Dark green leafy vegetables are arguably the most nutritious food that you will find in any supermarket. Dark green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin, minerals and antioxidants. They are good for your heart, lower your high cholesterol, reduce the risk of getting type 2 diabetes and are great for weight loss, as they leave you feeling satiated and full of energy without adding any calories whatsoever.
Here, we have collected 10 of the healthiest dark green leafy vegetables. Let’s find out more about them.
Kale
Kale is one of the most powerful leafy green vegetables that has many impressive nutritional benefits. Kale is rich in Vitamins A, C and K and in plant protein. It is also rich in Folate, or B vitamin, which is essential for brain development. Just a cup of kale has 2.5 grams of fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
Watercress
Watercress is perhaps the most powerful of all dark green leafy vegetables because of high nutrition content. Watercress is rich in beta carotene and contains four times as much beta carotene as an apple.
It is a rich resource of vitamin K. 100 grams of watercress contain five times your daily recommended requirement of vitamin K. It is also a powerful anti-cancer food and reduces any DNA damage caused by cancer by as much as 17% as per the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Chinese Cabbage
Chinese cabbage, called so because it is grown widely in China is also known as celery cabbage. It is a rich source of iron and calcium and is well known for its amazing anti-inflammatory prowess.
According to a study by Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, women who had more Chinese cabbage had 13 percent lower inflammation than those who had no Chinese cabbage in their diet. This makes Chinese cabbage one of the best foods for the heart.
Chard
Chard is an extremely powerful dark green leafy vegetable that contains as many 13 different polyphenol antioxidants such as anthocyanins which are powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. According to a study those who have a higher intake of anthocyanins have a lower resistance to insulin, with well regulated blood glucose levels.
Beet Greens
Did you know that a cup of beet greens that you normally throw into the garbage has 5 grams of fiber? Beet greens are one of the richest sources of fiber that are known to scientists. Why is fiber important? Fiber is good for your digestion and is great for your heart. Having fiber on a regular basis reduces the risk of heart disease.
Spinach
Spinach is one of the most popular leafy green vegetable with amazing nutritional content. Spinach is rich in iron, which is so important for building biceps. A 180 gram serving of spinach gives you 6.43 mg of vital minerals. Spinach is great for your weight loss as well, as it suppresses you appetite and ensures that you feel fuller, without adding anything to your calorie count.
Leaf Lettuce
Just two cups of leafy lettuce give you all the vitamin K you need. Vitamin K is necessary for healthier and stronger bones. Leafy lettuce is, of course, an integral part of every salad and is highly recommended for weight loss.
Chicory
Chicory one of the best natural sources of polyphenols, which are powerful micronutrients that play an important role in building the body’s immunity and protecting you from various infections and dangerous diseases. Those who have at least 650 mg a day of polyphenols have a 30 percent chance of living longer, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. Just a cup of chicory has 235 mg of polyphenols.
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce is a rich source of folic acid, which is nothing but water soluble Vitamin B. Folic acid is given to men as it is known to increase their sperm count and does wonders for their fertility. It has a plenty of health benefits for women as well. Folic acid or folate is known to fight depression and recommended by psychiatrists to patients.
Collard Greens
Collard greens are the most popular dark green leafy vegetables in the U.S. It is known in particular to fight cholesterol. Collards improve the body’s ability to fight cholesterol and are actually more powerful than the drugs that are normally recommended for cholesterol control.
Can you eat too many Dark Leavy greens?