60 animal, vegetable, miracle
phenols for age- defying antioxidants (blue and purple fruits). Thousands
of the phytochemicals we eat haven’t even been studied or named yet, be-
cause there are so many, with such varied roles, finely tuned as fuel for our
living bodies. A head of broccoli contains more than a thousand.
Multivitamins are obviously a clunky substitute for the countless subtle
combinations of phytochemicals and enzymes that whole foods contain.
One way to think of these pills might be as emergency medication for
lifestyle- induced malnutrition. I’m coming of age in a society where the
majority of adults are medically compromised by that particular disease.
Not some, but most; that’s a scary reality for a young person. It’s helpful to
have some idea how to take preventive action. My friends sometimes laugh
at the weird food combinations that get involved in my everyday quest to
squeeze more veggies into a meal, while I’m rushing to class. (Peanut butter
and spinach sandwiches?) But we all are interested in staying healthy, how-
ever we can.
Leafy greens, like all plants, advertise their nutritional value through
color: dark green or red leaves with a zesty tang bring more antioxidants to
your table. But most any of them will give you folic acid ( folic equals “foli-
age”), a crucial nutrient for pregnant women that’s also needed by everyone
for producing hemoglobin. From Popeye to Thumper the rabbit, the mes-
sage that “you have to finish your greens” runs deep in kid culture, for good
reason. Parents won’t have to work so hard at bribing their kids with des-
serts if they don’t serve slimy greens. When fresh and not overcooked, spin-
ach, chard, kale, bok choy, and other greens are some of my favorite things.
Here are some recipes that bring out the best in dark, leafy greens.
These are staple meals for our family in the season when greens are coming
up in our garden by the bushel.