By Felicitas Ramos
Green is the color of weight watchers. This should be the dominant color whenever foods are served on the dining table. This only means that most of the foods eaten by anyone desirous of losing weight consist of green leafy vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables are the best food group for people who want to keep their weight at the right level. However, the leafy greens are the most ideal vegetables to be consumed by humans. They are very rich in nutrients but absolutely low in calories. With all their vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, this group of vegetables helps the digestive system as they too contain immeasurable amount of dietary fiber.
Picking from the many leaves, the mustard greens, Chinese cabbage and spinach are among the most popular kinds.
Mustard Greens
This is a powerhouse kind of vegetable that is loaded with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and dietary fiber. It is very low in calories, approximately 26 calories per 100 grams of raw leaves, which makes it one of the priority selections of weight watchers. This can be eaten both raw and cooked.
The health benefits include the control of cholesterol and protection against hemorrhoids, constipation and colon cancer. With the dietary fiber, you are assured that toxins are removed from your body system. This aids in the detoxification process.
This is a source of Vitamins A, C and E. The mustard greens top the list of green leafy vegetables that provide Vitamin K, a vitamin that is very necessary for bone mass-building. This vitamin helps prevent osteoporosis and arthritis. The mustard leaves supply your body with the needed minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium. The fresh leaves are great sources of folic acid.
Chinese cabbage
Many nutritionists had classified the Chinese cabbage as the lowest-calorie vegetable. Eating a cup of shredded leaves of this cabbage specie gives you only 9 calories. The Chinese cabbage is one of the vegetables in the zero-calorie or negative calorie category of foods. When eaten, it does not add calories to the body. Instead, it uses more energy to burn its calories thus becoming a suited component of a weight losing diet.
This is a real health food as it is loaded with calcium, iron, magnesium, beta-carotene, potassium and Vitamins A, B-complex, C and K. It contains a big amount of dietary fiber and anti-oxidants that can reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). It contains compounds that provide shield against breast, colon and prostate cancer. The potassium content helps in regulating your heart rate and blood pressure. The iron in the Chinese cabbage aids in red blood cell formation.
Spinach
Seeing the cartoon character, Popeye, getting his powers from spinach is applicable to real life. These Popeye-favorite greens are loaded with vitamins, minerals and all nutrients essential to a healthy body system. For vitamins, the body is supplied with A, C and K vitamins. Spinach is a good source of Vitamin K that aids in strengthening the bones. If you do not want to drink milk, you can substitute the dairy product with spinach and you get high level of calcium. Just like the mustard and Chinese cabbage leaves, spinach supplies your body with sufficient dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, folic acid and minerals.
The green leaves are very low in calorie content, 100 grams of raw leaves provide you with barely 23 calories. Despite the low calories, spinach is a stomach-filling food. With the health benefits and the weight reducing function, you have everything to gain by eating spinach.
Consumption of green leafy vegetables is just a matter of getting used to the taste and texture. Eaten with dressing or adding them to dishes, you will find the mustard greens, Chinese cabbage and spinach pleasurable to the tongue. The desire to eat the green leaves is inspired by the prospects of having a healthy but trimmed body.
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