3 Ways to Add More Greens to Your Day

The Healthy Benefits of Greens

Greens are among the healthiest foods on the planet. That’s because these edible plant leaves are loaded with essential vitamins like A, C, K, and folate, as well as minerals like calcium, iron, and potassium. They’re also rich in antioxidants and fiber.¹ Together, these nutrients make dark leafy greens the MVP of the produce aisle. Here are just a few ways they can elevate your health from head to toe:

Your brain. Eating at least one serving of dark leafy greens each day may help keep you sharper longer. In a study involving 960 participants, aged 58-99, researchers found that those eating at least one serving of dark leafy greens each day had memory and thinking skills approximately 11 years younger than the people who rarely ate them.²

Your bones. Dark leafy greens can help keep your bones strong thanks to their high content of vitamin K1 and calcium, two nutrients crucial for preventing conditions like osteoporosis. In fact, adding two to three servings each day has been found to improve bone mass, bone density, and bone turnover.³

Your cardiovascular health. Dark leafy greens are a superstar when it comes to heart health. During the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study, researchers found that people who consumed the most nitrate-rich leafy green vegetables not only had about a 2.5 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure, they also had a 12 to 26 percent lower risk of heart disease.⁴

Your gut. The high fiber content in leafy greens promotes digestive health by promoting regular bowel movements.⁵ But the fiber in greens, as well as unique sugars called sulfoquinovosidase, act as prebiotics, feeding the beneficial bacteria in your gut.⁶  Combining these nutritional goldmines with a comprehensive probiotic can keep the bacterial buddies in your gut happy while strengthening your entire microbiome.

Your weight. Naturally low in calories and high in fiber, dark green leafy veggies can fill up without filling you out. A review of 10 separate clinical studies suggests that increasing your vegetable consumption can help you effectively lose weight. Some of the studies showed that continuing to eat at least four servings each day after dropping those pounds can also help you keep the weight off. ⁷

It’s Easy Being Green

These health benefits would be reason enough to add dark leafy greens to you meal plan. But they’re also delicious and versatile. Here are three easy strategies for including them in your daily diet, starting today!

1. Know your greens. There are more than 15 different types of dark leafy greens. Each has a unique nutrient and flavor profile so it’s smart to mix it up! Here are the most popular:

• Arugula
• Beet greens
• Bok choy
• Broccoli raab
• Collard greens
• Endive
• Escarole
• Kale
• Microgreens
• Mustard greens
• Romaine
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard
• Turnip greens
• Watercress

When shopping for greens, look for crisp leaves with deep color—the darker the better. Avoid those that appear limp, wilted, or discolored. And try to opt for organic whenever possible. Conventionally grown spinach, kale, mustard greens and collard greens are at or near the top of the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) “Dirty Dozen” list of fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticide residue.

Frozen vegetables are also a good option. Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that frozen veggies like spinach retain their vitamin content, making them a healthy alternative to fresh.⁸ Another bonus? Frozen vegetables are often cheaper and easier to prepare. They also have a longer shelf life and are available year-round.

2. Add them to every meal when possible. It’s easier than you might think to sneak some greens into your meals. For breakfast, toss a handful of greens into your eggs or blend them into a smoothie with a variety of berries and plant-based milk (you’ll never taste the greens!). For lunch, try them raw in a salad or used large leafy greens as a wrap instead of bread or a tortilla and fill them with your favorite sandwich fillings.

Greens can also be added to sauces, soups, or stews for a nutrient-packed dinner.

Because greens offer rich texture and flavor, there are endless opportunities to make them part of your daily meals.

3. Try a greens supplement. When life gets hectic, healthy eating can fall off the radar. No matter how busy things get, you can still get a healthy dose of green veggies with a powdered greens drink mix. But choose carefully. While there are many greens products on the market—some containing as many as 75 ingredients—not all provide key compound in amounts that truly benefit your health. While a lengthy list might seem impressive, it begs the question, can one little scoop really contain therapeutic levels of each ingredient? Likely not.

What should you look for? Check the Supplements Facts label to make sure your greens mix contains high-antioxidant superfoods like barley grass, chlorella, kelp, and wheat grass, as well as fiber-rich ingredients like brown rice and inulin. Here’s why these ingredients matter: Barley grass discourages inflammation, promotes sleep, protects the liver, improves gastrointestinal function, and reduces the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.⁹ Chlorella, lowers blood pressure, decreases cholesterol levels, and speeds up wound healing.¹⁰ Wheatgrass supports joint, digestive, and liver health while helping to protect cells from oxidative stress.¹¹

Other ingredients can provide even more nutrition. For example, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, and brain-protective properties, spirulina helps improve cardiovascular health, potentially reducing risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It also shows promise in managing allergies, supporting immune function, and even potentially aiding in weight management.^12,13 Broccoli and broccoli sprouts are another addition that can provide health protection by reducing the risk of all-cause mortality.¹⁴

It’s also important to keep your powdered greens drink mix clean by searching out a product that contains mostly organic ingredients. Just like the greens you buy at your local grocery store, the ingredients in greens drinks can also harbor pesticide and herbicide residue.

No proper diet is complete without a daily supply of green nutrition. Incorporating these tips can help you get the greens you need every day—and in the process, give you a wide range of health benefits, one bite (or sip) at a time.

1. Dark green leafy vegetables. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Available at: https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/gfnd/gfhnrc/docs/news-articles/2013/dark-green-leafy-vegetables
2. Morris MC, Wang Y, Barnes LL, et al. Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: Prospective study. Neurology. 2018;90(3):e214-e222.
3. Sim M, Lewis JR, Prince RL, et al. The effects of vitamin K-rich green leafy vegetables on bone metabolism: A 4-week randomised controlled trial in middle-aged and older individuals. Bone Reports. 2020;12:100274.
4. Bondonno CP, Dalgaard F, Blekkenhorst LC, et al. Vegetable nitrate intake, blood pressure and incident cardiovascular disease: Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study. European Journal of Epidemiology. 2021;36(8):813-25.
5. Suenghataiphorn T, Danpanichkul P, Kulthamrongsri N, et al. Larger vegetable intake helps patients with constipation: socioeconomic analysis from United States-based matched cohorts. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings. 2024;37(5):726-33.
6. Speciale G, Jin Y, Davies G, et al. YihQ is a sulfoquinovosidase that cleaves sulfoquinovosyl diacylglyceride sulfolipids. Nature Chemical Biology. 2016;12:215–7.
7. Nour M, Lutze SA, Grech A, et al. The relationship between vegetable intake and weight outcomes: A systematic review of cohort studies. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 2;10(11):1626.
8. Bouzari A, Holstege D, Barrett DM. Vitamin retention in eight fruits and vegetables: a comparison of refrigerated and frozen storage. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2015;63(3):957-62.
9. Zeng Y, Pu X, Yang J, et al. Preventive and therapeutic role of functional ingredients of barley grass for chronic diseases in human beings. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2018;2018:3232080.
10. Rani K, Sandal N, Sahoo PK. A comprehensive review on chlorella—its composition, health benefits, market and regulatory scenario. The Pharma Innovation Journal. 2018;7(7):584-9.
11. Chauhan M. A pilot study on wheat grass juice for its phytochemical, nutritional and therapeutic potential on chronic disease. International Journal of Chemical Studies. 2014;2(4):27-34.
12. Karkos PD, Leong SC, Karkos CD, et al. Spirulina in clinical practice: evidence-based human applications. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011;2011:531053.
13. Trotta T, Porro C, Cianciulli A, et al. Beneficial effects of spirulina consumption on brain health. Nutrients. 20225;14(3):676.
14. Liu X, Chang Y, Li Y, et al. Prospective cohort study of broccoli consumption frequency and all-cause and cause-specific mortality risks. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2024;10:1286658.

This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.