“Mom, I don’t like this vegetable, I won’t have it. Give me something else.”
“It’s good for your health, be quiet and eat it.”

Once in a while, we all have such silly arguments with our moms, but have you ever
wondered why our parents want us to eat green vegetables? Why do they always demand
that we eat healthy food instead of packaged junk?

Let’s know today, we all have heard that green vegetables are healthy and important for a
fit and disease-free lifestyle.
Green vegetables, which are also called greens, green leafy vegetables or leafy greens, are
the vegetables which are either edible plant leaves or the fruits of those green plants. While
some of these vegetables can be eaten raw, some require cooking.
A healthy lifestyle needs a balanced diet and good food. In today’s generation, many people
are grappling with issues like poor health, poor digestion, weight management, obesity,
extra fat, easy fatigue etc.…

The prime reason behind such issues is an imbalanced diet along
with junk food. People run behind taste and leave health aside. Rather, it is important to
find taste within the healthy part.

Green vegetables help a person to maintain a great
lifestyle in numerous ways, some of which are given below,
• Ideal source of nutrition
Green vegetables are one of the most beneficial sources of nutrition, the other being fruits.
Vegetables like kale, peas, spinach, etc… provide sufficient nutrition that your body requires.
It contains lots of fiber and minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium.

• Plant-based vitamins
Natural extracts from plants in the form of plant leaves or vegetables are packed with
Vitamins such as Vitamin A, C, K and Folate.

• Improves bowel movements
Green vegetables contain great fiber, which helps in digestion and helps in pushing waste
out of the body easily.

• Antioxidants

Compounds of antioxidant effects are present in green leafy vegetables. Spinach and kale
contain antioxidant properties like lutein and zeaxanthin that help prevent strokes and
cardiovascular diseases.

• Improves eyesight
Vegetables like spinach, kale, Arugula, coriander leaves, are rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A
contains retinal which helps to protect the surface of eyes. Studies suggest that people with
weak eye-sight must consume green vegetables in their daily diet routines.

• Healthy skin
With great health for the body, vegetables also help maintain a healthy and glowing skin.
Vegetable juices, salads, cooked meals and even raw vegetables are packed with beta-
carotene for a fresh and clear skin. Skin issues like premature ageing, wrinkles, acne, skin
damage, can be avoided by daily consumption of green vegetables.

• Weight management
Junk food adds fat and hampers the cholesterol levels in the body, but green vegetables can
help manage those. Weight has always been a big issue and maintaining a healthy weight
has been tough, but adding green vegetables to your meals can really help a balanced diet;
fiber, water, nutrients, and will prove to be a perfect addition to a weight-loss diet.

• Good mood with sound sleep
While it sounds random and false, green vegetables actually promote the quality of sleep
and enhance one’s mood. A substance called choline affects the sleep cycle and helps your
mood to be happier. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the brain and their neurological
functioning and thus, green vegetables promote excellent memory.

• Treatment of health issues
Doctors suggest green vegetables for treatment of anemia alongwith medication, as they
carry nutrients like iron and vitamin C. Other benefits such as maintenance of hemoglobin,
reduction of anxiety and stress, improvement of bone density is also available in green
vegetables.

Here’s a list of a wide variety of green vegetables to choose from:

• Kale
• Cabbage
• Peas
• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Watercress
• Celery
• Spring onion
• Swiss chard
• Arugula
• Iceberg
• Parsley
• Leafy greens like drumstick leaves, basil leaves, coriander leaves, Fenugreek leaves,
moringa leaves, mint leaves, amaranth leaves, curry leaves etc…

The bottom line, as we can see the amazing benefits of green vegetables and a great variety
of them to choose from, why skip greens as a part of your meals? A pretty skin, good health,
and a clean environment call for green vegetables, so add them to your daily diet. Taste can
be consumed in any form but making green vegetables tasty and flavoursome is important.
Eat green, stay clean!