Leafy Greens: Why Are They Important And Why Should You Juice Them

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Photo Credit: Anderson Mancini

When you hear about people making green drinks, they are talking about juicing leafy greens. Why is it exactly that everyone talks about leafy greens? Are they so much better then oranges, carrots, and apples?

The answer lies in a powerful nutrient that you find in leafy greens that is absent or in small quantities in other fruits and vegetables: chlorophyll. This is the nutrient in the leaves of plants that helps them convert the suns rays into food and energy. When you look at trees in the fall and notice that they are turning reds, yellows, and orange, it is because the amount of chlorophyll is lessening in the leaves. This is due to the limited amount of time the sun has during that time of the year. The color green returns to the leaves during the spring.

Vegetables also have leaves that soak up the sun. Leafy vegetables in particular are rich in chlorophyll. There are some vegetables that are made up almost entirely of leafy parts, kale, spinach, chard. Then there are the edible grasses such as wheatgrass that are super rich in chlorophyll.

There are other nutrients in leafy greens, but the most important one is definitely chlorophol. Below is a quick overview of some of the nutrients.

Chlorophyll: Leafy Greens Best Weapon

This one’s the big one. It helps at a cellular level. If there is one reason to juice leafy greens it’s to get chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps repair DNA. There have been studies that link a high intake of chlorophyll rich food with a decrease in illness. It is a powerful antioxidant that is found in the highest quantities in leafy greens. You can get other antioxidants in berries, fruits and other veggies, but for chlorophyll you need to juice or eat leafy greens

Chlorophyll has been studied for its treatment of cancer, arthritis, inflammation and as an all around anti-aging nutrient. Additional studies found here.

So, make sure to include lots of leafy greens in your diet. You should be juicing them in addition to eating them in salads. The reason you want to juice leafy greens is that they are rich in fiber, which is good but the chlorophyll is found in the juice. You need to juice leafy greens in order to get maximum therapeutic benefit from the chlorophyll.
Here are the other benefits of leafy greens

Magnesium and Calcium

These two minerals are important for a healthy heart. Most people know that they are important for bones, but it is their role in cardiovascular health and blood pressure that makes the really important. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, then you should be eating and juicing leafy greens because the leafy vegetable is a amazing source of these minerals.

Llutein and Zeaxanthin: Leafy Greens For Your Eyes

These two nutrients, found in the highest amounts in leafy greens, are amazing for your eyes. If you want to protect your vision, then you should be juicing kale and spinach to get these two powerhouse nutrients. You will find these nutrients in bell peppers, egg yolks, but the best way to get high amounts is to juice leafy greens such as kale.

Folate: Leafy Greens Mood Protector

Folate, found in high amounts in leafy greens, is related to serotonin production. High levels of serotonin will boos your mood. It’s a much better alternative to taking some sort of Rx.