St. Patrick's Day may not seem like the healthiest of holidays, but some of St. Paddy's best-known symbols and foods are actually quite lucky for your health.
If you're eating traditional Irish fare, corned beef may not be the best choice for your health. On the other hand, cabbage takes the pot of gold for hidden health benefits.
It's just 33 calories per cup and packed with compounds that boost your immune system, calm ulcers and improve circulation. Cabbage is also a good source of vitamins C and K.
"The cabbage, of course, being a leafy green vegetable, is going to be high in phytochemicals that are helpful in preventing cancer, and fiber, which is good for helping you feel full and satisfied," said Lindsay Malone, a Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian
Eating more green foods, the naturally-colored kind, is always a healthy idea. Dietary guidelines recommend adults eat about two and a half cups of vegetables a day. In addition to cabbage, dietitians say kale, broccoli, spinach and peppers are excellent options.
Numerous studies find moderate beer consumption reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease, but consider skipping the green beer and sipping a stout instead.
"Those darker Irish beers will be higher in antioxidants which may provide that additional benefit," said Malone.
St. Patrick's Day is a celebration, but experts say don't wait for a special occasion to socialize more.
"We know from research that socializing helps release lots of different chemical substances from the brain, like endorphins, things like oxytocin. When you have warm relationships with people that you're close to these hormones and substances make you feel good. They're good for your stress levels," said Dr. Lyla Blake-Gumbs,
a Cleveland Clinic family medicine physician.
If all that socializing makes you want to dance a jig, give it a try. Irish-themed workouts are growing in popularity.
"It's so energetic. You can get a cardiovascular workout. You get your heart rate up. You're moving large muscle groups rhythmically, so it fits the criteria for an aerobic workout if you're doing it in a sustained fashion," said Cleveland Clinic orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kim Gladden.
The rapid movement of Irish dancing may strengthen your body and your brain. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found dancing can decrease the risk of developing dementia.
"Having to think about rhythm, and time your movements, and learn the choreography because as you're learning choreography, you really have to think and engrain movement, and it fires patterns in the brain that I think are very beneficial," said Gladden.