Listen to Your Mother...

How many of you promised yourself as a child, while staring down a plate of broccoli, that you would have ice cream for dinner when you grew up? 

It’s true, as an adult, you are responsible for your own nutritional destiny. And, while many Americans take that liberty to an extreme and overindulge on processed foods on a regular basis, our customers and readers are different because they (you) have made a conscious effort towards healthful nutrition choices. Hooray, you!

You see, as it turns out mom was right; you really do need to eat your vegetables (and not just sweet potatoes). Here are just a few of the reasons why we feel that it’s important to offer an array of delicious vegetables to our customers each week:

Calcium.
We all know that calcium is integral to good bone health. If you are a follower of the paleo diet or just someone who doesn’t tolerate dairy, then the bulk of your calcium will come from veggies. Did you know that collard greens, spinach, bok choy, and beet and mustard greens all have more calcium per serving than milk? And swiss chard, kale and cabbage aren’t far behind – all of them make a regular appearance on our weekly menus.

Blood pH and Osteoporosis.
You may remember our blog post about warding off osteoporosis by helping to maintain blood pH levels. To sum it up, all of the food and beverages that we eat and drink have either acidic or alkaline forming properties, which likewise make your blood pH more acidic or less acidic. 

When your blood pH becomes too acidic, your body seeks to rectify the issue by leaching calcium from bones, teeth and connective tissue. And this depletion in bone mass leads to osteoporosis. The answer then, is to make sure that you eat a diet rich in alkaline forming foods. The only sources of alkaline forming foods are FRUITS and VEGETABLES (with a few exceptions). You can read more from the original article here. Want strong bones? We gotcha covered!

Critical Vitamins and minerals.
I think deep down, we all know this is a no-brainer. We’ve already touched on calcium, but what about the host of other vitamins and minerals that vegetables bring to the table? In our weekly offerings, you will find veggies replete with the following vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin A – essential for new cell growth and vision.
• Vitamin B – keeps you energized and supports the nervous system.
• Vitamin C – supports tissue repair, the immune system, and overall health.
• Vitamin K – helps your blood clot.
• Potassium – one of the vital electrolytes, controls muscles and nerves and keeps blood pressure in check.
• Iron – helps blood transport oxygen throughout the body.
• Magnesium – needed for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body.
• Betaine – essential nutrient for liver support.

…just to name a few. Read more from the sources here and here.

Dietary Fiber.
In addition to it’s well known digestive health benefits, dietary fiber is also beneficial and necessary in controlling both blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The best part is that dietary fiber has the additional benefit of reducing and maintaining waistlines.

So we know that vegetables are an essential part of your daily diet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with them! At mP, we believe that vegetables should be tasty, appealing, and just as enjoyable as the main course!

And that’s what we strive for at The Good Kitchen – nutritious and delicious. We promise, we’re not serving up your mom’s broccoli!