WHY INCLUDE LEAFY VEGETABLES IN YOUR EVERYDAY AIP DIET
Leafy green vegetables are a vital part of any healthy diet for all the right reasons. They are loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Including a healthy portion of these superfoods in your everyday AIP diet can help protect you from an array of diseases or chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer.They also improve your bodies defense mechanism. Research proves that greens are an excellent source of phytonutrients that sustain high antioxidant activity and prevent damage to healthy tissues at the cellular level. When we eat greens our bodies are pumped with essential nutrients that each cell requires to function properly. Here are the top reasons why you must get your daily dose of greens in your diet: 1. Weight Management: Green leafy vegetables are weight loss friendly. They are low in calories and are filling. Most greens contain complex carbohydrates that add a lot of fiber to your diet that helps you feel satiated and reduces your hunger cravings. Additionally, the water content in these vegetables increases the volume of food and aid in digestion. This means you can eat as much as you like without concern about putting on extra weight. 2. Boosts metabolism and burns more calories: By adding more leafy vegetables to your diet you can improve your metabolism and also correct certain metabolic disorders like diabetes. The high levels of magnesium and low glycemic index that can be found in green leafy vegetables is ideal and helps to prevent and treating Diabetes. Studies have shown that if you increase your intake of greens every day your risk of diabetes can be lowered by 9%. 3. Treats Anemia: Eating leafy greens, especially the dark ones are an excellent source of non-heme iron and folate. Some greens such as collard greens and swiss chard are good sources of iron and vitamin C(a vitamin that helps absorb Iron) and helps treat anemia. 4. Protects and promotes Eye health: Consuming more fresh or cooked greens, supplies your body with carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin that are largely stored in the macular region of the retina and lenses of your eyes. A diet rich in leafy greens protects the eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts in adults. 5. Protects from cardiovascular diseases: Greens are low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich sources of vital nutrients such as folic acid, potassium, calcium, and magnesium that play an important role in keeping your heart healthy.