevents iron deficiency
Green vegetables provide a number of health benefits, one being that they are an excellent source of iron. Not only do green vegetables provide much-needed iron to the body, they also help reduce the risk of developing anemia and iron deficiency. As with all foods, it’s important to choose organic whenever possible in order to avoid exposure to pesticides and other harmful chemicals that can be toxic when ingested. Consuming foods high in iron can also help improve fitness levels and overall well-being.
Keep your brain healthy
When it comes to brain health, there are two nutrients that stand out: omega-3s and folate. Omega-3s have been shown to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, while folate (found in dark green leafy vegetables) helps maintain healthy levels of homocysteine – an amino acid in the blood which has been linked with cognitive decline.
