Articles written by Devin Sherrington about health, wellness and fitness in regular column called Fit to Be Tried in the Daily News:

The Daily News - Fit to Be Tried by Devin Sherrington

Remember when your mother used to tell you to eat your vegetables? She was right. We do need to eat them, especially our kids. Canadian children are tipping the scales with almost 20% of them being overweight. They need their vegetables even more than we do for healthy growth.

If you're having trouble forcing down salads and fruits, or you have children who don't like to eat them, there is hope. You don't have to eat those 5 to 10 servings a day. You can buy a greens product and get all the nutrients your body needs without the work. It's the 21st century way of eating. Just mix it in a cup and you're done for the day. Even your kids can get on board with this one.

Why do we need to eat all those greens?

First off, eating vegetables can help reduce your risk of cancer. According to some recent studies, up to 35% of cancers come from the food we eat.

Greens will also help control your blood sugar levels, give you more energy and add fiber to your diet, which will promote regularity.

In a university of Toronto study from 2004, greens users reported significantly greater energy levels, an increased sense of vitality vs. the placebo group. In addition, the greens users also noticed improvements in their mental health, along with improved overall health and well-being.

But what greens product should you try?

There are numerous greens products on the market these days, and I certainly haven't tried them all. Ask a professional who knows the good from the bad and the useless. I get mine from Rob Lough at Popeye's in Halifax. www.popeyeshalifax.ca.

"Greens have really exploded on to the market lately with lots of different types to choose from." Says Rob. "Of course greens+ is the best known of all, but others are becoming just as popular, especially with people who have busy lives and want to stay healthy. Greens are a quick fix for people that just don't have the time."

The question I had was how the heck do you manage to get almost all of your daily servings of greens into one little bottle?

"It's more simple than you think." Rob told me. "You have to remember that all green plants are filled with water, around 80% and higher. Greens products just take the water out, but not in the way you would at home. If you cook greens you'll lose around half of all the nutrients, because you boil them out. With greens products they don't boil them so you can get all the nutrients, just without the water."

Go out and buy yourself a bottle of greens. As soon as I did I noticed a big difference in the way I felt and my energy levels, though I still get worn out chasing my three year old. Greens will make you healthier and they'll save you time at Tim Horton's. You just might not need that big cup of coffee every morning to get you going. Take the greens challenge. It's one habit that definitely can't harm you.