Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Healthy Green Foods

 Shades of Green, a Symphony of Flavors. 

Celebrating Green Foods

Ways to increase Green Food Intake:
•Add spinach or broccoli when cooking pasta, rice, or soup.
•Freeze green grapes for a sweet snack.
•Add thin slices of green apples or zucchini to a sandwich.

Recipe

Spinach Pesto Pasta
by Alida Fischbach @alidaskitchen  

About Green Fruits and Vegetables.
Green in plants signifies the presence of the plant pigment chlorophyll. The nutrients found in these fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels, improve vision, enhance the immune system, and fight harmful free radicals.

Green fruits and vegetables are rich in many vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, folate, vitamin C, and beta-carotene (vitamin A). They contain phytochemicals such as luteins and indoles, which may reduce the risk of heart disease. They are high in fiber and support a healthy digestive system.

Definitions:
Phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) are found in plants. They are part of what gives fruits and vegetables their colors. Phytonutrients help protect plants from diseases found in the environment and protect us in a similar way. Studies have linked an increase in fruit and vegetable intake by lowering the risk of specific cancers and heart disease. The following list describes how phytonutrients may also help protect human health.
1. Act as an antioxidant.
2. Improves immune response.
3. Improves cell-to-cell communication.
4. Destroys cancer cells.
5. Repairs DNA damage caused by toxins in the environment.

Antioxidants. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products (known as “free radicals”) that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants can prevent or slow down the damage caused by these free radicals and decrease the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants may also improve the immune defense and lower the risk of infection. Some examples of antioxidants include vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, lycopene, and flavonoids.

Kermit Sings Being Green