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Health & Fitness

Fight Off Wrinkles With Dark Leafy Greens And These Recipes

Since I became vegan, I noticed that my eyes appear brighter, my nails seem stronger, and my skin looks healthier. I’ve actually been stopped by strangers on the street telling me what great skin I have. Just the other day, one of the stylists in my hair salon asked me what my secret is to my glowing skin. Truth be told, I always had decent skin, but no one ever asked me what made it glow before I became vegan. I was pleasantly surprised by the inquiry, and the only answer I could come up with was “I eat a lot of vegetables.” I went home to search the Internet to see if there were any vegetables, in particular, which are superstars for great skin. Guess what? There are.

Although the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals found in all vegetables contribute towards shinier hair, stronger nails and blemish-free skin, the most concentrated source of nutrition which contributes towards great skin is found in dark leafy greensDark leafy greens are rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. They are also rich in vitamins A, K, C, E and some B vitamins, and provide a variety of phytonutrients such as beta-carotene and chlorophyll which protect your skin from free radicals that can cause your skin to age. The vitamin C found in many green leafy vegetables also helps the body produce collagen, which is known to be a key factor in maintaining healthy skin as you age.

Furthermore, dark leafy greens are the richest sources of the powerful antioxidant lutein. According to a recent article by Dr. Oz, there is evidence that lutein decreases the risk of wrinkles by boosting the skin’s hydration levels, helping to improve elasticity and protecting against sun damage. Isn’t this reason enough to get your daily dose of greens?

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The richest sources of lutein are found in greens such as kale, collard greens, cooked spinach and swiss chard. However, lutein is also plentiful in parsley, chicory, mustard greens, beet greens, romaine lettuce and endive.

Interestingly, Dr. Joel Fuhrman places the following dark leafy greens at the top of his AND1 chart listing super foods:  kale, watercress, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy and spinach.

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Although I ate plenty of salads with romaine lettuce before I became vegan, I didn’t eat too many greens such as collards, kale and swiss chard. Now, they are staples in my diet and I’ve grown to love them. I thought I’d share a few of my favorite recipes with greens, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

MY FAVORITE RECIPES WITH DARK LEAFY GREENS:

It’s so easy to add some greens into a high-powered blender with your morning fruit smoothie. Kids love this too, because they only taste the fruit, not the greens. This blueberry banana kale smoothie is my favorite.

BLUEBERRY BANANA KALE SMOOTHIE

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 TBSP ground flax seeds

1 serving of Stevia Extract (45 mg)

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 banana

1 generous handful of raw kale (ripped off the stems)

1 cup of ice

Directions:

Blend all the ingredients in a blender (I use the Vitamix).

Divide into 2 glasses.

Serve immediately and enjoy!!

For 7 more fabulous recipes using dark leafy greens, go to: http://veganamericanprincess.com/fight-off-wrinkles-with-dark-leafy-greens-and-these-recipes/#sthash...

Debby Sunshine

Vegan American Princess

Website: veganamericanprincess.com

Twitter: @debbysunshine1

Instagram: veganamericanprincess

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