Make Greens Your BFF*

Greens are tops for nutritional impact, for healing potency, for weight loss benefits, for restorative possibilities, and for taste and eye appeal. Greens are beneficial for people of all ages and stages. My grandchildren love to pick their own dinner greens from the backyard garden and so do I. Some of us may have medical limitations on certain dark green leafy vegetables, but dosages are easily adjusted by competent physicians to account for greens consumption.

Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., author of PREVENT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE is advising heart patients to consume dark green leafy vegetables 6 times daily!  Yes, SIX! What’s so special about greens for heart patients?  They have high ORAC VALUE (Oxygen Radical Absorptive Capacity).  In other words, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, swiss chard, turnip and mustard greens, bok choy, arugula, Brussels sprouts and spinach are powerful natural antioxidants that accelerate resolution of heart disease.  Dr. Esselstyn explains that eating a portion the size of one’s fist (after cooking 5 minutes and seasoning with a splash of balsamic vinegar) 6 times throughout the day literally bathes the delicate endothelial lining of the blood vessels in antioxidants.  These antioxidant-rich greens break down the “cauldron of oxidated inflammation” which makes up the blood vessel plaque all of us have from years of consuming THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET of meat, dairy and refined foods.

So, eat your greens with purpose and pleasure, knowing that they are your *Best Friend Forever. 

Here are my top ten 10 quick and easy tips for maximizing greens consumption while minimizing preparation:

• Combine beans and greens for amazing salads
• Add chopped greens to soups and sauces
• Toss greens on pizza 
• Stuff greens into sandwiches 
• Include greens in burritos/tortillas 
• Mix greens with diced fruit
• Make big-leaf wraps 
• Blend green smoothies 
• Decorate dinner with greens
• Garnish everything with micro greens