Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens are incredibly rich in nutrients and low in calorie count! This makes them a very important part of a balanced diet. Yet, leafy greens are probably the most forgotten food group when it comes to meal planning, especially for those following the standard American diet, or those transitioning into a plant-based diet.

When it comes to essential nutrients, dark leafy greens are very rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and especially vitamin K – which is imperative for our bones health. Since most people don’t eat their leafy greens, most people are deficient. And it’s easy to get enough, just one cup of spinach gives us more than our daily requirement!

And speaking of our bones health, the best way to get proper amounts of calcium is by eating leafy greens every day. And it makes sense, that’s how cows get their calcium too! Or deer for that matter. Just watch out for greens that are high in calcium but also high in oxalates like spinach, beet greens, and chard. Oxalates bind to the calcium in the plant making it unavailable to us.

Each leafy green is different, but you should know that the darker their color, the more nutrient packed they are. There is an important variety you should make sure you include regularly in your diet: cruciferous greens like kale, collard greens, and mustard greens. Cruciferous vegetables and greens belong to the cabbage family and they are a great source of sulforaphane, a phytonutrient with strong anti-cancer powers.

Hope we’ve made a good case for this super food group! Click on the links below to learn more about some of your top leafy-green choices.