Why are greens so good for us?
Mama always said, "Eat your veggies" and you knew Mama was right. We are all familiar with the health benefits of fruits and vegetables based on their vitamin, mineral and fiber content but now a new "nutrient" is being added to this list and increasing in popularity as study after study finds that the naturally occurring substances that give plants their characteristic flavor, color, aroma and resistance to disease are powerful antioxidants, immune stimulators and healers for humans. Found in the red, yellow or orange pigment of the fruit or vegetable these new nutritional gems are being called "phytonutrients" or "phytochemicals" (phyton is Greek for plant) quite simply meaning nutrition or chemical from a plant.
Laboratory research is quickly identifying these compounds and confirming their health benefits. As a result, the powerful medicinal properties of foods-such as alfalfa, broccoli, cauliflower, barley grass, wheat grass, soy, carrots, flaxseed and beets-to name a few are being used to prevent and treat cancer.
Phytonutrients may be beneficial in the following ways:
· Phytonutrients may help the cells of the body repair themselves by stimulating the release of protective enzymes or enzymes that rebuild damaged cells.
· Phytonutrients may help protect against Cancer. Antioxidant phytonutrients nab the carcinogens before they have a chance to cause cancer in the cell. If the carcinogen manages to infiltrate the internal controls of the cell, other kinds of phytonutrients help to shut down the precancerous cell keeping it from spreading.
· Phytonutrients may help the heart. Antioxidant phytonutrients offer protection from the damaging effects of LDL (the "bad") cholesterol in arteries.
· Phytonutrients may boost immunity. Phytonutrients, such as carotenoids and flavonoids, mobilize the body's immune cells. These act like a protective armor to keep invading pollutants and germs from entering the cell.

What colors make green?
The phytonutrient group that we probably know the most about are the carotenoids. They are found in the red, yellow and orange pigments most commonly present in vegetables.
The different carotenoids and the foods they are found in are listed below:
· Alpha-carotene (carrots)
· Beta-carotene (leafy green and yellow vegetables such as wheat grasses, broccoli, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots)
· Beta-crytoxathin (citrus, peaches, apricots), lutein (leafy greens such as kale, spinach, turnip greens)
· Lycopene (tomato products, pink grapefruit, watermelon, guava)
· Zeaxanthin (green vegetables, citrus)

Most green vegetables actually contain the yellow pigment, which is masked by the vibrant green color of chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll is a powerful antioxidant that has shown to increase tissue cell activity and influence its normal re-growth. It is absorbed directly through tissue cell membranes in the mouth, throat, stomach and intestines. That which is absorbed through the intestines acts primarily as an antioxidant in the process of metabolism while also acting as a natural antibiotic.

Are we getting enough?
According to the Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, on average, Americans consume 3.3 servings of vegetables a day. However, dark green vegetables and deep yellow vegetables each represent only 0.2 daily servings.
Other studies have revealed diets lacking in nutritional value. One such study of 11,658 adults-questioned on their diet over a 24-hour period stated that 82 percent of those questioned did not eat cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cress, mustard, radish, sweet alyssum and turnip). The typical diet is lacking in these robust disease-fighting nutrients.
Obviously, it is best to get the required nutrients and disease-preventing phytonutrients from our diet. Unfortunately, consuming the 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day is often difficult if not impossible with today's, hectic lifestyles. But the importance of these phytonutrients is greater now then ever with the exposure to pollutants and a lack of focus on proper dietary habits leading to increased cancer susceptibility. Whole food concentrates are becoming popular and "Super Green" foods such as barley grass, Kamut, wheat grass, chlorella, spirulina and others need to be consumed on a regular basis for their detoxifying chlorophyll content and anti-cancer phytonutrients. If your busy schedule does not allow you to get the recommended serving of fruit and vegetables then a "green drink" may be a good option to help you increase your daily phytonutrient dose. But remember, this is only a "supplement," not a replacement to increasing whole foods in the diet generally.
Phytonutrient research is experiencing substantial growth. Hopefully, more specific information on phytonutrient consumption and human health will be forthcoming in the near future. For now, it does appear though, that "Eating your fruits and vegetables" was sound advice in more ways then Mama could have ever imagined.