Adding leafy greens to your plate is an excellent way to improve your diet and overall health. However, some greens are more nutritious than others. For instance, iceberg lettuce may be popular in salads, but it pales in comparison to kale or spinach. That’s because dark, leafy greens often contain more nutrients, including iron, protein, calcium, and fibre. Get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals by incorporating these healthy greens into your meals.

Sauteed Scallops with Mushrooms and Spinach

1. Spinach

Spinach is one of the most versatile leafy greens out there. Add it to salads, omelettes, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, and more. Your options are practically endless. The best part is that spinach is chock full of antioxidants like kaempferol, which can reduce your risk of cancer. It also triggers the release of satiety hormones to help you feel more full and satisfied after meals. Enjoy at least three cups a day to support brain and eye health, fend off heart disease, and manage blood pressure.

Watercress, Leek and Coconut Soup

2. Watercress

Popular in Australia and Europe, this salad green isn’t so common in the U.S. Yet, it’s more nutrient-rich than romaine or regular old leaf lettuce. A single serving contains nearly a full day’s value of vitamin K, a nutrient that promotes oral health and increases bone density. Because it’s 95% water, watercress can also promote hydration, which inevitably benefits every cell in your body. Add this green to salads or puree it into a soup for an extra dose of nutrition.

3. Collard Greens

If a dish needs some crunch, reach for collard greens. This nutritious, leafy green makes an excellent addition — in both texture and taste — to stir fries, soups, meaty braises, and casseroles. You can even use the leaves as a wrap instead of tortillas and pita bread. Collard greens have all of your daily vitamin K, plus some vitamin C and E, so they’re sure to boost your health regardless of how you prepare them.

Kale and Blood Orange Salad

4. Kale

Broccoli, kale, and cabbage all originated from the same species, so they share similar nutritional qualities. That means if you don’t like broccoli or cabbage, you should be adding a bit of kale to your plate. This way, you still get your daily dose of phytonutrients, calcium, and vitamin K. While kale is delicious raw or cooked, it’s easier for your body to digest if you sautee or bake it first. It also pairs well with fall foods like squash, nuts, seeds, and beans.

5. Mustard Greens

Mustard greens are peppery and a little bitter, making them an excellent addition to salads with sweet ingredients and dressings. They’re also excellent sauteed with olive oil and herbs or ground into a fresh pesto with pine nuts and parmesan cheese. One cup of this leafy green fulfills almost half your daily vitamin C requirement and all of your vitamin K. Plus, it contains folate, a nutrient that helps form new blood cells to improve overall health.

6. Swiss Chard

Like many other leafy greens on this list, swiss chard has plenty of vitamins C and K. However, this delicious veggie also contains a good amount of vitamin A, which helps maintain eye and skin health and protects you from infection. Swiss chard tastes similar to spinach, so you can use it in many of the same ways. Because its leaves are bigger, however, you may also turn them into wraps or even taco shells in a pinch.

7. Beet Greens

While beet bulbs get most of the attention, their greens are equally delicious, not to mention versatile. Sauteed beet greens are delightful on sandwiches, in slaws, or mixed into grain, egg, and pasta dishes. Because they become more tender when cooked, they make a great alternative to crunchier varieties like kale and chard. Beet greens are packed with nitrates, protein, calcium, zinc, and fiber, so they’re healthy no matter how you eat them.

Getting Creative in the Kitchen

If you’re unfamiliar with pairing and preparing healthy leafy greens, pick up a recipe book, do a bit of research, and experiment in the kitchen. Get creative as you add these nutritious vegetables into breakfasts, snacks, appetizers, and more. There are endless possibilities for cooking and combining ingredients, so think outside the box and let your tastebuds lead the way. The more you do, the more willing you’ll be to add leafy greens to your meals.

As a fitness enthusiast, you soon come to learn that sugar-filled drinks aren't always the most efficient way of getting the much-needed energy boost you crave during the day. If anything, these foods often do more harm to your body than good.

There are actually other more helpful food products that can get your energy levels up and supercharge your day.

Besides providing you the energy you need for the short-term, these foods also have other long-term benefits. And while adding a wallpaper of your favorite foods from https://www.photowall.co.uk/wall-murals/our-favourites can sometimes get your salivating glands tingling, you still need the actual foods to give you the kick you need to get through the rest of your day.

For that, we compiled a list of the top foods you should take to supercharge your day with the much-needed vitamin, fibre, and minerals.

1. Salmon

Salmon contains vitamin B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids, which have great energy-boosting qualities. The fatty acids are great for reducing inflammation in the body that can cause exhaustion. On the other hand, vitamin B12 stimulates the body to produce more red blood cells that, in turn, increase your energy levels.

Generally, eating fish is always beneficial and qualifies for a great fast meal. Many families prefer to eat salmon because of its mild and savoury taste. Plus, it cooks up very quickly. Check out my One Pan Salmon with Greens healthy dinner recipe for a simple salmon main dish.

2. Beans

Beans are jam-packed full of minerals and vitamins that your body can convert into fuel very easily. They are even more efficient than sugar or caffeine. Beans, like salmon, also reduce inflammation-related exhaustion and are always a quick way of giving your body the energy boost it needs. We all have different body types and nutrition is key. 

Beans are also relatively easy to prepare and make a yummy and quick meal. Simply put it in your Instant Pot and let it cook. You will have a ready meal that supercharges your system for the better part of the day. You might also like to try my Vegetable and Bean Casserole.

3. Avocado

The healthy fats and fibre in avocado are absolutely essential and make it one of the best superfoods for long-lasting energy stores. Avocado also contains several B vitamins that are essential for red blood cell count. These vitamins help regulate the iron levels in your body, giving you the energy you need for the rest of the day.

Avocado is just super tasty and makes for a great recipe to add alongside any meal. You don't have to prepare complicated meals to enjoy this amazing superfood. You can even enjoy it in this Avocado Lassi.

4. Eggs

Many nutritionists and researchers have dubbed eggs the perfect food to give you the energy boost you need. And for a good reason, because eggs are just packed with protein power that will supercharge your system.

The protein in eggs provides the type of energy that doesn't spike your insulin levels as other energy sources do. These proteins also last much longer and have many other health benefits. Therefore, it's no surprise to find multiple types of B vitamins in eggs.

Perhaps the best part of making eggs is just how fast they cook. They are the perfect meals to prepare, especially when you're in a hurry, and are perfect for any time of the day, whether it is for dinner or breakfast.

So, get your extra energy boost today to make it through the rest of the day. A simple breakfast casserole is the perfect meal for you. You could also try this Hoppers with Egg and Peanut Sauce. 

5. Brown Rice

You have always been told repeatedly that brown rice is better for your health than white rice. But why is that? Well, white rice is often refined and tends to burn quickly like many other refined sugars. White rice also spikes insulin levels and can cause your system to crash.

On the other hand, brown rice is packed full of lower glycemic index sugars and fibre that don't spike your insulin levels. As such, they provide your body with energy that burns slowly for longer periods. And the best part is that you don't have that sugar crash.

Brown rice is full of vitamins and minerals that also help to create good health. And the best part is that you can substitute white rice with brown rice for pretty much any recipe. One of the best meals that go with brown rice is stuffed peppers. If you take this meal in the morning, you can be sure of having a supercharged day and have plenty of energy to take you through the night. You can also add it to Nori rolls here.

Get More Energy with Long-Term Benefits

The superfoods mentioned above are great options for providing you with the energy you need and better substitutes for coffee and other sugary treats. Preparation is the best way to combat tiredness and keep you energized throughout the day.

You can now enjoy your favourite foods without worrying about their health benefits.