Can Leafy Greens Prevent Cancer?
The short answer: Yes! But, let's get more specific.
Leafy greens include salad, kale, beet tops, collards, Swiss chard, and any other vegetable that is both leafy and green.
Greens have been shown in a number of clinical trials to contain a number of vitamins and minerals, in the right combination's, to effectively combat various forms of cancer.
They are low in calories and high in nutrition, making them the ideal health food.
With their crisp leaves that cook down to become soft and savory, they make an ideal ingredient in all sorts of dishes in the kitchen - from pastas to scrambles.
As such, they are easy to work into any diet, and your body will certainly thank you for it! Cancer Prevention and Greens Leafy greens are brimming with all sorts of nutrition, but they are most notable for their high levels of antioxidants.
Vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K are all examples of common antioxidants found in vegetables.
In one cup of Kale, for instance, there is 206% DV of vitamin A, 134% DV of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K.
When employed in the body, these serve as free radical neutralizers.
Free radicals are molecules that are electrically imbalanced, and steal electrons from other nearby molecules, making these imbalanced, as well.
This causes a chain reaction that can ultimately damage cells, causing mutations, and this is how some types of cancer form.
Now, we all have free radicals floating around our bodies, even in the healthiest folks, but when present in levels that are too high, they can begin to cause noticeable damage to cells and organs.
Unhealthy diets, high in fats and sugars, can add free radicals to the body, as well as smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages (with red wine as an exception in moderation).
By eating more greens, and absorbing all those lovely vitamins and antioxidants, your body can neutralize these free radicals before they get out of hand, and keep the body in stable homeostasis.
Leafy greens also have considerably high levels of folate, a B vitamin, which is a notable cancer fighter.
Folate's function in the body is to assist in the DNA replication of cells when they divide.
If proper folate levels are not met, then DNA replication in cells is stressed, and this results in deformities.
These mutations can eventually lead to cancer.
Studies show that those who eat high amounts of folates in their diet have a 30%-40% reduction in their chances of developing colon cancer.
Literally hundreds of studies have been done that show vegetables, and leafy greens in particular, have amazing cancer fighting properties.
Eating More Greens By eating more greens, you'll be helping your body to fight off all sorts of cancer.
The general rule of thumb when selecting greens is: the darker the better.
Kale, collards, and Swiss chard will have more nutrition available in them then, say, a head of iceberg lettuce.
Always keep at least one bunch of greens in the refrigerator.
Stored in a plastic bag in the crisper, it can last for at least three days, and can usually stretch to five days if it's a really fresh bunch.
Eating at least a half cup of these greens a day - and ideally a full cup - you'll easily go through it before it goes bad.
Once you've gone through the bunch, go out and buy another.
There are plenty of recipes out there you can find, but I find that if they're simply cooked they taste great.
You'll also be more likely to eat it if it only takes five minutes to prepare, rather than hours to incorporate into a casserole.
So start eating your greens, and start fighting off cancer! Not only do greens help in this regard, but they'll give you more energy, and improve your overall, daily health.
Leafy greens include salad, kale, beet tops, collards, Swiss chard, and any other vegetable that is both leafy and green.
Greens have been shown in a number of clinical trials to contain a number of vitamins and minerals, in the right combination's, to effectively combat various forms of cancer.
They are low in calories and high in nutrition, making them the ideal health food.
With their crisp leaves that cook down to become soft and savory, they make an ideal ingredient in all sorts of dishes in the kitchen - from pastas to scrambles.
As such, they are easy to work into any diet, and your body will certainly thank you for it! Cancer Prevention and Greens Leafy greens are brimming with all sorts of nutrition, but they are most notable for their high levels of antioxidants.
Vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K are all examples of common antioxidants found in vegetables.
In one cup of Kale, for instance, there is 206% DV of vitamin A, 134% DV of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K.
When employed in the body, these serve as free radical neutralizers.
Free radicals are molecules that are electrically imbalanced, and steal electrons from other nearby molecules, making these imbalanced, as well.
This causes a chain reaction that can ultimately damage cells, causing mutations, and this is how some types of cancer form.
Now, we all have free radicals floating around our bodies, even in the healthiest folks, but when present in levels that are too high, they can begin to cause noticeable damage to cells and organs.
Unhealthy diets, high in fats and sugars, can add free radicals to the body, as well as smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages (with red wine as an exception in moderation).
By eating more greens, and absorbing all those lovely vitamins and antioxidants, your body can neutralize these free radicals before they get out of hand, and keep the body in stable homeostasis.
Leafy greens also have considerably high levels of folate, a B vitamin, which is a notable cancer fighter.
Folate's function in the body is to assist in the DNA replication of cells when they divide.
If proper folate levels are not met, then DNA replication in cells is stressed, and this results in deformities.
These mutations can eventually lead to cancer.
Studies show that those who eat high amounts of folates in their diet have a 30%-40% reduction in their chances of developing colon cancer.
Literally hundreds of studies have been done that show vegetables, and leafy greens in particular, have amazing cancer fighting properties.
Eating More Greens By eating more greens, you'll be helping your body to fight off all sorts of cancer.
The general rule of thumb when selecting greens is: the darker the better.
Kale, collards, and Swiss chard will have more nutrition available in them then, say, a head of iceberg lettuce.
Always keep at least one bunch of greens in the refrigerator.
Stored in a plastic bag in the crisper, it can last for at least three days, and can usually stretch to five days if it's a really fresh bunch.
Eating at least a half cup of these greens a day - and ideally a full cup - you'll easily go through it before it goes bad.
Once you've gone through the bunch, go out and buy another.
There are plenty of recipes out there you can find, but I find that if they're simply cooked they taste great.
You'll also be more likely to eat it if it only takes five minutes to prepare, rather than hours to incorporate into a casserole.
So start eating your greens, and start fighting off cancer! Not only do greens help in this regard, but they'll give you more energy, and improve your overall, daily health.
