I have already explained to you the benefits of four of the free foods on our C9 programme – rocket, spinach, broccoli and kale – but what about the other free foods? What vitamins and minerals can you find in them and why are they good for you? So, let’s dive into four new foods – celery, spring onion, endive and leeks – to find out why we’ve included them in our C9 programme.

Fight fatigue

Do you ever have those days at work where you realise you’ve been staring out of the window for several minutes in a state of half-consciousness? Perhaps you find your eyes drooping and you’ve completely zoned out of the meeting with no idea of what’s been said. Well, maybe it’s time to up your intake of folate, vitamin C, iron, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 and magnesium! All of these vitamins and nutrients contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, so they may help your eyelids hold their own in your next meeting. That’s all very well and good, but where can you find them? Well, 100g of endive contains 35% of your RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of folate, while spring onion contains 31% of your RDA of vitamin C. You’ll find a good dose of iron, vitamin B6 and magnesium from leeks, as well.

Look after your bones

If you want to look after your bones and connective tissues, getting enough manganese is a good place to start. Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and to the normal formation of connective tissue in your body. You’ll find 21% of your RDA of manganese in 100g uncooked endive. There’s even more in 100g uncooked leeks at 24%, but once the leeks are cooked, this figure goes down to 12%, so be aware of this if you are looking to get as much manganese as you can in one snack.

Mind your head

Many of the vitamins and minerals in endive, uncooked leeks and spring onions can also be beneficial for your head and mind. Folate, magnesium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C all contribute to normal psychological function. 100g endive contains a massive 35% of your RDA and 100g of spring onion or uncooked leeks contains 31% and 20%, respectively, of your RDA of vitamin C. Another nutrient that’s good for your head is a vitamin called pantothenic acid. This contributes to normal mental performance. You’ll find 0.9mg of pantothenic acid in 100g of raw endive, which is 9% of your RDA, helping you to feel in the right frame of mind.

Support your brain

Your brain is the most important part of the central nervous system, and this is another important part of the body that’s important to look after. Potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium all contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system. You’ll find a fair dose of potassium and vitamin C in celery if it’s cooked first, but interestingly, uncooked celery has much lower counts. This is completely the other way around with leeks, as 100g uncooked leeks are higher in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium. So, make sure you make the right decision when preparing your food to ensure you get those extra nutrients!

#BeResolute

Clearly the free foods on our C9 programme have been chosen for reasons other than just being low in calories, and understanding the importance of nutrients in relation to bodily functions is just one of the life lessons you’ll learn when completing one of Forever’s F.I.T. programmes. Thankfully, you’re not limited to just eating these vegetables when you’re on the programme and we encourage you to maintain those healthy habits beyond the C9 by getting yourself a good dose of nutrients with every meal. Don’t stop after nine days, #BeResolute and love nutrients each and every day.

What’s your favourite way to prepare these free foods? Let us know in the comments.