It is no secret that greens are good for the body but surprisingly, despite their large number of nutritional advantages, they are one of the most under-consumed foods in the average person's diet. There is such a wide variety of green vegetable with different textures and tastes that including one or more as part of a balanced diet need no longer be a point of contention. They can easily be incorporated in recipe favourites, are inexpensive and can be grown easily in your very own garden.
Nutritional Content
What is it that makes leafy green vegetables a veritable superfood? One reason is the rich assortment of nutrients that can be found in them; vitamins A, C, E, and K feature heavily in salad greens, kale and spinach while many of the B vitamins can be found in broccoli, bok choy, mustard greens and many other varieties of leafy green vegetable. These same vegetables also contain an abundance of phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) such as zeaxanthin, lutein and beta-carotene; valuable chemicals which protect cells from damage.
Green leafy vegetables also contain high levels of dietary fibre, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, calcium and even Omega-3 fatty acids, which serve to maintain eye health, aid in digestive regulation, increase bone strength and boost the immune system.
What can Leafy Green Vegetables do for my Health?
Weight loss, cancer prevention, anti-aging qualities and even bone strength - the health benefits of leafy green vegetables are many in number.
Due to their high fat and water-soluble antioxidant content, green leafy vegetables are one of the best cancer-preventing foods. Flavonoids, cartenoids and the rich fibre content help in the elimination of harmful carcinogens and toxins, while quercitin, a photonutrient, also contains many antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. Studies have shown that eating two or three servings of green leafy vegetables per week significantly lowers the risk of stomach, breast and skin cancer. These same antioxidants have also been proven to decrease the risk of heart disease and prevent cataract and macticular degeneration in the eye.
Perhaps one of the most appealing benefits of leafy vegetables is their low calorie and carbohydrate content and low glycemic index, which make them an ideal food to facilitate weight loss and maintain long-term weight management. Adding more green vegetables to a balanced diet increases the intake of dietary fibre which in turn regulates the digestive system and aids in bowel health and weight loss. These properties are also advantageous for those suffering from type-2 diabetes.
The vitamin K content in dark green leafy vegetables provides a number of health benefits including: aiding in the production of osteocalcin, a protein that aids bone growth; protecting bones from osteoporosis by retaining calcium, and helping to prevent against inflammatory diseases.
Which Greens Should I be Eating?
The following are but a few examples of green leafy vegetables that can easily be incorporated into the most particular of diets.
- bok choy - a Chinese white cabbage rich in vitamins A and C and in calcium and dietary fibre
- spinach - sweet in flavour and high in vitamins A and K, iron and folate
- broccoli - grows with florets and crunchy stalks and is rich in fibre and a number of vitamins
- collard greens - mild in flavour with a high content of vitamins A, C and K.
- lettuce - contains folate and vitamins A, C and K
Green vegetables can be cooked and eaten in many ways; in soups, salads, stir-frys, steamed, boiled and even raw making them easy additions to your daily meals!
References:
Center for Young Women's Health. (2009). Dark Green Leafy Vegetables.
Vegetarianism and Vegetarian Nutrition. (2009). Health Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables.
Onyi Nwabineli - Writing is my passion. I am a graduate of Brunel University in London where I earned my degree in English with Creative Writing. All ...
