THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
It is no secret that greens are good for the body but surprisingly, despite their large number of nutritional advantages, they are one of the most under-consumed foods in the average person 's diet. There is such a wide variety of green vegetable with different textures and tastes that including one or more as part of a balanced diet need no longer be a point of contention. They can easily be incorporated in recipe favorites, are inexpensive and can be grown easily in your very own garden.
Green leafy vegetables also contain high levels of dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, calcium and even Omega-3 fatty acids, which serve to maintain eye health, aid in digestive regulation, increase bone strength and boost the immune system.
Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, probably the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important than we once thought (the current minimum may not be optimal), and many people do not get enough of it.
Weight loss, cancer prevention, anti-aging qualities and even bone strength - the health benefits of leafy green vegetables are many in number.
Due to their high fat and water-soluble antioxidant content, green leafy
Bibliography: Friedman, Philip et. al. GROILER ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KNOWLEDGE. 2000 THE COLUMBIA ENCYCLOPEDIA, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004