It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with your meals. We find something we like and we stick with it leaving most of us to repeat the same meals and snacks again and again. Even when we’re presented with a mountain of fresh green vegetables we still reach for our old favourites. We’re creatures of habit.
Variety is key to a healthy, balanced diet. No single vegetable can give you all the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals your body needs. So, try out green vegetables you wouldn’t normally choose.
All green vegetables supply us with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. They are also high in fibre, which can help prevent glucose spikes. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts also contain a phytochemical compound called sulforaphane, which studies show may help protect against certain types of cancers. (1) Experiment with the leaves you put in your salads. Watercress and spinach are nutrient dense choices, rich in vitamin C and the B vitamin folate. (2)
Why not get around to trying kale? It’s a good source of calcium and iron. You can add it to salads, curries, and smoothies. You can even bake kale chips.
Kale chips: Rinse kale and remove the thick stems. Cut leaves into bite sized pieces then wash and thoroughly dry the kale. Drizzle with olive oil (you can massage the oil into the leaves), sea salt, and some of your favourite spices (chilli, paprika, etc). Spread out on a baking sheet, without the leaves touching one another, and bake at 150 degrees Celsius for 20–30 minutes.