Want to improve your health in a simple way? I know it’s cliche, but start eating a salad every day. Seriously. Dark leafy greens like spinach, romaine lettuce, cabbage, kale, arugula, and others can do wonders for you. When I was dealing with health issues, making salads a part of my daily lunch routine was one of the initial steps I took to reclaim my health. It turned out to be a game changer, offering a new easy lunch choice and a reliable boost to my health. After delving into the benefits of dark leafy greens, incorporating them into my diet, and feeling better, I’m convinced they can work wonders for you too.

The Benefits

Folate

Look at your bowl of salad like a treasure chest of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that are essential for your body’s optimal functioning. One nutrient found in dark leafy greens is the vitamin folate. This vitamin plays a vital role in DNA formation and repair. Without sufficient folate, cell replication during division can go haywire, leading to errors or mutations in the genetic code. This could result in serious issues like cancer, birth defects, or neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Magnesium

Another superhero in the greens is magnesium. Nearly three hundred enzymes in our bodies depend on magnesium for proper functioning. These enzymes are crucial for generating cellular energy and repairing damaged DNA - the root cause of cancer and early aging. Unfortunately, half of Americans don’t get enough magnesium. A cup of spinach, packing around 157 milligrams of magnesium, can help bridge that gap. Most spring mixes in stores contain spinach, making it an easy addition to your salad. Also, anything green is usually a good source of magnesium because magnesium is found at the center of the chlorophyll molecule which gives plants their green hue.

Fiber

Lastly, dark leafy greens offer a hefty dose of fiber, nourishing the beneficial bacteria in your gut. These bacteria are essential for maintaining gut health by providing energy to cells lining the colon, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria, and maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Given that 70% of your immune system lives in your gut, nourishing a healthy microbiome with fiber powers up the development and function of immune cells, helping defend against future infections and illnesses.

As an extra incentive, a recent study revealed that individuals consuming just two servings of dark leafy greens daily had brains that looked eleven years younger on scans! Therefore, consuming a salad every day may be a simple and effective investment for your future by protecting against loss of memory and other cognitive abilities. Buy stock now!

How to Consume

First, opt for dark, organic greens. My favorite is "spring mix," a blend of various dark leafy greens available in most stores. Kale, arugula, romaine lettuce, and spinach are also excellent choices. Steer clear of nutrient-poor options like iceberg lettuce— it is just crunchy water.

Once you’ve got your greens sorted, add healthy fats such as nuts, cheese, or avocado, and colorful organic vegetables. For an extra punch, toss in some protein to keep you full and energetic throughout the day.

The Dressing Dilemma

Here's my most important tip on salads—most store-bought dressings can turn a healthy salad into an unhealthy one. Avoid the mistake of compromising your healthy meal. About 90% of store-bought dressings are unhealthy, mainly due to added sugars and inflammatory oils like soybean and canola. Look at my Nutrition 101 post for the awful effects sugar and vegetable oils have on our bodies.

If you still go the store-bought route, I would recommend Primal Kitchen brand dressings, which use avocado oil as its base and less processed ingredients compared to other dressings. Another good brand that uses avocado oil as its base and has good ingredients is Chosen Foods. These brands are available at most stores now.

Let’s take a closer look and compare the famous Hidden Valley Ranch to Primal Kitchen Ranch.

Hidden Valley Ranch Label:

Notice the first ingredient: Vegetable oil - instant red flag. These inflammatory oils generate free radicals which inflict cellular and DNA damage to your body! Notice the rest of the ingredients, which are hard to understand. If you don’t know what it is or if it was made in a lab, don’t eat it.

Primal Kitchen Ranch Label:

The oil they use is avocado oil, which does not generate damage to your cells. It has antioxidants and is good for your brain due to its monounsaturated fat content. These fats improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and support the structure of your cell membranes. The rest of the ingredients don’t sound like a science project, they are putting real food in it, not something made in a lab.

Another easy option is to make your dressing at home. I whip up a simple mix of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. It’s easy, delicious and you know what’s in it!

So, for dressings, make sure to read the ingredients for: 1. Added sugar content and 2. What type of oils do they use. It has to be avocado or extra virgin olive oil, which are anti-inflammatory and good for your body. Avoid canola and soybean oils that are found in most dressings. Also, some dressings claim they use olive oil, which they do, but they also add canola oil to the mixture. So always read the label to make sure!

So now start to picture a daily date with your salad bowl, filled with the vibrant goodness of dark leafy greens. These guys are packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, serving as your secret weapon for a healthier you. I believe this simple strategy played a pivotal role in reclaiming my health and propelling me to where I am thriving today. This change was like setting the first domino in motion, with positive changes cascading thereafter. So remember the benefits from this post with every bite of your salad, and follow the guidelines outlined below to stay on top of your game.

Key Takeaways:

A daily salad may protect against diseases, thanks to the folate and magnesium superpowers supporting DNA repair
Opt for organic dark leafy greens over iceberg lettuce
Enhance your salad with healthy fats, colorful vegetables, and protein for fullness and sustained energy
Exercise caution with store-bought dressings, as they often contain sugar, unhealthy oils, and other mystery ingredients
Choose dressing brands that use avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, or create your own at-home

The Power of Salad Smacking