The Cookin’ Greens™ team is delighted to have Cara Rosenbloom, Registered Dietitian on board to help us help our customers understand more about how Cookin’ Greens™can play a healthy role in their day to day lives. Cara will provide lots of practical Facts and Tips about dark-leafy greens as well as answer specific questions that may help you understand why you should be incorporating more
dark-leafy green vegetables into your everyday diet.

In addition, given our passion for food and flavour, Cara, together with our Cookin’ Greens Chefs and Recipe Developers, will merge nutrition with flavour – a winning combination. We all know if it’s good for you but it doesn’t taste good, chances are you aren’t going to try it again.
Go to Recipes & kitchen Tips for ideas on how to enjoy Cookin’ Greens in a multitude of delicious ways.

1. Q. Why do the Cookin’ Greens recipes recommend adding salt? Isn’t it better to eat less salt?

A. We need some sodium in the diet for normal health. Most Canadians get way too much, but most of the excess salt
comes from processed foods (77%) and not the salt added to home-cooking (6%). A package of Cookin’ Greens has NO added salt, so the little bit you add while cooking will not negatively affect overall health. Of course, if you prefer greens without added salt, simply leave it out.

2. Q. Why do the Cookin' Greens recipes recommend adding oil? Isn't it better to eat less fat?

A: Fat is essential in the diet. Canada's Food Guide recommends including a small amount (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) of unsaturated fat each day, such as oil used for cooking. Plus, the fat from oil helps the body absorb the disease-fighting antioxidants in the leafy greens. Fats and oils also carry flavour, enhancing the taste of foods you eat.

A: Many people are surprised to learn that frozen vegetables are often healthier than fresh vegetables! This is because they are picked and quickly frozen, so their vitamin and mineral content
stays intact. The vitamins in fresh vegetables degrade over time,
so after they have been picked, packed, shipped, sold and cooked, their nutrient content can reduce significantly.

4. Q. Is it safe to give dark leafy greens to babies
(0-6 months)?

A: A variety of vegetables are introduced into a baby's diet between
sixand nine months of age, and common choices include squash, peas, green beans and sweet potatoes. Leafy green vegetables are safe to introduce to your baby after six months of age. Historically, vegetables were introduced earlier – at four months of age – and some caution was given to dark green leafy vegetables since they contain natural compounds that babies had trouble digesting. Now that vegetables are not introduced until after six months of age, the caution around dark leafy greens is no longer an issue. By six months, babies have developed the necessary stomach acids to properly digest leafy greens, though some parents prefer to wait until nine or 12 months until they introduce soft-textured spinach, kale and collards.

Thanks!
Cara and Toby