kale

Its true, when people say “Happy St. Patty’s Day!” many people think of green, shamrocks, and leprechauns.  This St. Patrick’s Day, I challenge you to go for the green and load up on cruciferous veggies!

Many people may know of cruciferous veggies as kale, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, but in actuality they include many more green veggies than you may think.  What better way to “go for the greens” on St. Patty’s Day, then to learn a bit more about these wonderful, diverse and flavorful veggies.

Overall cruciferous veggies are good sources of fiber, and many contain vitamins K, C, and E, folate, potassium, calcium and many cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory carotenoids.

Let’s take a look at some of my favorite green veggies and a new recipe featuring some yummy greens:

Broccoli

Both the stalks and florets of broccoli are nutritious and edible.  When broccoli is cooked, some of its health-promoting nutrients (such as carotenoids) are concentrated.  To get the most benefit from broccoli, it should be steamed or microwaved instead of boiled.

 

 

 

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