How Many Greens Do You REALLY Need Daily?

Dietary guidelines are confusing, aren’t they? Eat this, eat that; don’t eat this, don’t eat that…

With all of the instructions out there, we all need to ultimately find what works for us as individuals – but one thing we can agree on is that we need to eat vegetables to support good health. Most of us know that eating fresh, leafy greens daily has many benefits, but the question remains: how many greens should we ACTUALLY eat on a daily basis? If you’re wondering how many greens to eat, what kind of greens to eat, how to eat them, and more, then you don’t want to miss five frequently asked questions about greens and why you should include more of them in your diet.

Why eat greens?

Green vegetables are some of the healthiest foods on the planet. They are very low in calories but pack a big nutritional punch, helping reduce the risk of some health issues. For example, one cup of kale contains:

33 calories
684% Daily Value of Vitamin K
206% Daily Value of Vitamin A
134% Daily Value of Vitamin C
26% Daily Value of manganese
1.3 grams fiber

And this is a small selection of the vitamins and minerals in kale. If kale is too strong for you, many other greens deliver powerful nutritional benefits, including spinach, wheatgrass, collard greens, cabbage, romaine lettuce, and spirulina. The way you cook also impacts nutritional value – but the important part is that you are eating them!

How many greens do I need?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the amount of vegetables and greens you should eat daily depends on many factors. This includes your age, gender, and how much you exercise. If you are very active, you may require more nutrition.

As a rule of thumb, the USDA suggests that most people need between one and three cups of vegetables daily. That comes from a variety of greens, red and orange vegetables, peas, beans, starchy vegetables, and more. So what is the recommendation for dark, leafy greens? The chart below shows what the USDA recommends.

Recommended amounts per week – dark, leafy greens
Gender	Age	Amount
Women	19-30 yrs	1 ½ cups
Women	31-50 yrs	1 ½ cups
Women	51+ yrs	1 ½ cups
Men	19-30 yrs	2 cups
Men	31-50 yrs	2 cups
Men	51+ yrs	1 ½ cups

As you can see, the recommendation for most men and women is 1 ½ to 2 cups per week. That’s as much as one salad serving! Keep in mind this is in addition to other vegetables that you should consume daily.

Unfortunately, just one in ten American adults eats enough vegetables daily. As a result, a lot of people are missing out on the key nutrients that are necessary to feel good and thrive! Luckily, there is a way to increase nutrient intake in an easy and efficient way: greens superfood powder.

How can I make greens taste good?

A lot of people simply don’t like how leafy greens taste. They can be an acquired taste, but there are so many ways to prepare greens that you are bound to find one that you like! Here are some things you can do with leafy greens to experiment and find a preparation method you like.

Lightly steam and drizzle with olive oil and your favorite spices
Saute with garlic and spices to bring out the flavor
Make a green smoothie
Add greens to a wrap or sandwich
Cook greens with eggs
Eat greens with stir-fry
Lightly coat with oil and spices and toast them in the oven
Make a salad with your favorite veggies

You can also eat greens raw if that’s how you like them. It might take some time to figure out what greens you like.

What are greens superfood powders?

Greens superfood powders are a nutritional supplement that combines a variety of greens that have been dried and blended into a powder. These powders help people reach their daily recommended intake of vitamins and minerals. They will contain a variety of greens, such as broccoli, spinach, kale, kelp, and more.

Greens powders do not mean you can skip out on eating your vegetables. They are simply a way to get more vitamins and minerals into your body, especially when you are having a difficult time eating enough fruits and vegetables. Plus, when you’re meal prepping, greens powders just make sense! All you have to do is add a scoop into a smoothie that you’re preparing and you instantly add a blast of healthy nutrients, like when you make this Super Greens Mango Matcha Smoothie to grab for breakfast, lunch, or a snack.

teami greens superfood powder and the veggies that make it

What are the top ten leafy greens to eat daily?

With the abundant selection of leafy greens to choose from, you might be wondering what to eat! Here are ten of the healthiest, most nutritious leafy greens on the planet for you to choose from and some of the vitamins they contain:

Kale (Vitamins A, C, and K)
Spinach (Vitamin C, iron, and folate)
Beet greens (Vitamin K)
Collard greens (Vitamins C and K)
Watercress (Vitamins C and K)
Romaine lettuce (Vitamins A and K, plus folate)
Swiss chard (Vitamins A, C, and K)
Dandelion greens (Calcium, iron, and Vitamins B6 and C)
Cabbage (Folate, magnesium, and Vitamins A and K)
Arugula (Vitamins K and B9)

That’s a whole lot of nutrition you can get from leafy greens! But you might be wondering, “what if I don’t like these greens?” If not, you might want to try a greens superfood powder!

What are the benefits of greens powder?

Using greens powders are an easy way to quickly increase your intake of beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Greens powders don’t replace fresh, leafy greens – however, they help fill in the gaps when you need it and add a low-calorie nutritional boost to any diet. Because the greens are already broken down in the powder, the nutrients are more readily available for your body to absorb and use quickly.