Get Your Green Goodness

Stray Away from Boring Iceberg by Adding Some Excitement to Your Salad to Start the Meal

We’ve put together an awesome list of why you should eat all the green goodness you can and even some red ones!

9 Reasons to “Eat Your Radishes!”

While many vegetables have been pushed upon us at the dinner table as kids, you don’t often hear “eat your radishes honey.” Broccoli, spinach, green beans and asparagus are the more common culprits, but it might be worth adding radishes to the repertoire. As a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli, radishes have a host of health benefits but are typically under-appreciated – pushed around on crudité platters until they’re all that’s left and then drowned in ranch dressing to wash them down.

However, for both their health benefits and amazing array of flavors radishes top our list of foods to start paying more attention to and eating on a daily basis. Especially in the spring and early summer when they grow locally and can be picked at their height of freshness and flavor, radishes should be a staple item in your kitchen.

Beyond the natural zing and satisfying crunch they provide, here are nine reasons to “eat your radishes!”

1. Naturally cooling

Radishes are a naturally cooling food and their pungent flavor is highly regarded in eastern medicine for the ability to decrease excess heat in the body that can build up during the warmer months.

2. Soothe sore throats

Their pungent flavor and natural spice can help eliminate excess mucus in the body and can be especially helpful when fighting a cold. Radishes can help clear the sinuses and soothe sore throats too.

3. Aids digestion

Radishes are a natural cleansing agent for the digestive system, helping to break down and eliminate stagnant food and toxins built up over time.

4. Prevents viral infections

Because of their high vitamin C content and natural cleansing effects, regular consumption of radishes can help prevent viral infections.

5. Eliminates toxins

In Eastern and Ayurvedic healing practices radishes are said to have effective toxin-purging effects, helping break down and eliminate toxins and cancer-causing free radicals in the body.

6. Protects against cancer

As a member of the cruciferous vegetable family (same family as broccoli and cabbage) radishes contain phytonutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals that are cancer protecting.

7. Relieves indigestion

Radishes have a calming effect on the digestive system and can help relieve bloating and indigestion.

8. Low in calories, high in nutrients

With a very low-calorie count, less than 20 calories in an entire cup, radishes are a great way to add nutrients, fiber and tons of flavor to your meals without compromising your health.

9. Keeps you hydrated

With a high water content and lots of vitamin C as well as phosphorus and zinc, radishes are a nourishing food for the tissues and can help keep your body hydrated and your skin looking fresh and healthy all summer long!

Want a recipe to go along with your next bunch of radishes? Try our  What is your favorite way to eat these delicious vegetables?

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Dandelion Greens – so much more than a Weed!

This wild green is most commonly thought of as a weed, known best for its prolific yellow flowers. But dandelion greens are one of the most nutritious and healing greens you can buy or forage. The flowers are edible too. Dandelion greens have more vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, and iron than even broccoli.

Dandelion greens are powerful cleansers as they support proper digestion. They are a diuretic and a laxative, so they increase urine and stool production which supports the elimination of toxins. They also reduce swelling and have been shown to treat viruses, edema, gout, eczema, and acne. ¹

Dandelion greens are one of the first greens to be harvested in the Spring and are best in salads when tender and young. However, the large dandelion greens make a great addition to green smoothies or they can replace the greens in our recipes for Sauteed Collard Greens or Mustard Greens in Coconut Milk.

If you wish to gather your own dandelion greens make certain to find a place safe from the use of pesticides and other chemicals. Roadsides, parks and public lawns are probably not safe areas for foraging your dandelion greens! Watch for them in specialty markets and health food stores in the early Spring.

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Purple Romaine

Bibb lettuce, a variety of butterhead lettuce also known as limestone lettuce, is a watery type of lettuce that can be highly flavorful yet is low in calories. Bibb lettuce is delicate but may not be appropriate for everyday use, as it can be expensive. Despite the low-calorie content, Bibb lettuce is rich in several important nutrients and can be a healthy addition to your diet.

Calories: Bibb lettuce is very low in calories, as a cup of shredded Bibb lettuce provides only 7 calories. If you’re dieting, Bibb lettuce can be a good substitute for higher-calorie foods, as it would take less than 1 minute of jogging or about 2 minutes of lifting weights to burn 7 calories, according to MayoClinic.com.

Fiber: A large portion of the carbohydrates in Bibb lettuce come from dietary fiber. Each cup of shredded Bibb lettuce contains 0.6 g of fiber. While this is a significant portion of the carbohydrates in the lettuce, it’s not a significant portion of the daily recommended intake; men should consume 38 g daily, while women should consume 25 g daily, according to the Institute of Medicine.

Vitamins and Minerals: Bibb lettuce is very high in vitamin A; each cup provides 60 percent of the daily suggested intake for men and 79 percent of the daily suggested intake for women. Bibb lettuce also offers 47 percent of the daily suggested intake of vitamin K for men and 63 percent of the suggested daily intake of vitamin K for women. Bibb lettuce is also rich in potassium and folate.

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Kale

Move over Popeye and make room for the “queen of greens,” kale. Gaining in popularity, kale is an amazing vegetable being recognized for its exceptional nutrient richness, health benefits, and delicious flavor.

Eating a variety of natural, unprocessed vegetables can do wonders for your health, but choosing super-nutritious kale on a regular basis may provide significant health benefits, including cancer protection and lowered cholesterol.

Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. A leafy green, kale is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

What makes kale so exceptional? Here is why it’s a superstar vegetable — and ways to work it into your diet.

Kale is a Nutritional Powerhouse

One cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K — and sulfur-containing phytonutrients.

Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.

Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.

Super-Rich in Vitamin K

Eating a diet rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K can reduce the overall risk of developing or dying from cancer, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vitamin K is abundant in kale but also found in parsley, spinach, collard greens, and animal products such as cheese.

Vitamin K is necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions, including normal blood clotting, antioxidant activity, and bone health.

But too much vitamin K can pose problems for some people. Anyone taking anticoagulants such as warfarin should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K may interfere with the drugs. Consult your doctor before adding kale to your diet.

Kale might be a powerhouse of nutrients but is also contains oxalates, naturally occurring substances that can interfere with the absorption of calcium. Avoid eating calcium-rich foods like dairy at the same time as kale to prevent any problems.

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Purple Cabbage

The purple cabbage is a variety of the head cabbage that grows close to the ground and has abundant leaves that are removed prior to cooking. European farmers developed the head cabbage in the Middle Ages. Today, growers in California, Texas, Georgia and New York cultivate the vegetable. Raw purple cabbage is often tossed into salads and when cooked, adding lemon juice preserves its purple color.

Fiber: A 1-cup serving of chopped purple cabbage provides 2 g of fiber or 8 percent of the 25-g daily value as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration. Dietary fiber prevents excess cholesterol from entering your bloodstream through the wall of your small intestine; the fiber absorbs the cholesterol and excretes it through the waste elimination process.

Potassium: The potassium content in 1 cup of chopped purple cabbage is 216 mg or 6 percent of the 3500-mg daily value. Potassium keeps your body’s fluid level from fluctuating to unhealthy volumes, preventing potassium-related blood pressure disorders. It also prevents heart muscle stress by supporting the contraction that fuels your heartbeat.

Vitamin C: The vitamin C content in purple cabbage is nutritionally significant. A 1-cup serving provides 51 mg, or 85 percent, of the 60-mg daily requirement. Cooking decomposes some of the nutrient. Raw purple cabbage contains a higher level of vitamin C than it does when cooked. Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant. It protects cells from the DNA and compositional destruction that metabolic toxins often cause.

Vitamin A: The vitamin A content in purple cabbage is 20 percent of the 5000 IU required each day or 993 IU per 1-cup serving. Vitamin A is a nutrient that provides a variety of functions in your body. It produces retina pigments for your eyes, maintains vision health and improves vision at night. It also supports your body’s immune response, reducing your risk of microbial infection.

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Bok Choy

A staple in Asian cooking, this round-leafed vegetable may be less familiar to American cooks. Here’s what you need to know — including what its name means, how to wash it, and how to use it.

Bok Choy’s Name: Bok choy is sometimes referred to as white cabbage, not to be confused with Napa cabbage, which is also a type of Chinese cabbage. There are many kinds of bok choy that vary in color, taste, and size, including tah tsai and joi choi.

Bok Choy’s Family: Bok choy might look a lot like celery, but it’s a member of the cabbage family.

Bok Choy History: The Chinese have been cultivating the vegetable for more than 5,000 years.

Bok Choy Cultivation: Although the veggie is still grown in China, bok choy is now also harvested in California and parts of Canada.

Cooking with Bok Choy: Bok choy, known for its mild flavor, is good for stir-fries, braising, and soups and can also be eaten raw.

Cleaning Bok Choy: The leaves and the stalks can both be cooked, but should be separated before washing to ensure that both parts are thoroughly cleansed.

Keeping Bok Choy: For optimal freshness, don’t wash bok choy until you’re ready to use. Unused parts can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to six days.

Bok Choy Vitamins: The veggie is packed with vitamins A and C — one cup of cooked bok choy provides more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance of A, and close to two-thirds the RDA of C.

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Escarole (Endive)

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Romaine Lettuce for a Better Salad

If you’re looking for a traditional and familiar lettuce, you can’t go wrong with romaine. Romaine lettuce is low calorie, high in water content, and packed with nutrients. It’s crunchy and sweet so it’s great for salads, wraps, and green smoothies.

The fiber in romaine is particularly cleansing and heart healthy. It combats cholesterol by preventing it from oxidizing and sticking to the insides of arteries. Romaine is full of vitamins A, K, C as well as folate, manganese, and chromium. ²

Lettuce is listed among the “dirtily dozen” by the Environmental Working Group. These are the 12 foods that test for the highest concentration of pesticide residue when grown conventionally. So be sure to buy your lettuce organic.

Lettuce and other greens are also prone to carrying microscopic bacteria and parasites, so it’s wise to remove these in a safe way. Soaking any of your suspect produce in a mild solution of apple cider vinegar will purge the bugs. Use one tablespoon of vinegar per gallon of water and soak for 15 minutes. ³

Romaine and leaf lettuce should be washed and dried before storing in the refrigerator. It will keep this way for up to 7 days. A salad spinner is a great investment for drying your lettuce without damaging the tender leaves.

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Photography by Aric Attas

Originally Published on Vero Home Life & Design