Daily Tip #30: Eat Dark Leafy Greens

Okay, we’ve all heard this before, but it is good to be reminded. Dark green leafy vegetables, calorie for calorie, are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. They are an excellent source of several minerals, including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium as well as vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. In addition, leafy greens provide a number of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin and also contain small amounts of good fatty acids. They are also high in protein (there was a reason Popeye ate spinach!) they taste yummy and go with pretty much everything. Light steaming can make some of the nutrients more bio-available but raw is okay too. Variety is important so if you find that you only ever eat spinach or romaine lettuce, get adventurous in the produce section next time you go shopping. Try using elephant (aka big) kale as the wrap part of a wrap, steam some swiss chard and top with a bit of balsamic vinegar, pick dandelion leaves from your (pesticide free!) backyard and sauté them with garlic, red pepper, salt and top with a little cider vinegar. Dark leafy greens are excellent additions to smoothies, blended soups and even homemade humus. A healthy diet containing lots of green leafies will really help you recover and build your body up for more Ironman triathlon training!