Many nutritionists will tell you to include a variety of colored foods in every meal to ensure well-rounded nutrition, but one thing we could all get more of is greens. Not only are leafy green vegetables delicious, but they also supply lots of nutrition other vegetables can’t hope to match. Here are five reasons why you need to consume more greens daily:

• Get your RDI of vitamins and minerals
• Greens are full of energy
• Improve your digestive health
• Prevent disease
• Weight management – eat more with fewer calories

Reason to Eat More Greens Daily #1: Greens are full of Vitamins and Minerals

We can’t maintain good health if our diet doesn’t keep us supplied with the many vitamins and minerals we need to function. Loading up on greens will provide the nutrients required for all the different metabolic functions in the body.

Green vegetables will keep your system well stocked with magnesium; a compound needed in over 300 physiological functions. You will also ensure you are receiving a healthy amount of calcium and folate.

green vegetables contain Natural Source of Calcium and Folate Which repairs and manufactures DNA.

Most discussions on nutrition focus on the macronutrients mentioned above, but the body also needs a steady supply of micronutrients for healthy cellular function, hair growth, and brain function. Good examples of micronutrients include copper, zinc, manganese, potassium, magnesium, selenium, iron, and zinc.

Reason to Eat More Greens Daily #2: Boost Your Energy Levels

Vegetables are full of healthy carbohydrates, which give your body the energy it needs to get through a busy day. There are plenty of other sources of carbs, such as grains, but these are heavy and often cause bloating.

A healthy diet with plenty of greens will give you the nutrients you need to keep your metabolism at full speed ahead without weighing you down.

Reason to Eat More Greens Daily #3 Improve your Digestive Health

Problems with your digestive system can make you feel uncomfortable or give you pains and cramps. Many of your digestive issues could be cleared up by including more greens in your diet.

The body needs two types of fiber for a healthy gut: soluble and insoluble fiber. The fiber found in grains and other carbohydrates is the insoluble type, and it will travel through the digestive tract without changing its form. It adds bulk to the stool and keeps the digestive process chugging along to keep you regular.

Vegetable fiber performs a markedly different function to grain fiber.  Vegetable fiber is a gel-like substance, and its role in the body is to slow down digestion. You will feel fuller for longer, and your body will have better control over your blood glucose levels. It will also help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Leafy greens like kale and spinach also contain a special kind of sugar that healthy gut bacteria need to thrive and keep your gut healthy.

Reason to Eat More Greens Daily #4: Boost your Immune System to Ward off Disease

Phytochemicals are essential for helping ward off diseases like cancer. Greens supply your body with phytochemicals like beta-cryptoxanthin, quercetin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene.

There are many roles performed by phytochemicals, including protein synthesis, and the creation of DNA and RNA.

Cancer develops when new cells are made, and ‘accidents’ happen when the DNA and RNA aren’t quite right. The newly formed mutated cells then replicate by cell division to make more mutated cells and spread the cancer. Ensuring a healthy dose of phytochemicals with every meal will strengthen cell production and prevent accidents.

Reason to Eat More Greens Daily #5: Weight Management

A diet created for losing weight will help you feel fuller for longer. We’ve already talked about the fiber content in greens helping to fill you up and keep you feeling that way until the next mealtime. It’s for this reason that adding more greens to your plate will provide a significant benefit to your weight loss efforts, as well as help you maintain your weight once you shed the excess pounds.

How to Add More Greens to Your Diet

Now that you know about the many health benefits of greens, here is a list of vegetables you can try adding to your diet:

• Kale
• Lettuce
• Chard
• Spinach
• Mustard
• Collards
• Arugula
• Sweet Potato Leaves
• Baby Greens
• Parsley
• Endive
• Cabbage
• Brussel Sprouts

There are tons of ways you can include these. You can steam, sauté, boil, dehydrate, bake, and even eat them raw, so it’s not hard to add at least some greens to your diet every day.