The Benefits of Leafy Green Vegetables

How many of these leafy green veggies do you include in your regular meals?

Spinach | Rocket  | Lettuce Watercress | Beet greens | Mustard greens | Swiss chard  | Endive | Kale | Cabbage | Chinese broccoli | Choy sum | Bok choy | Broccoli | Broccolini | Herbs like parsley, mint, coriander, basil, etc.

Leafy greens are a diverse bunch botanically; from the soft lactuca sativa (i.e. lettuce) varieties, grassy spinach, punchy beet leaves, fragrant herbs, all the way through to the thick, crunchy brassicas like kale, cabbage and broccoli.

Why should we eat leafy green vegetables?

You always hear it – eat your greens!
But why exactly are green veggies important for our health? 

Let’s start with the humble lettuce, often thought of as a bit of a “nothing” food. It’s actually quite a good source of vitamins! One cup of shredded cos lettuce will give you a good dose of vitamin A (as beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body) and vitamin K, plus vitamin C and folate. We don’t talk much about vitamin K, but it’s quite an important one for our bodies, it helps with blood clotting and wound repair and helps to reduce the risk of osteoporosis - what a star! 

Dark leafy greens like spinach provide a similar vitamin hit plus essential minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese. Tip: add a vitamin C-rich food to these greens to help your body absorb the iron, as plant-based iron (called non-haem iron – see more info on the types of iron here is more difficult for your body to absorb than iron from animal sources. A squeeze of lemon juice or some sliced tomato are both good sources of vitamin C and are easy to pair with greens.

Leafy greens are also an excellent source of antioxidants called flavonoids. Antioxidants are able to neutralise the effect of harmful particles called free radicals that are linked with cell damage and disease within the human body. I think it’s always best to try to get your antioxidants (and other nutrients for that matter) from foods as opposed to supplements – and leafy greens are such an abundant source.

And I haven’t forgotten about the brassicas! Some of my favourite veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts – brassicas are also sometimes called cruciferous vegetables. Not all of the brassicas are leafy and not all of them are green, but you can certainly count some toward your intake.

Like the other greens, brassicas provide a good dose of vitamins (B vitamins, folate, vitamin A and vitamin C) and small to moderate amounts of minerals including calcium, potassium, iron and copper. A cup of broccoli will give you your recommended daily intake of vitamin C - too easy! Another benefit of the brassicas is that they contain compounds called isothiocyanates which help the body to run its detoxification processes, including the clearance of substances by the liver.

So many good reasons to fill up your shopping basket with leafy greens of all varieties. What’s your favourite way to prepare your greens?