Saint Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and we know you’re going to want to celebrate with fun green foods and drinks. While green beer is certainly no good for your teeth or general health, there are a lot of great green foods that you can munch on to get into the spirit of the season. You can also send these foods to school with your kid on Saint Patrick’s day – to give them something delicious to match their green clothes!
Five Green Foods That Help Your Teeth
Here’s a list of green foods that you and your family can enjoy all March long. You might be able to get your children to eat them in the spirit of Saint Patrick’s Day!
1. Zucchini
Although this green veggie isn’t really in season this time of year, it certainly is great for your teeth and overall health. Zucchini contains tooth builders like B vitamins, calcium, and potassium – along with many other vitamins and minerals like various omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin A.
You can get your kids to eat this green treat by cooking savory pancakes, adding sauteed zucchini to scrambled eggs, or turning the veggie into zoodles.
2. Celery
This easy snack is filled with vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and fiber. All of these factors make celery an excellent choice for overall oral health. It also has the benefit of being green, making it the perfect Saint Patrick’s Day snack.
Most kids love to crunch on plain celery sticks, which is fantastic because the water and fiber in celery work as a “natural toothbrush,” scrubbing your child’s teeth. However, if your kid doesn’t love plain celery, add a little cream cheese for an extra calcium boost or chop up celery to add crunch to tuna or chicken salad sandwiches.
3. Leafy greens
Dark, leafy green vegetables from kale to spinach to arugula are all rich in vitamins and minerals that help keep your mouth healthy. Many leafy greens have vitamin C and calcium – and both are vital parts of strong teeth.
However, it can be tough to get kids (or, let’s face it, ourselves) to chow down on leafy greens. Here are some ideas that might help you kick off Saint Patrick’s Day right – or recover the day after.
Start your day with a kale or spinach smoothie, use green veggies in place of dye to make favorite foods green, or add leafy greens to your favorite savory dish.
4. Green Tomatoes
This Southern classic makes for a delicious and unusual Saint Patrick’s Day food. Also, green tomatoes are chock full of vitamin C and magnesium, making it fantastic for your oral health. While we don’t recommend frying green tomatoes, we have found a few recipes that may just make your Saint Patrick’s Day.
Try snacking on green tomato/mozzarella stacks, top off your favorite tacos with green tomato salsa, or serve up green tomato tartines. Who knows, you may just find the perfect way to chow down on green tomatoes.
5. Matcha Tea
Matcha Tea is one of the so-called “superfoods” you read about in articles across the internet. It’s actually a pretty delicious tea with a naturally sweet aftertaste. Additionally, matcha tea has the benefits of a) being green and b) containing a boatload of antioxidants. Some research has been done into matcha tea’s oral health benefits, and preliminary studies suggest that it could lower the acidity level of your saliva, helping to protect tooth enamel.
Matcha is a green tea – and while some people don’t love its taste, we know definitely that many children don’t like to sip on green tea. That said, here are a few ideas for incorporating matcha into fun kid (and adult) friendly recipes for Saint Patrick’s Day and beyond:
- Matcha tea pancakes are actually delicious
- Homemade matcha granola can make a great snack
- You can give your favorite burger a swift kick of flavor with this matcha tea basil aioli
- You may be able to convince your children to make this matcha coconut ice cream as a Saint Patrick’s Day gift.
While many green foods don’t sound like a lot of fun, we hope this article has shown you how delicious healthy greens can be on Saint Patrick’s Day and beyond!
If you or your family are looking for excellent, local dental care – make an appointment today. Andersen Dental Center is here to care for your entire family!