There are several ways of including leafy greens in your diet
Eat your greens! How many times have we heard this age-old piece of health advice? Leafy green vegetables are among the healthiest food items you can consume. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, beneficial plant compounds and other nutrients. They are said to be good for your heart, bones, skin, blood sugar levels and more. It is common practice to have leafy greens as part of salads. In India, we traditionally eat them in the form of sabzi (vegetable) preparations too. But there are also other ways to include them in your diet. Check out some of the suggestions below:
Also Read: 6 Delectable Spinach Recipes From Different Parts Of India
Here Are 5 Easy And Healthy Ways To Have Leafy Green Vegetables:
1. As juices
Juices made from leafy green vegetables are nourishing elixirs. Photo Credit: iStock
You can make nourishing green juices using one or more leafy vegetables. Some of these concoctions are especially popular as post-workout drinks, as they replenish you in many ways. Homemade green juices, with less/ no salt and/or sugar, can be one of the best drink options you can add to your diet. They can help manage blood sugar, boost your skin health and also improve immunity. Here's an easy recipe for a refreshing cucumber, kale and spinach juice you must try.
2. In the form of soups
Use leafy green veggies as the base for your soups. Photo Credit: Unsplash
If you want to drink your leafy greens as warm elixirs, use them to make delicious soups. You can add them along with other vegetables while preparing a broth or a mixed veg soup. But you can also use individual veggies to make special soups, like spinach soup, broccoli soup and so on. For your reference, here are recipes for 5 different types of broccoli soups that you might enjoy.
3. Use them to make wholesome snacks
You can use leafy green veggies to make a wide variety of delectable snacks. These include cutlets, tikkis, kebab, appe, dhokla and much more. These treats can be baked, steamed or pan-fried to ensure that oil consumption is minimised. In some of these recipes, greens are only one of the key ingredients, but their presence is nevertheless important. For instance, you can make a tasty chana dal and cabbage tikki for your evening tea time. Read the full recipe here.
4. As part of the stuffing/ dough of other foods
Leafy greens can be added to the dough used for making parathas. Photo Credit: iStock
You can also use palak, methi, cabbage, broccoli, etc. as part of the stuffing/ filling of food items. We don't just mean wraps and rolls. Remember, your cheelas and parathas also sometimes have special fillings. Find a way to make leafy greens a part of that stuffing mixture. You can also sometimes incorporate them into the dough/ batter itself, as you do with Gujarati thepla. Another example is iron-rich palak paratha. Watch the recipe video here.
5. Incorporate them into idli/ dosa batter
Dosas and idlis are the go-to healthy breakfast dishes for many of us. You can give them a nutritious upgrade by adding leafy greens to their batter. Spinach is especially suitable for this purpose, but you may choose to experiment with other veggies as well. If you're dieting, we recommend trying palak dosa. Find the full recipe video here.
Now you know of multiple ways to ensure leafy greens are a regular part of your diet. Put these tips into practice and reap the many benefits!
Also Read: Baked Methi Puri Recipe: Where Flavour Meets Fitness - Try It Today
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.