Through my days of being a vegetarian and a vegan, dark leafy vegetables were part of many meals. Occasionally, they were predominant as the meal. More often, I thought of them as something to add to a meal rather than be the meal. Often they were cooked.

Greens and Beyond

Sometimes leafy vegetables are so dark they are beyond green — red or purple. The color is an indication of the mineral content.

Specifically, I am referring to such foods as arugula, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mesclun, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress. They are readily accessible superfoods — that is, nutrient-dense, unprocessed plant foods.

Cravings

I’ve had various food cravings over the years, some I would classify as healthy, others as unhealthy. I think that most people consider that a "craving" is associated with an unhealthy food. The dictionary defines it as "an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing."

Many years ago, I studied Chinese herbs with Ron Teeguarden in his Santa Monica shop. In a conversation with him just before a class, he talked about eating greens, mentioning his "craving" for them.

Envy overtook me. My first instinct, which I believe I also voiced, was "I wish I had a craving like that!"

I haven’t made any in-depth study of cravings, but I do know that eating the thing I have a tendency to crave makes me crave it more intensely the next day. Also, if I keep eating that food regularly and then stop, the craving is usually quite intense and uncomfortable.

Eating More Greens

I decided to apply my knowledge and experience to eating greens. I began to eat them more regularly and at more meals and only raw — and I must admit, not always enjoying them. Sometimes I disguised the taste, making them either savory or sweet.

I added them to each meal, although I know that I got the most nutrients from them after putting them into a blender in raw soups and smoothies. I like to blend the greens well, but short of being fully liquified. I prefer it when my smoothie has something to chew, otherwise I just drink it. With bits of leaves, I am reminded to chew, which is very important for digestion.

Craving Greens Now

And then one day it happened! I began to crave dark green leafy vegetables. It was subtle at first, and now it’s strong enough to keep me eating my greens several times each day and enjoying them.

In fact, as I write this and think about them, I am salivating. Pardon me. I’m going to go fix myself a green smoothie with kale, banana, and water.