Notes by Nourish

If there’s one thing we should be eating more of, it’s greens, and here I’m going to lay out just why they’re so important.

Here are 7 amazing benefits of consuming your greens:

No. 1 – Cleansers of the Blood

Greens are an incredibly important component of the human diet.
They are cleansing, detoxifying and alkalizing to the body, and help to cleanse and nourish the blood. 

Greens help to:

• remove toxins from the body’s system
• detoxify heavy metals and pollutants
• bring the body towards an alkaline state and away from being too acidic
• bring down areas of inflammation within the body
• provide nutrition
• provide fibre

No. 2 – High in Nutrients

Greens are very high in essential vitamins and minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll and enzymes and are a great source of potent antioxidants.
Dark leafy greens, including:

•  kale| spinach| swiss chard| Brussels sprouts|rocket|collard greens| dandelion greens |beet greens and mustard greens to name a few are incredibly rich in minerals. These include calcium, magnesium, iron, folate and potassium, as well as being high in vitamins A, C and K.

No. 3 – High in Antioxidants

Incredibly high in antioxidants, greens are powerful oxidisers and natural anti-inflammatories. These antioxidants can help our cells fight against environmental stressors and toxins, helping to reduce the negative effect of our daily exposure to harmful oxidising elements.

 No. 4 – Friends of the Digestive System

Dark leafy greens are brilliant for digestion because the bitterness within these leaves stimulates enzyme production and therefore bile flow. Ultimately this helps and promotes digestion.

Eating bitter foods such as rocket or drinking dandelion tea 15 minutes or so before a meal is a great way to enhance digestion. That’s because it stimulates enzyme production that signals to the body “food is coming!”
This encourages the enzymes to break down the food that is consumed.

When food is broken down correctly, the nutrients are much more easily absorbed. As a result, it provides the body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its optimal level.

Plus, greens are super high in fibre so they help to eliminate waste from the digestive tract and remove toxins. Not only does fibre help get things moving, but it also helps to feed the gut flora, encouraging the growth of friendly bacteria which is a great promoter of intestinal health.

No. 5 – Help Beat Sugar Cravings

It is also worth noting that consuming greens regularly can help control sugar cravings and over-eating. Often we consume a lot of food, but it is not necessarily giving us the nutrients we need. Therefore the body cries out for more food in order to try and obtain the nutrients it requires.

Greens are full of these nutrients that the body wants, as well as being high in fibre and complex carbohydrates therefore naturally filling when consumed in their whole form.
Plus, you’ll notice that if you introduce more greens to your diet, over time your desire for sweet will actually reduce.

No. 6 – Greens are Great Friends of the Liver

When processed or fried food is over-eaten, or we are exposed to a lot of environmental stress or pollutants, the liver can become overloaded, overworked and stressed. 
When this happens, it can’t process the amount of toxins coming in efficiently and effectively and then problems can arise.

Green leafy vegetables can help aid detoxification and clear toxic waste from the body. Greens are especially good at neutralizing heavy metals and removing chemicals from the blood due to their high content of chlorophyll.

No. 7 – Algae and Cereal Grasses

It is not just dark leafy greens that are rich in all these nutrients. Algae and cereal grasses also pack a punch when it comes to nutritional benefits.
Try to include wheatgrass, barley grass, spirulina and chlorella into your diet. You’ll likely notice a real shift in your health, from skin health through to energy levels.
These super greens are potent sources of essential nutrients and can help nourish and strengthen the body once made a part of your daily routine.

So now you know why greens are so good, here’s an amazing smoothie that will get you knocking those veggies back in no time!

Tropical Green Detox Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1-2 frozen bananas (cut bananas in half before freezing to make it easier on your blender!)
• A handful of frozen or fresh pineapple
• 1 passionfruit
• 1-2 cups of raw green leafy veg (chard and spinach are good starters and sweeter in taste, starting with 1 cup. Feel free to move on to 2 cups and/or trying out some more bitter ‘greener’ tasting greens such as kale or dandelion)
• 1-2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2-3 cups coconut water/coconut milk/almond milk/ water (depending on how thick/thin you like your smoothies)

Optional add-ins: spirulina powder/ wheatgrass powder / supergreens powder / baobab powder / raw honey

Throw all of the ingredients into a blender and blend!

Emily Nöth

Any questions? Drop into your local Nourish store to chat with our expert team and explore our full range of foods, supplements and skincare. You can also find our full product range in our online store.

Follow (and chat with us) on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to our weekly Nourish newsletter.

*Please note that while we are knowledgeable about our products and nutrition, this blog should never be a substitute for medical advice and attention

Please remember that you should always obtain the all-clear from your doctor before starting any new supplement plan or diet if you’re on any medication