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The Healing Power of Green Foods

by | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 | Foods, Nutrition

Green foods are a winner for good health when consumed liberally and regularly. Come take a peek with us inside each of these little green gifts, packaged with love from above and chock-full of nutritional benefits especially for you!  Discover the health benefits that come from consuming these foods frequently. Use them in salad, soups, and pasta dishes.

Celery1

  • lowers blood pressure; contains compounds that dilate blood vessels
  • contains many pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory substances
  • contains 11 known anti-ulcer compounds
  • inhibits histamine and contains anti-allergy properties

Broccoli

  • contains sulforaphane, which combats cancer in at least seven known ways2 3
  • Sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts helps fight the H. pylori bacteria associated with gastritis and peptic ulcers.4
  • Broccoli sprouts contain the highest amount of sulforaphane. To preserve sulforaphane in broccoli, chop it and let it sit for 30-45 minutes before steaming (3-5 mins) or light sautéing.

Spinach

  • helps preserve balance
  • protects our DNA
  • exerts anti-cancer actions
  • affords some protection from cataract formation and macular degeneration (the leading causes of blindness in Americans over 60 years of age)5

Asparagus

  • contains impressive amounts of B vitamins as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds
  • protects from secondary infections in patients with oral cancer
  • contains fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a type of carbohydrate that improves mineral absorption
  • stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon
  • reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Avocadoes

  • boost several categories of anti-inflammatory compounds
  • rich in monounsaturated fats
  • very low glycemic index
  • Compared with nonconsumers, those with higher consumption of avocados had 16% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 21% lower risk of coronary heart disease, after adjusting for other cardiovascular and dietary risk factors.6 A review analysis of Hass avocadoes found their consumption lower elevated triglycerides and reduce LDL oxidation. Moreover, consumption of Hass avocado reduces small dense LDL particles. Oxidized cholesterol and small dense LDL are very atherogenic.7
  • Regular consumption of Hass avocado improves the ability of the blood vessels to dilate, lowers the risk of being overweight or obese, supports weight loss, and reduces visceral fat tissue in overweight or obese women, improves cognitive function in older normal-weight adults and in young to middle-aged overweight or obese adults, especially in frontal cortex executive function; and stimulates improved colonic microbiota health in overweight or obese adults by promoting healthier microflora and fecal metabolites.8

Kiwis

  • improve DNA repair9
  • improve bowel function
  • help to relieve constipation associated with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) 10

Leeks

  • contain the flavonoid kaempferol, an anti-inflammatory, cancer-fighting phytochemical, which has repeatedly been shown to help protect blood-vessel linings from damage11
  • support the body’s antioxidant and detoxification systems
  • reduce the risk of gastric and prostate cancers

Cabbage

When eaten raw, it contains an anti-gizzard erosion factor that helps heal ulcers. It contains the phytochemical quercetin, which provides anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activity.

Parsley12

  • rich in antioxidants, folate, and zinc
  • contains the phytochemicals carnosol and apigenin that exert anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects
  • contains generous amounts of the bone-protective mineral, boron
  • inhibits undesirable platelet clumping

We hope these foods become even more appetizing in light of their virtues!

Disclaimer: The information in this article or recipe is general and educational in nature. Wildwood Sanitarium, its entities, or authors do not intend this information as a substitute for proper diagnosis, treatment, or counseling from a qualified medical provider who knows the person’s medical history and laboratory work.

Copyright © by Wildwood Sanitarium, Inc. 2026.  All rights reserved.

References:

  1. Duke, James. The Green Pharmacy. St Martin’s Press, 1999[↩]
  2. Tortorella SM, et al. Dietary Sulforaphane in Cancer Chemoprevention: The Role of Epigenetic Regulation and HDAC Inhibition. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2015 Jun 1;22(16):1382-424. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4432495/[↩]
  3. Asif Ali M, et al. Anticancer properties of sulforaphane: current insights at the molecular level. Front Oncol. 2023 Jun 16;13:1168321. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10313060/ [↩]
  4. Dietary Sulforaphane-Rich Broccoli Sprouts Reduce Colonization and Attenuate Gastritis in Helicobacter pylori–Infected Mice and Humans. Cancer Prevention Research. Volume 2, Issue 4. 1 April 2009. https://aacrjournals.org/cancerpreventionresearch/article/2/4/353/47768/Dietary-Sulforaphane-Rich-Broccoli-Sprouts-Reduce [↩]
  5. Dietary sources of antioxidants and oxidative stress in age-related macular degeneration. Front. Pharmacol., 23 September 2024. Sec. Ethnopharmacology. Volume 15 – 2024. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1442548/full [↩]
  6. Pacheco LS, et al.Avocado Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in US Adults. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Apr 5;11(7):e024014. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9075418/ [↩]
  7. Dreher ML, et al., A Comprehensive Review of Hass Avocado Clinical Trials, Observational Studies, and Biological Mechanisms. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 7;13(12):4376. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8705026/#sec1-nutrients-13-04376 [↩]
  8. Dreher ML, et al., A Comprehensive Review of Hass Avocado Clinical Trials, Observational Studies, and Biological Mechanisms. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 7;13(12):4376. [↩]
  9. Collins AR. Kiwifruit as a modulator of DNA damage and DNA repair. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2013;68:283-99.[↩]
  10. Bayer, S. Habitual Green Kiwifruit Consumption Is Associated with a Reduction in Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms: A Systematic Scoping Review. Adv Nutr. 2022 Jun 1;13(3):846-856. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9156379/[↩]
  11. Chen AY, Chen YC. A review of the dietary flavonoid, kaempferol on human health and cancer chemoprevention. Food Chem. 2013 Jun 15;138(4):2099-107. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.11.139. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3601579 [↩]
  12. Hall, E. What Can Parsley Do for You? What Can Parsley Do for You?[↩]

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