it's easy eating green

What better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than by indulging in some leafy green vegetables! I know what you're thinking, indulge in vegetables? Ya, right. But leafy greens are low calorie foods packed with vitamins A, C, and K, potassium and fiber. Many also contain antioxidants which are substances that may help to reduce the risk of age-related diseases including Alzheimer's Disease. For vegetarians and vegans greens are a great way to get calcium in your diet. So indulge in this food for its vitamins, minerals and health benefits!

Greens can be eaten raw or cooked, but should always be washed before eating in order to wash away soil and pesticides that may still linger on the leaves. Before you serve raw greens soak them in ice water for about two minutes. This makes the green color more vibrant and appealing. Cooking greens helps to take away some of the bitter taste they often have when eaten raw. However, boiling greens for too long can cause losses of some nutrients like vitamin C which is a water soluble vitamin.

kale

This curly edged green is very versatile in its nutrient content as well it the ways it can be cooked. It is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K as well as calcium, folate and potassium. Colors of kale vary from white to purple to green depending on the variety. When cooking with kale you may want to remove the stem because it has a very bitter taste and is difficult to chew. Kale can be eaten raw, sautéed, stewed or roasted into kale chips.

spinach

This is one green that is nutritionally at its best when it cooked down. The cooking reduces the oxalate content and frees up the calcium so that it can be absorbed in the body. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K as well as calcium and folate. Eat spinach in the raw in a salad or cooked in a sauce or stew.

swiss chard

The leafy green comes with stems in beautiful many beautiful colors from red or orange to purple or yellow. Swiss chard contains high amount of vitamins A and K and also magnesium and potassium. It does have quite a bit of naturally occurring sodium with 315 milligrams per cup so be mindful of adding salt when cooking. It is best to eat mature swiss chard cooked because of its bitter flavor. The younger swiss chard has a sweeter taste and this is when it is best eaten raw. 

collards

These greens are a southern favorite and have just about the same nutrition as kale. They have a stronger texture and taste a lot like cabbage, another leafy green vegetable. They are packed with fiber, vitamins A and K and even calcium. Because they have a heavier texture, collards often need to be cooked longer than other greens. They pair well with other strong flavors like chili powder or cumin.

turnip greens

If you buy turnips with their greens attached you get two vegetables in one. Yes you can eat those greens! They are loaded with antioxidants which help reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer's Disease. They are an incredible source of vitamins K, C and A, and are again are loaded with fiber. They are quick to cook are best sautéed with olive oil and garlic.

mustard greens

These greens have a light peppery taste and smell like yellow mustard when they are cooked. They are loaded with vitamins A, C and K and also calcium. Mustard greens are often used in southern cooking and their peppery flavor mellows nicely when you add an acid while braising or sautéing.

So go ahead and indulge in these healthful foods known as the leafy greens! To find your recommendation for vegetables intake including how many servings of leafy greens you should eat, please visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.