If you’re a regular at this site then you may remember yesterday’s post, The Healing Benefits
of Winter Fruits (Citrus) and today, it’s all about vegetables.

You know, the vegetables you probably eat more of in the Winter, vegetables like
collard greens, Swiss chard and broccoli rabe. And if you do eat more of these vegetables
in the winter, you may also want to know a little more about them, as in how they
benefit your health.

To find out the benefits, please continue reading…

a) Swiss Chard-
Feeling sore and achy as the years go by? You may want to try the natural cure first:
Rainbow chard. Eating a cup or two a day can reduce stiffness and pain and increase
mobility and flexibility in as little as 1 week. This colorful vegetable is plentiful in
“betaxanthins” plant compounds that block the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes.

b) Broccoli Rabe-
Not the small heads that resemble broccoli, but mainly the leaves are beneficial
to you especially if fatigue and lethargy are causing you problems. Broccoli rabe
is loaded with polyphenols, compounds that speed the conversion of fatty acids
into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s no. 1 energy enzyme.

c) Red Cabbage-
Often overlooked in favor of its green cousin, this winter veggie can benefit you
in two ways: first, it can help you recover from a cold faster. Red cabbage has a
trio of nutrients that rev the immune system’s production of white blood cells
and antibodies. And the second benefit: It’ll help you stave off the effects of
brain deterioration, in other words, less chance of getting dementia or Alzheimer’s.
The same nutrients that help you recover from a cold, also repair and prevent damage
to the delicate blood vessels in an around your brain.

d) Collard Greens-
Travel to the South or an African American house during the winter, and it’s highly
likely collard greens will be served at dinner. And if you’re concerned about “middle-age
spread” add more of these greens to your daily menus.
Greens contain 2 metabolically active compounds that help the liver quickly burn
stored abdominal fat for fuel.
Important tip: Make sure you prepare these greens in a way that’s beneficial
for weight loss and skip the added fat (bacon grease, or pieces of ham) and
the side dishes (cornbread, mac & cheese, or mashed potato and gravy and
fried fish and chicken) that are so prevalent in Southern and African-American
households. Go online (to youtube.com) and type healthy recipe for collard
greens in the search bar.


e) Kale-
Although popular year round thanks to the smoothie craze, many people still
enjoy them come winter time and if you find yourself unable to focus and concentrate,
eat more kale. Kale has 2 nutrients (alpha-linolenic acid and kaempferol) and these
nutrients stimulate the brain’s prefrontal cortex, improving focus and recall within an
hour. When a cold frost hits either kale or collards, the leaves become sweeter,
so take advantage. One last tip: Don’t limit yourself to just kale and collards, eat turnip
and mustard greens as well.

f) Spinach-
Again, like kale, spinach is popular all year round, spinach has dozens of benefits,
but if you find yourself getting depressed and moodier due to the lack of sunlight,
shorter days and cold temperatures, add spinach to veggie stir-fries,
salads and smoothies. Spinach can lift your moods in about 3 days thanks to
the beta-carotene and chlorophyll in them, 2 nutrients that activate the
serotonin-producing genes in the brain.

g) A Recipe For You-
If you find yourself reaching for those potato chips because of boredom
or a false hunger cue, put them away and make a healthier version using
kale. To make: Clean the leaves of a bunch of kale, remove the
stems and dry the leaves. Place in a bowl, add some olive oil, (a small amount)
your favorite seasonings, (salt, pepper, turmeric or garlic powder)
Work the oil and spices into the leaves. Place on a baking sheet that’s
been sprayed with cooking spray (Pam) and bake for 10 mins. at 350*F.
Check on them to make sure they don’t burn.

That’s it, your guide to getting well and staying well with Winter greens.
Make sure you read (or reread) the post about winter fruits aka Citrus.

Another suggestion, please share this post with family and friends via Facebook,
TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, What’sApp and Twitter.
And look for our new updated post, The Best and Simplest Liver Detox For 2022.
Clean your liver for the new year.

Sources:
* University of Bridgeport, Research Dept.
* Columbia University, Research Dept.
* Canadian Research Team
* Vegetarian Made Easy, the magazine
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