Are you eating these 5 powerful green foods?

By Jordyn Cormier

Yes, yes, we all know we should eat more greens. But, the regular rounds of broccoli, green beans, and lettuce can get rather tiresome. Instead, try these nutrient-dense green foods that are often overlooked.

1. Seaweed

Often overlooked because it is not a land-dweller, seaweed is insanely good for you. While providing a whopping amount of vitamins and minerals, seaweed’s golden ticket is iodine. Iodine is found in very few foods and is essential to a healthy thyroid. With more people avoiding iodized salt for a slew of reasons, mild iodine deficiency is growing more common. When deficient, a person may have difficulty losing weight, feel fatigued, perhaps depressed — experiencing general thyroid malfunction. Whip up a tasty seaweed salad for lunch to keep your thyroid chugging along.

2. Microgreens

Move over regular arugula! Microgreens are simply mini versions of your favorite produce, and man do they pack a punch! As “toddler plants,” they contain more vitamins and flavor than their mature counterparts. There is an endless variety of microgreens from which to choose, from mustard and watercress, to turnip and sunflower — each with a unique, tantalizing flavor. As an added bonus, microgreens are crazy easy to grow in your kitchen, and will supply your meals with some tasty, uber healthy green nutrition.

3. Lacinato Kale (aka Tuscan/Dinosaur kale)

This is your grocery-store-kale’s dark, jurassic-looking cousin. With 100 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamins A and K, and 88 percent of your vitamin C requirement, the rich compounds of kale have been linked to cancer prevention. It is a little sweeter and nuttier than your regular kale, so go ahead and experiment!

4. Moringa

Recently growing in popularity, moringa is a leaf that is chock-full of goodies. It assists with blood sugar stabilization, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, is loaded with energizing and depression-fighting B vitamins, and containing 90 nutrients that benefit the human body. It is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant-rich. Cook with the oil, or flavor meals with the leaves. Never heard of it? Discover all of the wonders of moringa here.

5. Avocados

OK, so you may be pretty familiar with avocados, but they are so delicious and nutrient-dense that they deserve a mention. They are full of monounsaturated fats, which increase satiety and can assist with weight loss. Avocados are anti-inflammatory, blood sugar regulators, and may even prevent strokes. Buy them once for the high amount of potassium, fiber, B vitamins, and vitamins K and C; keep buying them for their glorious, creamy texture and your newfound obsession with guacamole.

Green foods are good for you, but they don’t have to be boring. Trying a new green every week can keep your meals interesting and your body healthy.