As gardens green up outside, dietitians say it's time to add a little green to your diet.
Getting your greens isn't always easy.
"People aren't huge fans of green foods," said dietitian Anne Cundiff.
She said that's because of its strong flavor.
Cundiff is a registered dietitian and the President of the Iowa Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She said green fruits and vegetables pack a nutritional punch.
"There's tons of antioxidants in all your green vegetables. A lot of them provide energy, they are just great keeping your cells plump and healthy. They can fight off cancer," said Cundiff.
Cundiff would like half of your daily 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables to be green.
“Green vegetables have a lot of fiber in them and they are water based and water and fiber fill up your tummy a lot more and makes you more satisfied," she said.
Cundiff said a great way to sneak greens into your daily diet is to put them in snacks, salads, even dips.
She made a dip with guacamole and Greek yogurt.
"I like to mix the guacamole with Greek yogurt to reduce that fat content and to increase the protein with your dip," she said.
Serve with green peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes and you have most of your daily servings.
Cundiff also recommends mixing up your salads by making one with Brussels sprouts, golden raisins, honey flavored goat cheese, and white balsamic honey dressing.
And, you could always snack on kale chips. She said kale is packed with antioxidants and promotes good eye health.
"Just spray the tops of that, and then I just put a little pepper and salt and you bake it at 275 degrees for about 10 minutes each side."
If you're looking for a green fruit, try kiwi.
Cundiff said, "Kiwi is one of my top four fruits, and the reason why is it's full of fiber, and it's really easy to eat. You can cut it in half and take a spoon and scoop it right out."
Below are some nutrition print out from the FDA.
