For the past year I have been picking my up a wonderful bag of vegetables from a local organic farm.
Community Supported Agriculture
Every week I receive an email telling me what is in my CSA share. CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture.” A CSA is a partnership between a local farm and the neighboring community, in which the community receives produce from a local farm.
Buying locally grown food empowers both consumers and growers alike. Consumers know how far their food traveled before reaching their plate and also have a clearer picture of how it was raised. Growers can sell directly to the consumer, skip the middle man and sell goods for a better price. On top of that, by purchasing from local farms, consumers are supporting small businesses which keeps money circulating in our community. This helps create economic resilience where we all live. ~ Full Earth Farms (my local CSA!)
Greens are vital to our food lifestyle. I have to be careful because I am prone to kidney stones due to my diagnosis of sarcoidosis, so any greens high in oxalates (the dark leafy type), I need to avoid. But if you don’t have THAT issue, please take pleasure in adding more greens of all types to your daily life.
Add greens to your daily meal
Green vegetables are the source of protein; chlorophyll; many essential minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium; vitamins C, K, E and many of the B vitamins; and are loaded with antioxidants. These nutrients make leafy greens incredible at detoxification, blood purification, and boosting immunity. Try to add as many green vegetables to your daily diet as possible.
Here are some of most beneficial green vegetables:
• Watercress
• Spinach
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Radicchio
• Carrot greens
• Beet greens
• Sweet potato greens
• Rocket/arugula
• Endive
• Collards
• Chard
• Mustard greens
• Fresh herbs like parsley, mint, cilantro, basil
Here’s how to add greens to your daily diet!
SALAD: Eat a delicious salad. You can fill a large bowl with various greens you love and add some of your favorite raw or cooked vegetables. Top this with a healthy dressing to enjoy the salad without causing any harm to your health.
SMOOTHIE: Another option to add leafy greens to your diet is to add them to a juice or smoothie. Blend fruits, water, and vegetables together to make a healthy green smoothie that will work wonders for boosting your immune system.
COOKED: Steam, stir-fry, or sauté the greens with whatever vegetable you are making and top it with a marinara sauce or lemon juice.
Adding greens to your daily diet in the ways described above can help you load your body with all the nutrients it requires to function properly and boost your immune system with much-needed antioxidants.
So, what’s the takeaway? Eat your greens!
