As the legend goes, the Fountain of Youth has the power to make you young if you drink and bathe in it. The famous Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon searched the New World during the 16thCentury and never discovered it.
Like most myths, this story may have some basis in reality—if you replace the water with leafy green vegetables.
Leafy greens provide us with a variety of vitamins, nutrients, and things that promote the health attributes associated with youth. It seems your Fountain of Youth can be found in the produce aisle of the supermarket or the raised garden in your backyard.
Here’s a list of our top four youth-creating veggies and their benefits.
Cilantro
A popular herb in Puerto Rico, cilantro delivers powerful aging protection. Its high level of antioxidants helps resist cell damage caused by free radicals. These harmful free radicals are believed to factor into a variety of troublesome—and aging—health conditions.1
Mustard Greens
Like cilantro, mustard greens provide antioxidants. But they can also help cleanse the liver and lower bad cholesterol by allowing the liver to balance its production of bile acids and cholesterol.2The end result? Mustard greens help to support healthy cholesterol levels—resulting in less plaque buildup in your heart and major arteries.
In other words, this leafy green helps keep the cardiovascular system flowing.
Dandelion Greens
That “weed” growing in your lawn is well-suited for the dinner table.
Dandelion greens are loaded with key elements to promote good eyesight. Two of the main nutrients needed for vision excellence are lutein and zeaxanthin. And, dandelions deliver big time. They help the eyes filter sharp light that can damage tissue.3
While glasses may not just be a sign of old age, eyesight tends to diminish as we get older.
Kale
This leafy green has been trending as a “superfood” in recent years—and, for good reason. Rich in vitamins and nutrients, kale delivers tremendous overall health benefits.
For those that desire to capture the exterior beauty promised by the Fountain of Youth, kale may be the closest thing. It provides nutrients that augment things many people pay for at spas and salons.
- Skin: Kale enjoys high levels of Vitamin K that keep the skin taut and reduce unsightly dark circles under the eyes. It also carries lutein necessary to increase collagen for skin strength and Vitamin A that helps repair damage. 4
- Hair: Kale’s omegas-3 and 6 help maintain a healthy scalp, free from flaking and dandruff. It also aids in healthy hair growth. 4
Bonus: Bone Boosters
Many fresh garden greens are rich in calcium and strengthen bones.
The recommended daily allowance of calcium for women between the ages of 19 and 50 is 1,000 milligrams. After 50, women should take in 1,200 milligrams.5
Those are difficult health numbers to hit. While milk and yogurts are often primary calcium sources, leafy greens are a terrific women’s health supplement. A large salad that includes vegetables such as collard greens, kale, arugula, and spinach can supply hundreds of milligrams to your calcium cause. 6
We all want to stay healthy, fit, and enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle. Fortunately, we don’t have to become world explorers to look and feel good. We can plant our own little Fountain of Youth.
> Did you know there’s a relationship between food color and nutrition? Learn more about your food here.
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