Eating Greens Make You Smart
The YOU docs, Mike Roizen and Mehmet Oz (more likely their associates), submitted a news piece this week claiming that eating greens will make you smarter. The article says “Eating three or more servings of spinach and other leafy greens (such as kale and collard greens) slows mental decline because of aging by as much as 40 percent. Spelled out another way: Leafy greens can make your brain function more like the brain of someone who’s five years younger!” They give the credit for this to the brain-friendly nutrients found in dark leafy greens - carotenoids and flavonoids. Americans are a competitive bunch. We want to be the smartest, richest, thinnest, most beautiful and famous folks on the planet. So we are attracted to “news” stories like this. We eat it up. I sort of feel like – whatever it takes. If this angle works, that’s fine by me. It’s true that simple inexpensive food like flat-leaf Italian parsley is deceptively rich when it comes to nutritional analysis. Vitamin C, A, K and folic acid live with those noids too. Eating leafy greens like collards, nappa cabbage, chard and kale gives you sustained energy, good digestion and pretty skin. They probably improve your sex life too but if I could prove that I’d have made my fortune and wouldn’t be writing this blog. How do you eat your greens? Do you think they make you smarter? Or was it because you were smart already that you chose to eat greens?
Tags: chard, collards, Cookus Interruptus, dark leafy greens, Dr. Oz, kale, Mehmet Oz, nappa cabbage, nutrition, parsley, plant-based diet
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I dont know if they make you smarter or not, I started eating greens to try sometime new and because of the health benefits and I realized they are delicious! My mother never cooked them as a kid, so I grew up thinking they were yucky because I had never had them, but now dino kale is my favorite food, I love it! Thanks for all the great greens recipes.
Comment by Juliana — March 5, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
Greens, Glorious, Greens - I love them and so do my kids! Of course, they were a bit hesitant at first but we began incorporating more greens couple of years ago when I realized my dependence on caffeine for energy was affecting my health - yikes! I started eating greens - kale, swiss chard, collards, mizuna, arugula (fresh from the farm) - whatever was in season - and gave up coffee! SInce I was completely addicted to my cup -o- coffee in the morning to get me going with 2 very active boys (6yrs & 3 yrs- now) - I was sure I would get back on the band wagon…but to my surprise I didn’t ever look back. So for all the moms reading this blog - greens give you more energy, stronger immune system, and you just feel great - not to mention it is great for your skin too!
As for my kids - their favorite recipes are -sauteed kale with pine nuts & raisins, rice bowls with their choice of veggies and one green (they can make their own - similar to making a pizza), and our swiss chard lasagna.
Enjoy spring and all the wonderful greens coming our way…
Katherine L. Sumner, CHC
Comment by Katherine Sumner, CHC — March 6, 2009 @ 9:34 am
I’m a kale devotee, especially in black bean burritos. Last summer I discovered chard, and could not get enough of the stuff sauteed with some aromatics, tomatos, and put over rice. I am hankering HARD for the upcoming growing season. My favorite farmer has her seeds started, and I’ll be asking a few others at the indoor winter market what’s up and coming.
Katherine, I’d love to hear that kale/pine nut/raisin recipe. Would work for me!
-e
Comment by Erin — March 8, 2009 @ 6:27 am
I have been dragging around pretty badly and depending too much on caffeine. I am trying to get back to whole foods. Think I’ll go have some spinach salad now!
Comment by Marya — March 10, 2009 @ 8:50 am
Marya, I’ve tried both (coffee and greens) and definitely recommend the latter. In fact I have become a total breakfast nutrition nerd and my favorite thing is some brown rice sauteed in butter and scallions, sauteed kale and an egg over easy. I eat it with a little Thai chili sauce. It rocks my day way better than caffeine.
Cynthia
Comment by admin — March 10, 2009 @ 9:35 am
Cynthia, i want to eat your breakfast! You should do a video of that one. I seriously doubt it makes me smarter and i still drink coffee but I ate boiled collard greens with that coconut peanut sauce recipe today for lunch. Yesterday i made polenta with cheese for the kids and when it was almost done i added chopped spinich and kale (i used the food processer to chop it.) The kids liked it and so did i! And the day before that i ate more collards. I used to eat kale slaw alot but don’t have enough time to prepare it anymore. What is the fastest of the tastiest ways of preparing kale?
thank you!
Karre
Comment by Karre — March 11, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
Karre,
I think the simplest way to prepare kale is to saute it or braise it. Check out our Braised Greens video. When I’m in a hurry I chop it, saute it in butter until it’s shiny, throw a tablespoon of water and a splash of tamari on it and lid it for a few minutes. I put it in my bowl with a bit of vinegar and it’s yummy.
We also have a Massaged Kale Salad made with Gorgonzola and apples that will be posted next month. It is fantastic, takes only 10 minutes and keeps really well.
Cynthia
Comment by admin — March 13, 2009 @ 11:57 am