Click the play button on the video window to the see the show segmentYou hear a lot about the power of green these days on the news, but it is mostly about the color of money.
However, a little green in your diet could help you too.
Kim Hohol, registered dietitian with
Cigna Medical Group, says deep green fruits and vegetables can improve eyesight, promote healthy bones and even lower the risk of some cancers.
Although they may not be at the top of your "favorite foods" list, these are some of the most nutritionally packed foods you can eat.
"Any food that is rich in color, as most fruits and vegetables are, is going have a higher overall nutrient quality," said Hohol.
"We call this nutrient density, which means the food provides great nutritional value with lots of vitamins and minerals at relatively few calories. And the deeper or brighter, the better."
Here is a list of green super foods Hohol recommends getting into your diet:
- Avocados - a great source of fiber, potassium, and monounsaturated fats
- Green "Granny Smith" apples - a great source of fiber and potassium
- Limes - a great source of Vitamin C
- Artichokes - a great source of fiber, potassium, calcium, and iron
- Green beans - a great source of Vitamins A and K as well as fiber
- Green peppers - a great source of Vitamins A and C
- Spinach - a great source of Vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and lutein along with other cancer-fighting nutrients
- Green pears - a great source of potassium and helps prevent constipation
- Broccoli - a great source of Vitamins A and C along with calcium and potassium
- Asparagus - a great source of Vitamin A, lutein, and lycopene
- Kiwi - a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber
"Green tea is also a healthy alternative to drinking soda," said Hohol. "It contains high antioxidant levels which can help prevent heart disease."
And according to Hohol, adding green to one's diet can be a family affair. She offers the following tips for helping the kids go green for good:
• Offer fruits and vegetables daily but never force to kids to eat what they really don't like - it will just backfire
• Have kids help choose the produce at the grocery store and participate in the preparation - they're much more likely to eat what they've helped to create
• Be creative and add veggies and fruit to soups, stews, salads and casseroles to improve eye appeal and texture (and the possibility of being eaten)
For more information about healthy eating visit the
Eat Right website.
