The Top 5 Benefits of Including Leafy Greens in Your Diet
14 June 2017
We are all aware of the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle, but with so many diets to choose from and advice available it can often be difficult to understand which one is right for you. The best diets include lots of salad and leafy greens but what are the actual benefits? Here’s the top five, some of which you might be surprised at.
1. Increased weight loss
It’s true that including leafy greens in your diet can have positive effects on your overall health but they also encourage effective weight loss. By adding them to protein rich foods such as chicken, leafy greens such as spinach, bok choy and kale don’t just make your dish more vibrant and delicious but replace the need for carbs within your diet. You can also use juicing techniques to vary your intake of leafy greens with fruit juice, for example. Combined with regular exercise or an occasional juicing retreat, you will soon see the physical effects of getting your greens.
2. Make your brain younger
Believe it or not, including leafy greens in your diet can have positive effects on your brain function as well as your body. Researchers at a University in Chicago have revealed that people who eat one or two portions of leafy greens a day, help to reduce their cognitive decline by up to an astonishing 11 years! This is thought to be linked to the high levels of vitamins and nutrients found within greens such as Vitamin K and beta-carotene.
3. Reduce the risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke
As well as being greatly beneficial for a healthy weight and brain function, consuming more leafy greens can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Researchers at Harvard University produced a study including over 100,000 participants over a 14 year period which concluded that by eating a minimum of two to three servings of leafy greens a day, you can lower your risk of coronary heart disease or a stroke by up to 20 percent compared with those who eat less. Further clinical trials also indicate a reduction in blood pressure.
4. Boost Fertility
Eating increased vegetables and leafy greens can increase your fertility helping you to conceive. The antioxidants found in leafy greens, as well as being rich in other vitamins and nutrients, have shown to significantly help women conceive. However, the study also indicated that a healthy diet was important for both men and women in order to boost fertility.
5. Improve Happiness
Not only do leafy greens have huge physical health benefits, but they are also closely linked to mental health and wellbeing. Eating more than 3 portions of greens per day can significantly improve happiness, helping you feel more confident and able to deal with day to day stress. Incorporating leafy greens into your diet can really help kick-start an improved healthy lifestyle, especially when paired with regular exercise.
