Green Leafy Vegetables: Health Impact

Introduction

Green leafy vegetables are rich in nutrients and fiber and low in fats and calories, which are essential to a healthy diet. Intake of this diet helps to provide many health benefits and decreases the risk of developing high blood pressure, mental disorders, obesity, and heart diseases. Generally, adults vary their vegetable intake, but based on 2020-2025 dietary guidelines, USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) recommends that each individual should aim to include fruits and vegetables to fill half of the plate because the nutrition content in the green leafy vegetables is generally associated with many health benefits.

What Are a Few Examples of Green Leafy Vegetables?

As the name suggests, people can quickly identify green leafy vegetables by their green color and edible parts. Some individuals eat raw leafy greens, and others require cooking. Some examples are

Collard greens:

• Collard greens have large fan-like leaves and tough stems. These are bitter and tough to chew, so few people only eat them raw, while many consume them by braise or steaming.

• They belong to the cabbage family and are rich in vitamin A, C, folate, calcium, and vitamin K.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of green collard consists of

  • Carbohydrates: 1.1 grams.
  • Calories: 7.
  • Protein: 0.09 grams.
  • Sugar: 0.1 gram.
  • Fiber: 0.7 gram.
  • Fat: 0.1 gram.

Watercress:

• Watercress belongs to the cruciferous family, which are slightly peppery and spicy aquatic plants.

• According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), watercress ranks at the top powerhouse fruits and vegetable list.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of raw watercress consists of

  • Carbohydrates: 0.4 grams.
  • Calories: 4.
  • Proteins: 0.8 grams.
  • Sugar: 0.1 gram.
  • Fiber: 0.2 gram.
  • Fat: 0 gram.

Kale:

• Kale's characteristic feature has long leaves that curl at the end and rigid center stems.

• It belongs to the brassica (cabbage) family.

• In 2018, many trusted resources like NIH (National Institute of Health) defined that high-fiber diet helps to prevent type 2 diabetes because kale is rich in nutrients and includes fiber and antioxidants.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of cooked kale consists of

  • Carbohydrates: 6.3 grams.
  • Calories: 43.
  • Proteins: 3.5 grams.
  • Sugars: 1.4 grams
  • Fiber: 4.7 grams
  • Fat: 1.4 grams.

Cabbage:

• People often saute, stir fry or boil cabbage and ferment it to make kimchi and sauerkraut.

• The leaves of cabbage vary from green to purple to white.

• Sulforaphane is the compound in the cabbage that helps lower the risk of cancer in an individual.

• In 2019, many trusted resources like NIH (National Institute of Health) suggested that it helps to protect cells from oxidative damage during cancer radiation and lowers the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of chopped cabbage consists of the following:

  • Carbohydrates: 5.2 grams.
  • Calories: 22.
  • Proteins: 1.1 grams.
  • Sugars: 2.9 grams.
  • Fiber: 2.2 grams.
  • Fat: 0.1 gram.

Spinach:

• In a 2016 review, many resources like NIH (National Institute of Health) suggest that spinach contains carotenoids that help prevent eye diseases and maintain eye health.

• It also helps to delay the progress of Alzheimer's disease.

• Leafy green spinach contains iron, magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid, calcium, and many vitamins and nutrients.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of raw spinach contains:

  • Carbohydrates: 1.1 gram.
  • Calories: 7.
  • Proteins: 0.9 gram.
  • Sugar: 0.1 gram.
  • Fiber: 0.7 gram.
  • Fats: 0.1 gram.

Romaine Lettuce:

• Romaine lettuce is high in antioxidants, which help to boost immunity and protect from cancer by eliminating free radicals.

• It helps heart health with the help of important mineral potassium in the spinach.

• It contains beta-carotene, which helps with eyesight.

• It is also known as cos lettuce, which is crispy for salad favorites and has mild-flavored leaves.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of raw romaine lettuce consists of the following:

  • Carbohydrates: 1.6 gram.
  • Calories: 8.
  • Proteins: 0.6 gram.
  • Sugars: 0.6 grams.
  • Fiber: 1 gram.
  • Fats: 0.1 gram.

Bok Choy:

• Bok choy consists of many vitamins and minerals and contains a mineral called selenium which helps to protect against oxidative damage and infection.

• It is a cruciferous vegetable called Chinese cabbage, or bok choy..

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of shredded raw bok choy consists of the following:

  • Carbohydrates: 1.5 gram.
  • Calories: 9.
  • Protein: 1.1 gram.
  • Sugar: 0.8 gram.
  • Fiber: 0.7 gram.
  • Fat : 0.1 gram.

Arugula:

• People often eat arugula as raw one while others add this to soups and pasta. Anyway, it shows some uses as other cruciferous vegetables.

• It is sharp, peppery, and a versatile salad green with tender leaves.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of raw arugula contains:

  • Carbohydrates: 0.4 gram.
  • Calories: 3.
  • Protein : 0.3 gram.
  • Sugar: 0.2 gram.
  • Fiber : 0.2 grams.
  • Fat : 0.1 gram.

Swiss Chard:

• Some call it rainbow chard because it has dark leaves and thick stalks in various colors.

• And others call it kale or leaf beet because leaves have an earthy flavor, and stalks taste sweet.

• Swiss chard contains many nutrients and contains polyphenol compounds, potentially stopping cancer growth in the 2021 study.

• Under USDA regulation, one cup of raw swiss chard consists of the following:

  • Carbohydrates: 1.4 grams.
  • Calories: 6.8.
  • Protein : 0.6 gram.
  • Sugar: 0.4 gram.
  • Fiber : 0.6 gram.
  • Fat : 0.1 gram.

What Is the Importance of Green Leafy Vegetables in the Diet?

• Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamins A, C, K, and E. They have almost zero calories. And they consist of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other substances that help safeguard against diabetes, many cancers, and cardiovascular diseases.

• It is essential to realize that adding green leafy vegetables to the diet helps to lose weight quickly.

Promotes Eye Health:

• Lutein and zeaxanthin present in green leafy vegetables act as antioxidants, lowering the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts in the eyes.

They Are Rich in Antioxidants:

• The antioxidant present in leafy vegetables, kaempferol, prevents cancer cell formation.

• The body's natural defense was built by vitamin A, a highly nutritious one in green vegetables.

• Natural healing of the body is assisted by vitamin K.

• Vibrant skin is produced and boosts immunity with the help of vitamin A.

• These green vegetables are packed with a bunch of antioxidants.

Helps to Reduce Weight:

• Greens help to aid digestion and slow the rate at which an individual body absorbs sugar and are rich sources of natural fiber.

• Leafy vegetables are excellent for weight management because they are nutrient-dense and with few calories.

• It helps to prevent a sharp rise in blood glucose.

They Are a Natural Source of Fiber:

• Leafy vegetables help protect against hemorrhoids, colon cancer, and bowel disorders and detoxify the body regularly after every consumption.

• Collard green helps to lower cholesterol levels because they are rich in fiber.

It Will Help to Make the Body Alkaline:

• The alkaline nature of green leafy vegetables helps to add to smoothies like cucumber, broccoli, zucchini, celery, and green peppers.

Green Leafy Vegetables Are Rich in Minerals:

• Intake of leafy vegetables prevents inflammation in the artery and reduces the effects of oxidation of cholesterol.

• Antioxidants like vitamin A and C fights free radicals in the body, which causes excessive inflammation.

• Spinach has high amounts of magnesium and is rich in minerals. So it is widely consumed.

They Are Rich in Source of Iron:

• Iron is a rich source in leaves, so it is needed for adequate oxygen circulation in the body and helps with red blood cell formation.

• So, anemia is prevented by consuming iron-rich leafy vegetables.

It Keeps an Individual’s Body Hydrated and Filled for More Extended Hours:

• One cup of green leafy vegetables can give someone healthy-looking skin, hair, and hydration for the entire day. Vegetables with leaves have a high water content.

• USDA recommends at least one cup for children and three cups of green leafy vegetables for adults because it provides excellent nutrition and green health.

It Helps to Boost Metabolism:

• High in fiber and low in calories are seen in green veggies like cabbage, which helps to curb hunger and promote digestive health.

• They naturally improve metabolism because they are rich in fiber and iron.

• Vitamin B is rich in swiss chard, so they are essential for controlling diabetes, fatigue, stamina, and good metabolism.

Conclusion:

Green leafy vegetables promote good health because they contain powerful and essential nutrients. Fortunately, everyone should follow some surprising and diverse ways to incorporate leafy greens found in a year into individual meals. Make sure to include these leafy vegetables into the diet for impressive health benefits.

Although veggies are a great nutrient-dense option for an individual, the remaining few are loaded with minerals. They also help promote health properties along with other options like brimming antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to get a unique health benefit, try to take advantage of consuming a variety of vegetables for the best health outcomes. And also, be sure to add them to be part of a balanced diet.