While most people do not opt for greens when they are hungry, here are 3 reasons why you should 🙂

1. Greens are good for you!

They are filled with loads of vitamins and nutrients, which are good in combating different diseases and illnesses.

2.    Greens are often inexpensive.

I usually get 1 lb of organic salad from Safeway for $5 and it usually lasts me a week. If you don’t have a Safeway, Kroger and Aldi also has similar deals. You can also find really good deals on frozen veggies.

3. Greens can keep you fuller longer and can also help curb cravings.

When you give you body what it needs (vitamins and nutrients), your cravings should go away. When I eat veggies, I tend to not reach for high carb/overly processed snacks.

It is recommend that adults eat at least 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit.   Try to eat mostly low carbohydrate veggies, as these tend to have more nutrients than high carb veggies.

Follow these links to get more information on vegetables and fruits categories.

While it is best to get the organic version of fruits and vegetables  that are high in pesticides, if organic is too expensive, get the non-organic (conventionally grown) version. It is better to eat conventionally grown veggies than to eat no veggies at all!

Fresh and frozen veggies are better than veggies from cans, which are often loaded with salt, preservatives and chemicals.

It is also great to purchase locally grown produce from farmer’s markets in your area.

The key eating more green veggies is to start with the ones you like best!

My favorite ways to get my greens in:

1. Green smoothies – with avocado or greek yogurt, so I stay fuller longer
2. Salads – with avocados, nuts, cheese and homemade dressing (using olive oil instead of canola)
3. Cabbage – sautéed with butter and creole seasoning (or salt and pepper)
4. Stemmed Broccoli/Cauliflower – with butter and creole seasoning (or salt and pepper), or you can add cheese if you’d prefer
5. Roasted brussel sprouts  and asparagus

CHALLENGE

Eat at least one green veggie this week. If you can eat one daily that would be even better! I’m not asking you to give up what you are currently eating, however, you can if you would like. Just try adding a green veggie to what you already eat and see if you feel different. Here are some salad-free ways to get them in.

ALTERNATIVE CHALLENGE

If you already eat greens, try eating them daily. If you already eat them daily, try getting 3 or more servings in each day.

FUN FACT

It has been shown that good fats (like butter, coconut oil or avocado) can help your body to absorb more of the nutrients found in vegetables.