{"id":30756,"title":"Why Should You Eat Your Greens?","description":"Verbal Tees EAT YOUR GREENS REMILL\u00ae T-SHIRT in black, being modelled in a community food growing garden.","content":"

\"VerbalCheck out the product above and more by browsing our Eat Your Greens collection<\/u><\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>

They\u2019re nutritious<\/span><\/h1>

Writing in <\/u><\/span>The New York Times Magazine<\/u><\/span><\/em><\/a>, Michael Pollan\u2014author of <\/span>a bunch of bestsellers about food<\/u><\/span><\/a>\u2014highlights leafy greens as one of the most important elements of a healthy diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

And in <\/span>a <\/u><\/span>New Scientist<\/u><\/span><\/em> article<\/u><\/span><\/a>, Tim Spector\u2014author of <\/span>Spoon-Fed: Why almost everything we\u2019ve been told about food is wrong<\/u><\/span><\/em><\/a>\u2014spells out why:<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDecades of evidence shows that increased green leafy vegetable intake is associated with improved health outcomes: from reduced cancer risk to improved cognitive health, a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and better outcomes for pregnancy. All of this is thanks to the polyphenols and other nutrients that are found specifically in the colourful green leaves, in addition to another key ingredient that also feeds our gut microbes: fibre.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cAs well as being high in fibre and polyphenols, greens are low in a form of carbohydrate called starch. Unlike potatoes, carrots, corn and beetroot, which have enough starch in them to cause a spike in blood glucose levels and alter our glucose metabolism and hunger, greens don\u2019t have this effect and so can be enjoyed freely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

And delicious<\/span><\/h1>

It was the bellowed imperative of a school dinner lady that inspired the retro style of this design. Hammering the table with a ladle to emphasise the point, our collaborator\u2014<\/span>The Recovering Chef<\/u><\/span><\/a>\u2014was implored to eat his greens as though that was a hardship to be endured.<\/span><\/p>

Schools are rarely supported in elevating ingredients to their full potential, so I suspect many people still see greens this way. But they\u2019re massively versatile vegetables.<\/span><\/p>

If you\u2019re a fan of their flavour, The Recovering Chef suggests keeping it simple and letting them shine. But you can incorporate them in just about any dish and give them a twist based on your favourite cuisine. If you\u2019re stuck for inspiration or in search of techniques, look no further than this <\/span>Great British Chefs collection - How to cook vegetables<\/u><\/span><\/a>. Or check out <\/span>The Recovering Chef\u2019s directory of websites on cooking<\/u><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>

Very superstitious?<\/span><\/h1>

Still not sure? Here\u2019s another handful of reasons to fall in love with greens. They\u2019re good value, easy to grow and available all year round in some shape or form.<\/span><\/p>

And if you\u2019re not already tucking into a plate of tasty greens by now, here are some suggestions for further research:<\/span><\/p>