7 Healthiest Leafy Greens

Leafy green vegetables are a fundamental part of a healthy diet. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Eating a diet plan abundant in leafy greens can offer numerous health advantages, including the minimized risk of weight problems, heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental decline.

Here are 7 of the healthiest leafy green veggies to include in your diet plan:

1. Bok Choy

Bok choy is a kind of Chinese cabbage. It has thick, dark-green leaves that make a terrific addition to stir-fries and soups. Bok choy includes the mineral selenium, which plays an essential function in cognitive function, immune system, and cancer prevention.

Besides, selenium is essential for the thyroid gland to function properly. This gland lies in your neck and launches hormonal agents that play a crucial role in metabolism.

2. Arugula

Arugula is a leafy green known by other names such as rocket, colewort, and roquette. It has a somewhat peppery taste and little leaves that can easily be included in salads or utilized as a garnish. You can also use arugula cosmetically and medicinally.

Like other leafy greens, it’s loaded with pro-vitamin A carotenoids and vitamins B9 and K.

3. Watercress

Watercress is an aquatic plant and hence similar to arugula and mustard greens. It’s known to have healing characteristics and has been utilized in organic medicine for centuries. No human studies have confirmed these benefits so far., However, studies have found watercress extract to target cancer stem cells and impair cancer cell reproduction and intrusion.

4. Cabbage

Cabbage is composed of clusters of thick leaves available in green, white, and purple colors. It belongs to the Brassica household, along with Brussels sprouts, kale, and broccoli.

Veggies in this plant household include glucosinolates, which give them a bitter flavor. Studies have discovered that foods that contain these plant compounds might have cancer-protective properties, particularly against lung and esophageal cancer.

5. Spinach

Spinach is a popular leafy green veggie and is easily integrated into a range of meals, including soups, sauces, smoothies, and salads. Its nutrient profile is impressive, with one cup of raw spinach offering vitamin K, vitamin A, and manganese.

It’s likewise loaded with folate, which plays an essential function in red blood cell production and helps avoid complications during pregnancy.

6. Collard Greens

Collard greens are loose-leaf greens related to kale and spring greens. They have thick leaves that taste slightly bitter. They’re comparable in texture to kale and cabbage. Their name comes from the word “colewort.”.

Collard greens are a great source of calcium and vitamins A, B9 (folate), and C. They’re also one of the very best vitamin K sources when it comes to leafy greens. One cup of cooked collard greens contains your daily recommended intake of vitamin K.

7. Kale.

Kale is considered among the most nutrient-dense vegetables on earth due to its many vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. For example, one cup of raw kale is packed vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

It also contains antioxidants such as lutein and beta-carotene, which reduce the threat of illness triggered by oxidative stress. Kale is best taken in raw, considering that cooking can reduce its nutrient profile.