e-news on greens, Chanda/Lawanna/Donna (man y'all rhyme)...

[Guest guest]

Today's Cooper Wellness Center newsletter had this to say about greens

(btw, Cooper is the doc who " invented " aerobics to keep your heart

healthy)... there is a recipe at the bottom, but I haven't tried it.

 

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http://www.coopercomplete.com/

Health Tip

 

Popeye Was Right - Greens Are Good Food

 

Could a meal of greens produce a pot of gold? According to folklore,

this may be true. Serving up some collards with the traditional

black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year's Day promises a year of

good luck and financial reward. Can they promise good health too?

 

Although meeting this daily " greens " requirement may not reside at the

top of your dietary priority list, adding a daily serving of dark

green vegetables to your diet can deliver one of the best nutritional

bangs for the buck. The group of plants known collectively as greens,

including arugula, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, mustard, turnip, and

collards, have held a prominent place at the Southern table for more

than a century. They have often been described by the indulgent few as

some of the tastiest and most nutritious vegetables around; however

American adults still fall 200 to 300 percent short of their

recommended daily quota for green vegetables, especially the dark

leafy varieties. Despite the fact that they are power-packed with

nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and naturally low in fat, sugars and

salts, greens can easily be described as one of the most overlooked

foods within the American diet. Not only do we seldom eat our greens,

but many of us breeze through the aisles of the grocery produce

section brimming with color while unknowingly passing up the

nutritional gold mine of the glorious green.

 

According to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, individuals

should consume three cups of dark green vegetables every week or a

half-cup serving almost every day in order to maintain good health. If

you have not had the opportunity to take advantage of the goodness of

greens, you are likely not too familiar with the best cooking methods.

No matter how you cook them, serving up greens is almost as simple as

adding them to your grocery basket.

 

The traditional way to cook greens is to boil or simmer them on a slow

fire with a piece of pork or ham hock until they are very soft.

Instead, to help reserve some of the nutrients that tend to be lost

with long cook times, it is best to saute in a little oil or try

braising them with onion, garlic, and bits of Canadian bacon for a

smoky and savory side dish. For a post-Thanksgiving dish, toss some

greens, turkey, and broth-based sauce together and serve it over brown

rice. For an even quicker addition of greens to your meal, you can

easily chop tender raw greens like spinach, arugula, or watercress and

add to your regular salad. Try adding some of the tougher textured

greens, such as kale, collard, and turnip to bean and broth-based

soups or stir-fry them in a splash of canola or olive oil with fresh

herbs (we like ginger and garlic) to help temper their tough texture

and smooth out their bitterness.

 

America's favorite green, spinach, is one of the most versatile

greens. Either fresh or frozen, spinach is mild enough to be enjoyed

raw or cooked.

 

With autumn being the prime season for getting good greens, there is

no better time of year to make greens a regular appearance at your

dining table and a must-have addition to your weekly grocery list.

 

Getting the Green Facts:

 

* Just one cup of cooked spinach or Swiss chard contains more than

a third of the USDA daily recommendation of iron for women and half of

the recommendation for men.

* Greens are also a good source of magnesium and potassium, which

are linked with healthy levels of blood pressure and blood sugar.

* When it comes to good eyesight, carrots automatically come to

mind, but greens can easily be referred to as the " eyesight

vegetable. " With their rich source of carotenoids, such as

beta-carotene, lutein, and zeoxanthin, researchers have found that

eating leafy green vegetables could help protect our eyes from the sun

and also prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, the

leading cause of blindness in people over 55 years of age.

* Based on a current report in the American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition, folic acid, a B vitamin that is found naturally in leafy

green vegetables and citrus fruits, may offer protection against

cognitive decline in older adults. Additionally, several large studies

demonstrate that the risk of colon polyps is 30 to 40 percent lower in

individuals with high folate intake compared to those with diets low

in folate. Some studies even link greens with a lower risk of breast,

lung, and skin cancers. Research also suggests that diets low in

folate may increase the risk of cancers of the breast (particularly

among women who drink alcohol), cervix, and lung. Folate intake also

promotes heart health.

* Greens, including watercress, bok choy, cabbage, and kale, are

members of the cruciferous family containing phytochemicals and

indoles, powerful anticancer compounds that help to stop cancer before

it invades the body by interrupting the growth of cancer cells and

prevent it by repairing DNA damage that can lead to cancer.

Researchers at Liverpool University found that a daily serving of

broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and sprouts can reduce the cancer risk by

46 percent.

 

Happy eating and healthy living!

 

 

 

Swiss Chard with Garlic Oil & Hot Pepper

 

Ingredients:

1 pound Swiss chard

Olive oil

Garlic

Crushed red pepper

Lemon juice or vinegar

Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

Wash Swiss chard in a large bowl of water to loosen any sand or dirt;

lift greens from the water to colander or salad spinner; swirl in two

more changes of water to make sure no grit remains. Strip large leaves

from the edible stems. Pull strings from stems; cut stems crosswise

into 1-inch lengths. Bunch up leaves and cut into 1-inch pieces.

 

Bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to boil. Add stems and cook for 5

minutes, then add leaves. Full-size leaves cook in about 10 minutes,

while young leaves take about 5 minutes. Drain; press with the back of

a spoon to release excess moisture.

 

Heat some olive oil and thinly sliced garlic in a skillet over low

heat until the garlic begins to sizzle. Add a pinch of crushed red

pepper and cook, stirring, until the garlic is tender and light

golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

 

Add greens and toss with the hot oil until heated through, 1 to 2

minutes. Season with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar (cider

vinegar, wine vinegar, or balsamic), and salt and pepper to taste.

 

Yield: 4 servings

 

Recipe from: The Essential EatingWell Cookbook, Good Carbs; Good Fats;

Great Flavors, edited by Patsy Jamieson

 

21 calories

0 gm fat

0 mg cholesterol

4 gm carbohydrate

2 gm protein

2 gm fiber

185 mg sodium

(Nutritional analysis does not include oil or seasonings.)