Did you grow up hearing your Mom or Dad telling you to eat your vegetables? If you have kids, is this one of the important pieces of advice you try pass down from generation to generation? It should be! And yet, according to the CDC, 90% of Americans don’t eat enough vegetables to reap the ongoing health benefits. Here are just a few reasons to Go Green:

• Greens are powerful immune boosters packed with a unique blend of vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy, including calcium (that’s right, greens have calcium!), magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc; and vitamins A, C, E, and K.

• Greens are a great source of natural fiber to help you stay “regular” and feel full longer, which helps control hunger and reduces cravings!

• Leafy greens are a natural source of folic acid, chlorophyll, and other micronutrients, making them good for expecting moms (and the rest of us too).

• Greens can lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

• Greens promote a healthy gut by increasing healthy intestinal flora (the good bacteria).

And if you think greens means a boring head of iceberg lettuce, think again! The best greens are the dark, leafy kind, and here are just a few of my favorites. Serve them raw as a side or main salad; steam or stir-fry – greens are truly versatile.

Leafy Green Favorites:

• Any of the "baby" lettuce varieties for a tender salad

• Kale (remove the ribs, massage, and tear the leaves for more tender salad servings)

• Collard greens

• Spinach (baby spinach is super tender!)

• Chard

• Escarole

• Cabbage

• Bok Choy

• Arugula

• Mesclun

A few of the more unusual greens that can take your salad to a whole new level are:

• Mustard greens

• Arugula

• Endive

• Chicory