A Complete Nutritional Overview of Your Favorite Greens · the nutritional content of the greens...

The Guide to Greens

A Complete Nutritional Overview of Your Favorite Greens

ByFionaOstermayer

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©Copyright2009Busy‐Vegan.com

AllRightsReserved.

**This e-book is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace the advice of a health professional. If you have a chronic or serious illness, please consult your doctor before undertaking any changes in diet.

The Guide to Greens

ByFionaOstermayer

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What’sSoGreataboutGreens?Well, it has a lot to do with Albert Einstein, and more specifically with a little formula that he came up with: E=MC2. Remember that one? Sure you do! But do you know what it actually means? It’s not as complicated as you might think!

E=MC2 essentially means that if you take matter and make it move at the speed of light squared, it will turn into pure energy. That’s because matter and energy are the same thing – they are just going at different speeds.

And greens come into this fascinating mathematical equation when we invert it like this: M=E/C2. Think about it. If matter moving at the speed of light squared turns into energy, then what happens when you take energy and slow it down? It becomes matter – a little process we call photosynthesis.

So every day, green plants are downloading energy straight from the sun and turning it into (edible) matter! When you eat those plants directly, you get all that energy in its purest form. The more stages that energy moves through between the plant and your plate (like being ingested by an animal, or cooked, or both), the less of it gets to you.

Chlorophyll is the molecule that makes plants green and is the key mover and shaker in photosynthesis. Its structure is very similar to heme, a part of the hemoglobin molecule in human blood that is responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Studies have shown that this similarity may be a big part of the reason that chlorophyll helps to get lots and lots of oxygen to all the cells in the body. Lots of oxygen also keeps the “friendly” bacteria fed while killing off the “unfriendly” oxygen-hating bacteria.

So along with the dense amounts of vitamins and minerals listed in the following pages, greens are basically a huge shot of pure sun energy and oxygen – two of the most basic sources of life on this planet. The next couple of pages will show you a complete nutritional breakdown of the biggest green “stars” and all the fabulous goodies they provide.

Use this information to help you create sensational Green Smoothies and Vegan Salads!

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Kale–1CupBackground: Kale is a member of the Brassica family. It is related to Collards and Brussel Sprouts and is one of the most nutritionally dense greens. Benefits:

• Helps boost liver detoxification functions • High in fiber • High in bio-available calcium • Boosts immune system • Antioxidants believed to help prevent cancer

Nutritional Information

2.06 1.34 6.84

Perc

ent D

aily

Val

ue

Kale

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Spinach1CupBackground: Spinach is from the Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae family and is related to chard and beets. It is thought that Catherine De Medici of Florence, who loved spinach, may have been responsible for the term “Florentine” being used to describe culinary dishes that include this tasty green. Benefits:

• Promotes healthy eyes and eyesight • Helps lower blood pressure • Helps with muscle strength and tone (remember Popeye?) • Promotes healthy fetus development • Has neurological benefits


*The calcium in spinach is not as bio-available as it is in other greens due to the high Oxalate Acid content in spinach.

1.81

PercentDailyValue

Spinach

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CollardGreens–1Cup Background: Collard Greens belong to the Brassica family and are related to Kale and Broccoli. They have a much milder taste than kale, and have been a staple vegetable in the southern part of the United States for many years. Benefits:

• Liver detoxification and cleansing • Phytonutrients help prevent cancer • Broad scope of antioxidants fight free radicals • Boosts immune function • Improves pulmonary (lung) function • Boosts cardiovascular health


230%

PercentDailyValue

CollardGreens

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SwissChard–1Cup Background: Swiss Chard belongs to the same plant family as beets and spinach. It can come with white, red, or yellow stems - rainbow chard is a combination of these three. Benefits:

• Strengthens bones • Anti-inflammatory agent • Broad scope of antioxidants fight free radicals • Boosts immune function • Improves pulmonary (lung) function • Boosts cardiovascular health


374%

PercentDailyValue

SwissChard

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Arugula–1CupBackground: Like its cousins, watercress and radish, arugula has a strong, somewhat spicy flavor. It is a favorite in salad green blends, but because of the strong flavor is not often used on its own. Benefits:

• Boosts immune function • Improves pulmonary (lung) function • Boosts cardiovascular health • Improves skin tone • Antioxidants fight free radicals


PercentDailyValue

Arugula

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Parsley–1CupBackground: Parsley is related to celery and very often used as a garnish for savory dishes. Because of this, many people don’t know about its fabulous nutritional value! Parsley varieties include curly or flat-leaf. Benefits:

• Protects against Rheumatoid Arthritis • Antioxidants fight free radicals • Promotes heart health • Promotes eye health •


101% 133% 1230%

PercentDailyValue

Parsley

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DandelionGreens–1CupBackground: The medicinal properties of the dandelion flower and leaf have been used for centuries in the Americas, China and Europe. The greens are now becoming more available at health food stores, but you can pick them from the wild – just make sure its in an area where there have been no pesticides sprayed or dogs walking. Benefits:

• Promotes liver detoxification • Promotes clear skin/reduces acne • Promotes lower blood pressure • Helps prevent anemia • Helps lower cholesterol


112% 535%

PercentDailyValue

DandelionGreens

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Cabbage–1CupBackground: Cabbage is a member of the Cruceferai family and is related to collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and Kale. All vegetables in this greens family have been linked to reduced incidences of cancer. There are three types of cabbage – green, Savoy, and red. Benefits:

• Promotes cell detoxification • Inhibits tumor formation • Promotes intestinal health • Fights Breast Cancer • Inhibits peptic ulcers • Protects against Alzheimer’s Disease


PercentDailyValue

Cabbage

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BokChoy–1CupBackground: Although it looks more like a leafy white celery stalk, bok choy is actually a cabbage and is sometimes known as Chinese cabbage. It is generally available year-round. Benefits:

• High in fiber to promote digestion • Helps prevent cancer • Promotes cardiovascular health • Helps lower blood pressure • Promotes healthy eye function


PercentDailyValue

BokChoy

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BeetGreens1CupBackground: Long ago, people ate only the greens of beets and not the root. Now it’s the other way round. Most people don’t know how incredibly healthy these greens are. You can often get the greens for free at the health food store – many people snap them off and leave them behind, wanting only the root and the grocers are only too happy to give them away! Benefits:

• Promotes eye health • Strengthens bones • Anti-Oxidants fight free radicals • High fiber promotes healthy digestion • Promotes cell detoxification


190%

PercentDailyValue

BeetGreens

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Purslane–1CupBackground: Purslane is a “common weed” that many farmers and gardeners find annoying and toss away. Recent research, however, has shown that this “weed” is loaded with beneficial nutrients. It is available in some health stores, but you can also pick it wild – just make sure you pick in an area that is free of pesticides and dogs. Benefits:

• Rich in Omega 3 • Promotes heart health • Strengthens cell tissues • Promotes healthy brain tissue • Promotes healthy eyes


PercentDailyValue

Purslane

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TurnipGreens–1CupBackground: Turnips belong to the Cruciferae family and are related to kale, collards, and broccoli. Like carrots, the turnip root is used frequently in cooking, but the nutritional content of the greens are frequently overlooked. Benefits:

• Relieves Rheumatoid Arthritis • Helps prevent Atherosclerosis (Hardening of Blood Vessel Walls) • Promotes colon health • Promotes healthy pulmonary (lung) function • Promotes mental alertness


127% 173%

PercentDailyValue

TurnipGreens

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MustardGreens–1CupBackground:Mustardgreensaretheleavesofthemustardplant,whoseseedsareusedtomakeDijonmustard.ThisplantisaBrassicaandrelatedtokaleandbroccoli.Thetastehasquiteakick,sobejudiciouswhenusingtheseinsmoothiesandsalads–balancethemwithsomethingmilder,likespinach.Benefits:

• Majorantioxidantprotectionfromfreeradicals• Anti‐inflammatoryandanti‐histamineproperties• Promoteslunghealth• Supportscardiovascularhealth• Supportsbreasthealth• InhibitsRheumatoidArthritis• Promotesmentalalertness

NutritionalInformation

118% 348%

PercentDailyValue

MustardGreens

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Romaine–1CupBackground: One of the more nutrient-packed varieties of lettuce, Romaine is becoming more commonly used as a base for salads. It is not as rich in minerals as some of the darker greens, but it is filled with vitamins and Phytonutrients. Benefits:

• High water content helps flush toxins • Promotes cardiovascular health • High in fiber to improve digestion • High in folic acid, which promotes healthy pregnancy


PercentDailyValue

Romaine

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GreenLeafLettuce–1CupBackground: Green leaf lettuce is a variety of loose-leaf lettuce and is closely related to red leaf lettuce. It is much higher in nutrients and lower in water and calories than iceberg lettuce. Its leaves are a bit tougher to chew than either the romaine or red leaf varieties, but it holds a salad dressing very nicely! Benefits:

• Promotes bone health • Inhibits cancer • Antioxidants fight free radicals • Promotes heart health


PercentDailyValue

GreenLeafLettuce

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RedLeafLettuce–1CupBackground: Red leaf lettuce is a variety of loose-leaf lettuce and is closely related to green leaf lettuce. Like green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce has more nutrients and less water and calories than iceberg lettuce. The leaves of this lettuce are very soft and make a colorful addition to a salad. Benefits:

• Promotes eye health • Promotes bone health • Inhibits cancer • Antioxidants fight free radicals • Promotes heart health


PercentDailyValue

RedLeafLettuce

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Spirulina–100GramsBackground: Commonly referred to as a seaweed, spirulina is actually a form of algae - a single-celled bacteria which is harvested from fresh water. As you can see, it packs a bigger protein punch than most greens. It comes raw, but is also sold in supplement and powder forms. Benefits:

• Promotes growth of “friendly” intestinal bacteria • Works as an anti-inflammatory agent • Inhibits cancer • Inhibits allergy and hay-fever symptoms • Helps lower cholesterol •


PercentDailyValue

Spirulina

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WheatGrass–50GramsBackground: Wheat grass is the small green grassy-looking leaf that will eventually grow into a shaft of wheat. In its infancy though, this grass has an almost unparalleled nutritional profile. It can be very difficult to handle the taste, but you get used to it over time. It can also be juiced or taken in powder form. Benefits:

• Promotes lower blood pressure • Stimulates Thyroid gland • Speeds up cell repair • Promotes liver detoxification • Promotes cell detoxification • Naturally sweetens breath


179% 179% 150% 139% 497%

PercentDailyValue

WheatGrass

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AFinalWordIn her book, Green for Life, Victoria Boutenko discusses the fact that most people, even vegans and raw foodists who are conscious and concerned about their health, do not have enough greens in their diets. For most people, greens are not pleasant to eat unless they are in a salad and smothered with dressing. She recommends drinking at least one quart of green smoothie each day in order to reap the greatest nutritional benefits. In addition she recommends rotating the greens you use on a regular basis. I generally use a kale or spinach base and add one other green, and rotate on a weekly basis. When I started drinking one quart of green smoothie on a daily basis, I found that my sleep improved, I was less irritable, I was hungry less often, I had more energy, and I dropped a few pounds. If you are interested in trying them out, check out the basic green smoothie recipe at busy-vegan.com. Enjoy!

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The Guide to Greens

© 2009 Busy-Vegan.com and Arachne Productions LLC. All rights reserved worldwide.

No part of this publication may be stored in a retrieval system,

transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including, but not limited to digital copying and printing.

The author, Fiona Ostermayer, and the publisher, Busy-

Vegan.com, have made their best effort to produce a high quality, informative and helpful book. But they make no

representation or warranties of any kind with regard to the completeness or accuracy of the contents of the book. They

accept no liability of any kind for any losses or damages caused or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, from

using the information contained in this book.

Screenshots are directly from publicly accessible file archives. They are used as “fair use” under 17 U.S.C. Section 107 for new reportage purposes only, to illustrate various points that are made in the book. Text and images available over the Internet may be subject to copyright and other intellectual

rights owned by third parties.

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