Here is a brief description of some common and popular green foods shown in the picture from left to right. These are beneficial to the health of your birds and should be offered daily. Remember that vegetables with the darkest leaves are the richest in nutrients.
Dandelion leaves have irregular and jagged edges. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, calcium, trace minerals, and are richer in potassium than bananas. It is also useful as a digestive stimulant, skin problems, and liver disorders. You should be able to find the greens in Health Food stores, but if you do not buy organic, they should be harvested from only pesticide free areas when the leaves are less than six inches long.
Turnip greens contain good amounts of calcium and magnesium. Select fresh looking and crisp green leaves.
Kale has ruffled leaves that are greenish-blue to dark green and younger leaves are tender. Kale is one of the most nutritious greens and is an excellent source of calcium, which helps build strong bones and maintains a healthy nervous system. Select fresh-looking kale and refrigerate it in a perforated plastic bag.
Collard greens are large, wide, dark silvery-green leaves. It is rich in fiber as well as A, C vitamins and is beneficial to digestion.
Mustard greens are oval shaped with frilly edges. It contains sulphur, calcium, magnesium, and potassium and is a good liver cleanser.
Spinach has oval-shaped, dark-green leaves; it has the highest source of fiber, calcium, and vitamin A of the leafy greens. An extremely nutritious food, it is a good source of vitamin C, iron, potassium and minerals. It contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which prevent damage to the eyes from sunlight and free radicals it is a blood builder and beneficial to feather health.
Broccoli is a good source of vitamins C, D, K, carotenoids (pro-vitamin A) and fiber. It also contains the enzyme protector sulforaphane which helps maintains the health of the intestinal tract in birds and helps protect against cancer. Broccoli contains an antioxidant that helps the immunity and supports the body by inducing extra protection of the body's enzymes.
Apple cider vinegar: vitamins A, C,E,B1, B2 and B6, potassium, calcium, bioflavonoids (vitamin P), tannins, malic acid, tartaric acid, propionic acid, acetic acid and pectin magnesium, sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus, iron, silicon and other trace minerals. I use 6 ml per liter of water
HERBS
Alfalfa grass: 8 essential amino acids, beta carotene, biotin, lysine, A, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-9, B-12, B-complex, C, E, G, K, U, P, enzymes, aluminum, chlorophyll, calcium, chlorine, sodium, fluorine, iron, magnesium, potassium, silicone, sulfur, phosphorus, trace minerals.- appetite stimulant antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal properties.
Astragalus: astragalosides and other immunostimulant polysaccharides, beta-sitosterol, flavonoids, and trace minerals, especially selenium - immune system stimulator, aids digestion, energy, kidneys
Barberry: berberine, B-vitamin thiamine, vitamin C, the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, chromium, cobalt, and zinc- antiseptic, respiratory, antibacterial, blood purifier, liver function
Barley grass: provides 9 times the vitamin C of oranges and 11 times the calcium in milk. It is also a good source of vitamin B12.
Bee Pollen: antioxidant flavonoids, including myricetin, quercetin, rutin, and trans-cinnamic acid.
Chamomile: essential oil (bisabolol and chamazulene), apigenin, matricin. - Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic.
Chickweed: Coumarins, rutin, iron, saponins, C, B6, B12, D. - anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, stomach, respiratory
Chlorella: a concentrated source of complete protein said to be of higher quality and more digestible than beef. It also contains beneficial fatty acids, with out the fat. Chlorella contains vitamin B, C and E as well as major minerals.
Dandelion: vitamins A, C, D, and B complex as well as iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon, bitter taraxacins (eudesmanolides), sitosterol, stigmasterol, alpha- and beta-carotene, caffeic acid, mucilage. Used for the support and treatment the liver, kidneys and stomach ailments.
Echinacea: vitamins & proteins immune stimulants (polysaccharides and echinaceoside). -antibiotic, antiviral, strengthens immunity.
Elderberry: Potassium nitrate, sambucin, sambunigrin. -respiratory, anti-inflammatory, blood purifier, stimulates appetite.
Garlic: Allicin, citral, geraniol, linalool, phellandrene, s-methyl-1-cysteine sulfoxide. -antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, fertility, immune system, heart.
Ginkgo biloba: gibberellin, cytokinin-like substances, ginkgolic acid, bilobol, ginnol, aspartine, calcium.
Goldenseal: hydrastine, berberine, berberastine, canadine, candaline, and hydrastinine, fatty acids, resin, polyphenolic acids, meconin, chlorogenic acid, phytosterins and a small amount of volatile oil. -
Kelp: Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Vitamin B1, B2, B12 and polysaccharides, iodine. - thyroid, stimulant, emollient, protects mucous membranes and aids in coloring.
Lavender: Essential oil containing borneol, camphor, geraniol, and linalool, coumarins, caryophyllene, tannins, and other antioxidant compounds. digestion, metabolism, relieves stress, stimulant,
Licorice: glycyrrhizin, complex immune-stimulant sugars. - expectorant, liver detoxifier, anti-inflammatory.
Marshmallow: mucilage (arabinogalactans and galacturonorhamnan), the amino acid asparagines, antioxidant flavonoids 8-hydroxyluteolin and 8-b-gentiobioside, coumarins, fats, kaempferol, phenolic acids, quercetin. - heals wounds, calcium, A, diuretic, demulcent, tonic
Milk thistle: silymarin (silibinin, silydianin, and silychristin), vitamin E (tocopherols), and about 90% fatty acids. - liver repair, heart, lungs, circulation, expels intestinal worms
Oat straw: rich in calcium, magnesium. - yeast infections, antiseptic, thyroid
Olive leaf: apigenin, choline, cinchonine, luteolin, mannitol, olivin, tannins.- chronic skin problems, allergies, improves the will to live in sick birds
Pau d’ arco: lapachol, lapachone, and isolapachone. - antibacterial, antifungal, blood cleanser, fights infections, liver, candida
Plantain: allantion, apigenin, aucubin, baicalein, linoleic acid, oleanolic acid, sorbitol, and tannin, beta carotene, vitamin C, calcium.- kidneys, bladder, appetite, diarrhea, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory
Red clover: isoflavones biotin, minerals, B’s, A, C.- relaxant, antibiotic, inflammations,
Spirulina: E, B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, carotenoids, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, gamma linolenic acid. - fertility, growth, immune system, stress reducer, color, protein
Thyme: alpha-linolenic acid, anethole, apigenin, borneol, caffeic acid, calcium, chromium, eugenol, ferulic acid, geraniol, kaempferol, limonene, lithium, luteolin, magnesium, manganese, methionine, p-coumaric acid, potassium, rosmarinic acid, selenium, thymol, tryptophan, ursolic acid. -antibacterial, kills and expels worms, fights diarrhea
Valerian: acetic acid, ascorbic acid, beta-ionone, calcium, caffeic acid, magnesium, manganese, quercitin, valeric acid. - feather plucking, aggressiveness, pain relief, nervous conditions
Wormwood: liver, aids digestion, encourages appetite, kills & expels worms
Wheatgrass powder: quercetin, rutin, organic phosphates, amino acids, enzymes, chlorophyll.
Yarrow: bitters, chamazulene, proazulene, saponins, tannins, fatty acids. - blood purifier, liver function, virus & fungal inhibitor, tonic.