Good Greens
Low-fat leafy greens protect against chronic diseases. Even better? They are delicious.
By Jess Thomson
Popeye was right: Spinach is good for you. Packed with muscle-building iron, lutein for eye health, and disease-fighting antioxidants (just to name a few), spinach deserves its reputation as a superfood.
But spinach isn’t the only green that keeps our bodies going. Leafy cousins like kale, chard, and collards provide similar nutrients, and they don’t just build biceps. Recent findings indicate eating leafy greens could help prevent osteoporosis.
And although the findings have yet to be confirmed in clinical trials, Sarah Booth, a researcher at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, says another study suggests that vitamin K could be associated with reduced incidence of osteoarthritis. Kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collards, and turnip greens, as well as in green vegetables like broccoli and peas are all rich in vitamin K.
It’s easy to go green. Add chopped, rinsed greens such as kale or chard to soups and stews, or simply sauté them in a hot pan in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Many greens shrink when cooked, so start with more than you think you’ll need. Or replace light-colored lettuce with vitamin-rich arugula. It’s a dark, leafy green with a bit of a bite, which makes it a great partner for a simple, quick vinaigrette.
For ways to get good greens into your diet, try these delicious recipes:
Arugula Salad Recipe
