Eating more vegetables is good, but you may have been eating them wrong! Do these 6 things to eat vegetables healthier

Green is the color of spring and also the color of health. Whether it is daily health care or weight loss, many friends in the circle choose green leafy vegetables as their first choice!

Recently a friend sent me a message asking for help. He heard that "eating green leafy vegetables regularly can make your brain 19 years younger." Is this true?

What are the benefits of eating green leafy vegetables? What green leafy vegetables are recommended in spring? And how should we eat green leafy vegetables in a healthy way?

01

Eating green leafy vegetables regularly can make your brain 19 years younger?

A study from Rush University in the United States found that eating more than 6 servings of green leafy vegetables per week was associated with a reduction in beta-amyloid protein in the brain.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

Abnormal deposition of amyloid-β in the brain is one of the early manifestations of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers collected data from 581 deceased volunteers since 2014 through Rush University's "Memory and Aging" research project, which began in 1997.

Included is data on their eating habits over an average of six or seven years while they were alive.

After the death of these volunteers, they donated their bodies for research.

After dissecting the brains of volunteers, it was found that people who often eat green leafy vegetables have much less beta-amyloid protein deposits in their brains than those who often eat fried foods, sweets and fast food.

People who ate the most green leafy vegetables had levels of beta-amyloid deposits in their brains similar to those of people nearly 19 years younger.

02

Eat green leafy vegetables regularly

What other benefits does it have for the body?

1. Good for preventing osteoporosis

Adequate supply of potassium and magnesium in green leafy vegetables can reduce calcium loss, while vitamin K is necessary for calcium deposition into collagen.

2. Good for protecting eyesight

Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and shepherd's purse are rich in lutein, a nutrient that is beneficial to eye health and protects vision.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

3. Good for vitamin supplementation

Green leafy vegetables not only provide a considerable amount of vitamin B2, but are also rich in vitamin C.

4. Good for weight control

Green leafy vegetables are high in dietary fiber. Eating 250 grams of green leafy vegetables cooked with less oil in one meal can effectively increase the feeling of fullness, slow down the emptying of food in the stomach, and help control food intake.

5. Helps reduce the risk of diabetes

Studies have shown that when eating the same amount of staple food in a meal, increasing the intake of green leafy vegetables can slow the rise in blood sugar after the meal.

Several epidemiological studies have shown that a high intake of green leafy vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes.

6. Good for preventing coronary heart disease

Eating more vegetables can help reduce the body's inflammatory response and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Epidemiological studies have shown that people who eat more vegetables have a lower mortality rate from cardiovascular disease, especially ischemic heart disease.

03

What green leafy vegetables are recommended in spring?

1. Spinach

Spinach is rich in dietary fiber, which can promote intestinal motility. Spinach is also one of the important sources of lutein. This nutrient is very beneficial for preventing retinal macular degeneration caused by eye aging.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

2. Shepherd’s Purse

Shepherd's purse has tender leaves and fat roots with an attractive fragrance. It can be used to make dumpling fillings, cook porridge, and make soup.

The calcium content in every 100 grams of shepherd's purse is 294 mg, which is almost three times the calcium content in milk.

Shepherd's purse is also very high in nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

3. Leek

"It smells good in spring and smells bad in summer." This is the particularity of eating leeks.

Chives are not only tender and fresh, but also have a unique spicy aroma that can increase appetite.

When eating leeks, you should choose fresh and tender leeks. Old leeks contain a lot of crude fiber and are difficult to digest, so do not eat too much at one time.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

4. Chrysanthemum

The stems and leaves of Chinese cabbage are fresh and delicious when eaten together. They have a special fragrance and can help stimulate the appetite and help digestion.

When cooking chrysanthemum, it is recommended to stir-fry it quickly over high heat. This is because the aromatic volatile oil in it is easily evaporated when heated, which will weaken its spleen-strengthening and appetite-stimulating effects.

Studies have shown that chrysanthemum is rich in potassium, which can regulate the body's water balance metabolism and promote diuresis and swelling. The choline it contains has the effect of lowering blood pressure and nourishing the brain. Chrysanthemum also contains a large amount of dietary fiber, which is beneficial for diabetic patients to stabilize blood sugar.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

04

Green leafy vegetables are good

But many people eat it wrong

1. There are some rules for choosing vegetables

When choosing vegetables, you should not only discard the spoiled and rotten parts, but also be careful not to accidentally discard the edible parts with high nutritional value, such as celery leaves and lettuce leaves that are rich in iron and carotene.

2. Wash vegetables before cutting them

Try to rinse vegetables under running water and do not soak them in water for a long time.

Washing after cutting will cause excessive loss of water-soluble vitamins and minerals in the vegetables through the cut.

Processing and eating the food as soon as possible after washing can ensure the intake of nutrients to the greatest extent.

3. Master the correct cooking method

Some green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and amaranth, contain high oxalic acid, which will affect the absorption of magnesium. It is recommended to blanch the vegetables in boiling water before stir-frying.

4. Ensure adequate intake

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" recommends that people consume fresh vegetables every day, with a total amount of 300 grams to 500 grams, which is approximately equal to the amount of vegetables that can be held in two hands, of which dark vegetables should account for more than half.

Copyright image, no permission to reprint

5. Try not to bring green leafy vegetables in your lunch box

Many people bring lunch boxes to work, but they need to reheat their meals at noon. After reheating, the taste and shape of green leafy vegetables are quite different from those of fresh ones, and there is more nutritional loss.

6. Don’t leave green leafy vegetables overnight

Green leafy vegetables contain high levels of nitrite. If stored for too long, they will be converted into nitrite by bacteria, which is harmful to health.

The longer the food is stored, the more nutrients such as vitamins are lost.

Source: CCTV Life Circle

Review: Li Nannan Director of Hunan Science Writers Association Deputy Director of Research and Publicity Department of Hunan Science and Technology Association Second-level Researcher Chinese Science Writer (Medical)

The cover image and the images in this article are from the copyright library

Reproduction of image content is not authorized