15 Super Healthy Green Foods + Healthy Meal & Snack Ideas

Looking for ways to get more green foods in your diet (besides kale and broccoli)?

From their cancer-preventive and inflammation-lowering properties to their benefits for liver health, blood sugar, and even longevity, there are endless compelling reasons to eat more greens.

But getting more green foods into your diet (or your family's) can be a challenge, especially if you're new to eating green.

The good news is that eating your greens no longer means choking down a metallic can of brownish-green spinach or living on salads.

Today, there are dozens of delicious green foods and beverages that make getting your greens a pleasure (even for picky eaters).

Here, you'll discover 15 (of many) super healthy green foods, including veggies, fruits, beverages, herbs, and supplements that you'll actually want to eat more of.

We'll also share tips on incorporating them into easy meals and snacks the whole family will enjoy.

Why Eat More Green Foods?

People have relied on green foods, such as leafy greens, squashes, herbs, seaweed, wild greens, and brassicas to sustain them for millennia.

For example, during the Second World War, many people in Greece survived by foraging for wild greens in the hillsides during the Nazi occupation.

In very cold climates, such as Russia, green cabbages are prized for their cold-hardiness, nutritional value, and fibrous bulk, which allows them to stretch a meal.

Fast-forward to modern times: green foods have become trendy in health-conscious circles to boost nutrition, cleanse the body, and help prevent serious illness.

The modern green food trend is based on centuries-old traditional knowledge and modern research, which has revealed various protective components in green foods.

For example, brassica vegetables like broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts are rich sources of cancer-fighting glucosinolates and vitamins C, K, iron, and calcium.

Avocados are a rich source of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals and specific active plant compounds like beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that may help support normal cholesterol.

Green grapes contain protective antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been studied for the benefits for heart health and inflammation.

These are just a few examples of dozens of beneficial nutrients and plant compounds found in green foods.

Plus, green foods are generally low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in life-giving vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that promote good health and longevity.

We'll explore more about their health benefits next.

15 Super Healthy Green Foods You'll Actually Want To Eat (And None Of Them Are Kale)

Getting more green foods can be challenging, especially if you don't want to live on salad!

Fortunately, getting your greens is easy (and tasty) when you know what to eat and how to incorporate these foods into your daily routine.

Here, we present 15 super-healthy green foods, including fruits, veggies, beverages, and supplements, plus how to enjoy them more often in meals and snacks.

1. Green Bananas

Green bananas have become a popular functional food because they are an excellent source of gut-friendly resistant starch.

Resistant starches resist digestion and ferment in the gut providing essential food for beneficial gut bacteria (aka probiotics) and help promote satiety, digestive health, and blood sugar balance.

Green bananas are also an excellent source of potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and contain vitamin B6, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Green banana meal and snack ideas:

Peel, chop, and freeze to blend into smoothies
Try green banana flour in baked goods and other recipes
Green plantains are another option that can be prepared as a savory, starchy dish

2. Green Drinks

Green drinks are all the rage in health circles and can be found in grocery stores, juice bars, and made at home.

Many pre-made juices and smoothies contain green superfood powders such as barley grass, wheat grass, chlorella, and leafy greens like spinach or kale.

Children often enjoy green drinks, and if made at home with colorful fruits like berries, they don't have to look green. When in doubt, you can conceal them in a stainless steel cup with a colored straw.

How to incorporate green drinks into your day:

Buy green juices or smoothies premade
Make at home by blending frozen fruits with neutral-tasting greens like spinach or kale with creamy avocado and an optional clean greens powder
Make your own green juice using a home juicer and a combination of green foods like green grapes, spinach, cucumber, green apple, and celery
Add greens or greens powders to your protein smoothies for a nutritional power-up. Try this Green Goddess Smoothie recipe with green honeydew, kale, and mint from our sister company, Biochem.
Note: juices will not be as filling or fiber-rich as smoothies, so choose accordingly

3. Watercress

This leafy green powerhouse adds a unique and sometimes spicy flavor to soups, salads, and dressings (the spice is less when cooked).

It's also one of the most nutritious green foods containing iron, vitamins A, C, K, folate, and calcium, and is popular as a liver-supportive functional food.

Watercress also contains specific antioxidants shown to benefit eye health as well as phenylethyl isothiocyanate or PEITC, a potent cancer-fighting nutrient.

Watercress meal and snack ideas:

Add to potato soup for a delightful kick
Blend into a savory Green Goddess dressing
Chop fine and add to guacamole or your favorite dips
Add to salads for depth of flavor
Note: Most of watercress' spice is in the stems, which you can remove if it's not to your taste. Cooking also lowers the spicy factor considerably.

4. Green Grapes

Green grapes may not get as much attention as red and purple grapes, but they still contain many nutrients, including inflammation-fighting antioxidants.

Grapes are also high in fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals and considered a functional food for better heart health.

Green grape meal and snack ideas:

Halved in green salads, yogurt, granola, or muesli
Frozen as a satisfying sweet treat
Blended into smoothies
Eaten by the handful as a healthy and filling snack
Added to chicken or tuna salad
Look for golden raisins alone or in trail mix

5. Edamame

Edamame, also known as soybeans in the pod, is a popular Japanese dish traditionally served in sushi restaurants.

It also makes a great green snack, and shelled edamame can be added to various dishes to increase protein, fiber, and nutrient content.

Soybeans have various health benefits, including providing isoflavones, which may help support normal estrogen levels in women and alleviate menopausal symptoms.

Ideally, look for non-GMO, organic edamame in the freezer section of your grocery store.

Edamame meal and snack ideas:

Steamed in the pod with salt, soy sauce, or liquid aminos
Shelled in stir-fries or sautés
Blended into a edamame guacamole
Shelled in soups and stews
Tossed into green, grain, or potato salads

6. Tulsi Tea

Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is a cherished Ayurvedic herb that has been used for centuries to promote various aspects of health and in religious and spiritual ceremonies.

It is believed to be a divine herb and is also known as the incomparable one,” the Queen of herbs,” and the elixir of life,” and helps support calm focus, healthy sleep, stress reduction, immunity, and relaxation.

Tulsi is also a popular tea found in most natural foods stores, tea shops, online, and local grocery stores.

It is a great caffeine alternative with a green tea-like flavor, but slightly sweeter.

How to incorporate Tulsi Tea into your day:

Tulsi is most commonly taken as a tea:

To make, pour freshly boiled water over a tea bag or 1-3 teaspoons of loose tulsi
Let steep for 3-5 minutes
Sweeten if desired, and enjoy

Tulsi supplements are also available, but check with your healthcare practitioner first.
If you're lucky enough to find fresh Tulsi, use it as you would Basil. It has a more fragrant scent and slightly sweeter flavor and is delicious in pesto, soups, salads, or even infused in drinks like lemonade or mocktails

7. Artichokes

Artichokes are often considered a special occasion or exotic” vegetable, yet their health benefits should earn them a regular place on your plate.

For example, artichokes contain folate, magnesium, vitamin K, manganese, potassium, and iron, as well as over nine grams of fiber per serving!

They're also a powerful source of disease-fighting antioxidants, may support heart health and cholesterol, are an incredible liver support food, and have been found effective for preventing several types of cancer.

Who knew?!

Artichoke meal and snack ideas:

Steamed whole and enjoyed with your favorite dipping sauce
Stuffed with fresh veggies, breadcrumbs, and parmesan
Buy artichoke hearts or baby artichokes, frozen or canned, and add to pizzas, pastas, salads, soups, and flatbreads
Artichoke bottoms make an impressive hors d'oeuvre stuffed with diced tomatoes, basil, garlic, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction or your favorite stuffed mushroom filling and baked

8. Spinach

It may not be fancy, but fresh baby spinach is inexpensive, readily available, and can be added to just about anything to boost your green food intake.

Spinach is one of the original superfoods for good reason. It's chock-full of nutrients, including iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, B-vitamins, manganese, magnesium, potassium, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants like Kaempferol, which may reduce inflammation and promote cardiovascular health and blood sugar balance.

Fresh spinach meal and snack ideas:

Add to salads
Sauteed with garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon
Wilt into soups and stews
Blend into smoothies (Baby spinach is an exceptionally mild green that can easily be hidden in smoothies and shakes.)
Puree and include in baked goods like muffins, banana bread, bars, or even pancakes
Include in omelet or frittata
Blend into pestos and other sauces

9. Pears

Pears are one of the easiest to find green fruits and one of the healthiest!

The humble pear not only tastes great (kids and babies love them) but is also an excellent source of gut- and appetite-friendly fiber and contains vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium.

Pears are also a source of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that may help lower your risk of Type II diabetes, promote heart health, and lower inflammation.

Their naturally-occurring pectin also feeds beneficial gut microbes, making pears one of the best fruits for gut health.

Pear meal and snack ideas:

Enjoy fresh as a healthy snack
Dice into salads
Include on a cheeseboard
Put in a sandwich for a sweet and savory flavor
Blend into smoothies
Blend into homemade baby food (pears make a great neutral base)
Include in baked goods like pear crisp, pear muffins, and pear upside down cake
Make poached pears with juice or sweet wine as a healthy dessert

10. Seaweed

For centuries, sea vegetables like nori, dulse, and kelp have been staples in traditional diets, such as the infamous Okinawan Diet.

These umami-rich, naturally salty green foods contain a wealth of nutrients like iodine, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, C, and B, antioxidants such as alginates, and unique proteins—all of which promote vibrant health.

It's postulated that sea vegetables may play a role in the exceptional health and longevity of the Japanese, specifically the Okinawans who live in a Blue Zone (an area of the world with a large number of centenarians).

Up until recently, the idea of eating seaweed was foreign in North America.

Fortunately, the practice is becoming more mainstream with seaweed snacks, sushi, and dulse making their way into many American homes.

Sea vegetables are also an excellent source of natural iodine and trace minerals.

Seaweed meal and snack ideas:

Enjoy in sushi
As seaweed snacks
Use agar agar as a vegan gelling agent for puddings, jellies, and as a thickener
Add kombu to stocks to boost mineral content
Try kelp noodles for a low-calorie pasta alternative or stir-fry addition
Sprinkle kelp powder or dulse flakes in stir fry sauces, on salads, on roasted veggies or any Asian-inspired dish
Add 1-3 teaspoons dulse flakes to your smoothie, they add a nice thickness without too much seaweed flavor
Add spirulina to smoothies to significantly boost nutrition levels of iron and trace minerals
Look for drinks and foods with blue spirulina, a natural food coloring and nutritious seaweed
Look for seasonings with seaweed added
Look up a recipe for Hijiki or Arame Caviar." This dish makes a fun, healthy, and unique hors d'oeuvre for parties
Not crazy about seaweed flavor? Ask your healthcare practitioner about seaweed supplements, like Country Life's Arctic Kelp

11. Pistachios

Their shells are beige, but inside the pistachio nut is a green food.

Pistachios are one of the healthiest (and tastiest) nuts and contain calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, protein, healthy fats, zinc, vitamins A, E, and B-vitamins including biotin, fiber, and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin which are wonderful for eye health.

Their low fat, high-fiber and high-protein content and naturally occurring amino acid L-arginine (which promotes blood vessel health) make them a heart-healthy snack.

The only downside to pistachios is that they are typically sold salted, which makes them high in sodium. Look for unsalted varieties whenever possible.

Pistachio meal and snack ideas:

Eat straight from the shell (kids love cracking pistachios)
Use as a crust on your favorite protein
Add to salads and grain bowls
Use in place of pine nuts in pestos
Mix into granola
Enjoy in trail mixes
Make pistachio dark chocolate bark by pouring melted dark chocolate over shelled pistachios, let harden, break apart, and eat
Chop and blend into yogurt, chia pudding, and mango lassis

12. Green Squashes

Green squashes, like zucchini and chayote squash, are excellent and versatile sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, such as vitamin A, C, manganese, potassium, and folate.

Plus, they're easy to hide in other dishes, either grated or pureed, making them a snap to get into picky kids.

If you're tired of zucchini or don't care for its texture, chayote squash is another yummy option with higher folate and zinc content.

Like zucchini, the entire squash is edible, so you can just chop it up and grill, steam, roast, or air fry it with your favorite seasonings. It's also tasty raw in salads.

Green squash meal and snack ideas:

Use a peeler to slice into ribbons and marinate in your favorite vinaigrette for a quick salad
Make zoodles (zucchini noodles) using a spiralizer
Grate and add to sauces, grain dishes, and baked goods like zucchini bread, muffins, and pancakes.
Batch-grill a bunch ahead of time and enjoy in salads, bowls, and sandwiches throughout the week
Sauté with olive oil, garlic, and mint
Make zucchini fritters
Stuff with meatloaf or veggie loaf mix for a yummy variation on meatloaf night
Make zucchini bread

13. Green Tea

If you're looking for a lower-caffeine coffee or black tea alternative, green tea is one of the most healthful options.

Green tea comes from the same plant as black tea but is prepared differently, imparting a unique color, flavor, health benefits, and lower caffeine content. (about a third the caffeine as a cup of coffee)

Although green tea has been considered a health elixir for centuries, modern analytical research has revealed the magic behind its benefits; a specific group of antioxidants called catechins.

Catechins like epigallocatechin-3 gallate or EGCG have been shown to promote heart health, reduce inflammation, support bone health, and may even help prevent certain types of cancers.

Green tea also contains the calming amino acid L-Theanine, which helps reduce stress, quell anxiety, and may help promote healthy blood sugar balance.

How to incorporate green tea into your day:

Enjoy a cup of green tea in the morning as a healthy, lightly caffeinated coffee or black tea substitute
Try a matcha latte
Try iced green tea alone or infused with fruit and honey
Try a green tea lemonade combo for a refreshing and energizing summertime treat
Experiment with an energizing cup of green tea before working out
Ask your healthcare practitioner about green tea supplements like Country Life's Green Tea Extract

14. Kiwi

Kiwis are an underappreciated green superfruit.

These fuzzy green gems are high in gut-friendly fiber—including prebiotics—folate and vitamin C as well as vitamins E and K, potassium, and an enzyme known as actinidin, which breaks down protein.

They're also low on the glycemic index, making them an ideal sweet treat for those watching their sugar (check with your doctor if you have diabetes).

Kiwi meal and snack ideas:

Eat them whole (yes, the skin is edible)
Blend into smoothies for a burst of flavor
Freeze them as a cool and sweet treat
Add to granola, muesli, or yogurt
Chop into fruit or green salads
Puree and add to marinades (the actinidin in kiwi makes a great natural meat tenderizer)

15. Microgreens

We've saved the best for last!

Microgreens are, arguably, the most nutritious and beneficial of all the green foods.

These miniature seedlings of adult vegetables look like leafy sprouts and boast four to forty times the nutrients of their adult cousins, including (but not limited to depending on variety) vitamins C, K, E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, manganese, and selenium.

Studies also show that various sulforaphane-containing microgreens, specifically those from the brassica family (broccoli, radish, kale, collards, Brussels sprouts, cabbage), have potent anticancer nutrients and may help promote blood sugar balance and a healthier heart.

You can buy various microgreens at the local market or farmer's market, or grow your own at home using a microgreens kit.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of microgreens is you don't have to eat many of them to reap their benefits.

Even a handful a day on a salad, sandwich, or blended into a smoothie will provide a concentrated source of nutrition and disease-fighting plant compounds.

Microgreen meal and snack ideas:

Add to salads, sandwiches, bowls, or wraps
Blend into smoothies
Sprinkle on top of bowls or entrees
Eat by the handful
Enjoy as a side dish dressed with your favorite vinaigrette

Looking For More Ways To Get Real Food Nutrition Into Your Diet?

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