Eat Green!

Filed Under: In the News on July 17, 2012

This blog is brought to you by Teri of Ricky and Lucy’s Country Greenhouse. Be sure to stop and buy some fresh greens from her!

If you know us at all, then you know how passionate we are about eating healthy food grown in a healthy environment to promote your best health! (repetition intended)  So we’d like to present a series of articles in our newsletter about the benefits of eating fresh greens.  We’d love to hear from you about these articles if you find them useful, and if you have any questions or anything to add.  Like us on Facebook to let us know your thoughts and experience with eating fresh greens.

Benefits of Fresh Greens

Arugula: Young tender leaves are delicately sweet with a buttery-smooth texture and subtle pepper taste with nutty undertones.  Older leaves have a distinct pepper flavor and more sharpness.  The leaves are used to season salad, soup, stir-fried, pastas, pizzas and rice.  Arugula compliments cheese, citrus and egg dishes.

Health benefits:  Arugula is high in vitamins A, C, and K; folate and calcium; and antioxidants, including lutein and glucoerucin (which prevents tissue damage by scavenging free radicals).

Asian Greens: This group varies from buttery to crisp, mild to spicy.  Bok Choy (also known as pak choi) is tender and mild.  It resembles chard but the stalks are thicker and much crisper.  It is good for braising, stir-fries and simmering in soups.  Mizuna has a sweet, mild taste and slightly crisp.  It is excellent steamed, in soups, sauté’s stir-fries and fresh. Komatsuna is a Japanese mustard spinach that is sweet and mild with a hint of zesty mustard.

Health benefits: Asian greens are typically rich in vitamins A, C and K; folate, potassium and calcium; and carotenoid antioxidants including beta-carotene.  Bok Choy in particular has 28 different polyphenols (antioxidant phytochemicals), the most abundant being kaempferol, a natural flavonoid shown to have anti-cancer properties.

A program of Central Plains Foundation Inc., GROW Nebraska helps maximize the state’s entrepreneurial spirit and build the global reputation of Nebraska businesses by providing sustainable business environments through business-building marketing and education. To learn more about GROW Nebraska or Nebraska entrepreneurs and businesses, visit the GROW Web site at www.grownebraska.org.