By SAND member Erin Ogden
It’s time to take a que from nature and get greener with our diets! As we head towards warmer weather, instead of craving warm, hearty soups and pastas, we will probably be more apt to munch on salads or sandwiches stacked with veggies, meats, and cheeses. But, have you ever given iceberg lettuce, a common sight in these meals, much thought? Although it has only 10 calories per cup, it is lacking in nutrients, with only trace amounts of vitamin A, C, and fiber.
So, let’s check out three better, colorful alternatives that add even more flavor and nutrients!
Romaine:
Due to its relatively milder taste, romaine lettuce is a great way to start easing oneself into more flavorful and nutritious greens. At 8 calories per cup, this vegetable is very nutrient dense with vitamin K, A, potassium, calcium, and folate. It’s awesome, high levels of vitamin A will give you antioxidant benefits including healthier skin, an immune system boost, bone development, reproductive health, and proper eye function.
This green, available year-round, is the classic component to Caesar Salad, and pairs nicely with lemon, as well as bleu or Parmesan cheese. You can also top it with strawberries and poppy seed dressing, or even season it and throw it on the grill to complement your summer hamburgers.
Spinach:
Spinach is a veggie option available at many restaurants, including some fast food chains. With even less calories than romaine per cup, it is a wise option when you want to improve your intake of vitamin E, K, or beta-carotene. Adding it to a sandwich is an easy way to add potassium in your diet since other potassium sources, like potatoes and coconut, may be harder to prepare. Finally, absorbing the calcium in spinach can sometimes be difficult, so it is best to eat it with a vitamin C source, which helps you unlock all the nutrients available. This is partially why spinach and strawberry is a common salad pairing.
Great uses for spinach include green smoothies (add ginger and green apple for an even tastier drink!), whole-wheat pasta topped with veggies including carrots and tomatoes, and basil pesto enriched with this mighty leafy green. You can even start your day with healthy greens by making a spinach quiche or frittata.
Kale:
Beta-carotene, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A are all in kale, putting it in the nutrition spotlight as one of the most nutrient-rich foods. Some of the components in its make-up have even been linked with lower cholesterol, decreased cancer risk, and heart disease prevention. With all sorts of varieties available, you can find purple kale, green kale, and many different leaf shapes.
Kale is excellent in soup, a base for a healthful salad or smoothie, or even as a tortilla substitute for burritos or wraps. If you’re craving a little crunch, kale can be baked at home to make yummy chips, but great-tasting varieties are also available in stores.
Resources:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3001?fgcd=&manu=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=35&offset=&sort=&qlookup=11251
https://authoritynutrition.com/10-proven-benefits-of-kale/
www.allrecipes.com
Thompson, J., & Manore, M. (2012). Ch. 7-10. Nutrition: An applied approach. San Francisco, CA: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.
Image Credit: https://rebeldietitian.us/leafy-greens/
It’s time to take a que from nature and get greener with our diets! As we head towards warmer weather, instead of craving warm, hearty soups and pastas, we will probably be more apt to munch on salads or sandwiches stacked with veggies, meats, and cheeses. But, have you ever given iceberg lettuce, a common sight in these meals, much thought? Although it has only 10 calories per cup, it is lacking in nutrients, with only trace amounts of vitamin A, C, and fiber.
So, let’s check out three better, colorful alternatives that add even more flavor and nutrients!
Romaine:
Due to its relatively milder taste, romaine lettuce is a great way to start easing oneself into more flavorful and nutritious greens. At 8 calories per cup, this vegetable is very nutrient dense with vitamin K, A, potassium, calcium, and folate. It’s awesome, high levels of vitamin A will give you antioxidant benefits including healthier skin, an immune system boost, bone development, reproductive health, and proper eye function.
This green, available year-round, is the classic component to Caesar Salad, and pairs nicely with lemon, as well as bleu or Parmesan cheese. You can also top it with strawberries and poppy seed dressing, or even season it and throw it on the grill to complement your summer hamburgers.
Spinach:
Spinach is a veggie option available at many restaurants, including some fast food chains. With even less calories than romaine per cup, it is a wise option when you want to improve your intake of vitamin E, K, or beta-carotene. Adding it to a sandwich is an easy way to add potassium in your diet since other potassium sources, like potatoes and coconut, may be harder to prepare. Finally, absorbing the calcium in spinach can sometimes be difficult, so it is best to eat it with a vitamin C source, which helps you unlock all the nutrients available. This is partially why spinach and strawberry is a common salad pairing.
Great uses for spinach include green smoothies (add ginger and green apple for an even tastier drink!), whole-wheat pasta topped with veggies including carrots and tomatoes, and basil pesto enriched with this mighty leafy green. You can even start your day with healthy greens by making a spinach quiche or frittata.
Kale:
Beta-carotene, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A are all in kale, putting it in the nutrition spotlight as one of the most nutrient-rich foods. Some of the components in its make-up have even been linked with lower cholesterol, decreased cancer risk, and heart disease prevention. With all sorts of varieties available, you can find purple kale, green kale, and many different leaf shapes.
Kale is excellent in soup, a base for a healthful salad or smoothie, or even as a tortilla substitute for burritos or wraps. If you’re craving a little crunch, kale can be baked at home to make yummy chips, but great-tasting varieties are also available in stores.
Resources:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3001?fgcd=&manu=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=35&offset=&sort=&qlookup=11251
https://authoritynutrition.com/10-proven-benefits-of-kale/
www.allrecipes.com
Thompson, J., & Manore, M. (2012). Ch. 7-10. Nutrition: An applied approach. San Francisco, CA: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.
Image Credit: https://rebeldietitian.us/leafy-greens/