By: Alissa Carpio

How much do you know about green leafy vegetables? We’re not just talking about spinach and salad mixes. Do you go all out with collards, chard, turnip greens and kale? Unless you buy produce from a local farm in season, there’s a chance your leafy green variation is a bit lackluster. Read on to learn how to find great sources of green leafy veggies, preparation and preservation, plus all the benefits of these nutritional powerhouse vegetables.

While all leafy greens differ from one another in amount and variety of vitamins and minerals, most are high in vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A (carotene), calcium, folate, and B vitamins, to name just a few. Leafy greens are rich in fiber, which helps delay gastric emptying, leading to longer feelings of fullness. Digestive health, particularly of the colon, is improved with dietary fiber intake. Dietary fiber intake also may help prevent diseases such as cancer and type-2 diabetes.

CHOMP ON THIS
Leafy greens truly are a versatile food. They can be eaten raw, steamed, added to soups, stews and casseroles, or sautéed as a delicious side dish. These vegetables are the perfect complement to the quality protein sources many fitness-conscious individuals are already consuming.

In certain cases, cooking the greens actually helps nutrients become more readily available to the body. Spinach and chard, for example, contain high amounts of oxalates that bind to calcium. Cooking the greens – and discarding the cooking liquid - reduces the oxalates and makes the calcium more available to the body. Other greens, such as kale and arugula, can be eaten raw or steamed until bright green to retain many of the nutrients.

THE GOOD GREENS
Now, let’s say you head on out to the local farmer’s market to diversify your diet and try some new greens. You see tables piled high with huge leaves in every shade of green: some curly, some flat, some thick, some thin. How do you know what they are and which ones to choose? Here’s a list of the most common and healthy leafy greens to add to your diet:

Spinach is probably the most famous leafy green. Believe it or not, you might not recognize spinach in its raw state at the market, especially if your spinach source is baggies of baby spinach salad or frozen spinach. Spinach greens are fairly large – about 4 to 6 inches in length – and mostly flat with a thick stem. Spinach is great to add to salads or to steam or cook and use in soups or egg omelets. You can even put raw spinach into many juice machines. Spinach is super high in vitamins A, C and folate, and the calcium is absorbed better if the vegetable has been fully cooked.

Kale is another favorite that you’ve probably heard of. Kale ranges in color from creamy white, to pale green, to dark green. Kale is large, very curly, and thicker than spinach. Kale also contains vitamins A and C, plus K, folate, calcium and potassium. Kale can be steamed in five minutes. Another fun and tasty way to prepare kale is to dehydrate it and season to make kale chips. (See recipe below.)

Swiss chard is a very delicious and beautiful green. Chard leaves are very large – about 12 inches in length and 6 inches across – and they are easily recognized by their bright, colorful thick stems and veins. Chard stems come in colors such as deep red, bright white, fiery orange and glowing yellow. Vitamins A and C are plentiful in this vegetable. Chard tastes much like beets, and the stems have a consistency similar to celery. Chard can be steamed in five minutes and goes very well with garlic and onion.

Cabbage is a well-known cruciferous vegetable in Western diets. Cabbage varieties include green, red and napa, to name a few. Cabbage leaves are tightly packed in a round shape. Cancer-fighting properties and vitamin C are present in this vegetable. Cabbage is very versatile and can be shredded into salads or slaw, sautéed, or made into sauerkraut to further boost its nutritional properties.

Red and green leaf lettuces are popular choices for raw salad mixes. These leaves are softer in texture than romaine or iceberg lettuce. When it comes to lettuces, the darker color generally yields more nutrients. This makes red and green leaf lettuce and romaine healthier choices than iceberg.

Arugula is a popular green that is very similar in taste and texture to spinach. Arugula leaves resemble dandelion leaves in shape, color and size. Arugula is a bit softer in texture than spinach and it doesn’t have high levels of oxalates, so it is a great choice for raw salads. Vitamins A, C, K and folate are among those present in this green. The peppery, lemony taste arugula offers is often paired with steak and parmesan cheese for a delicious salad. Arugula can also be steamed or cooked and eaten in place of cooked spinach.

Turnip greens are stocky, a bit scratchy to the touch and have thick stems. They are similar to mustard greens and are usually yellowish-green in color with medium-sized leaves. Turnip greens have a bitter taste that has been attributed to its high calcium content. This vegetable also contains high amounts of vitamins K, A, C, folate and manganese. Turnip greens’ bitter taste pairs well with a rich-tasting fat source, mild onions and garlic.

PURCHASING POWER
When searching for and buying sources of green leafy vegetables, it’s best to go organic, since conventionally produced greens are often high in pesticides. Spinach and lettuce are among the highest in pesticides while cabbage is among the lowest. An even better option than organic supermarkets is to find local sources through your farmer’s markets. Many farms produce vegetables with organic practices but haven’t paid for the label “certified organic.” Talk to the farmers and ask how they produce their crops. This can save you money and provide you with tastier choices than what the supermarket carries. Another option is to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). These organizations provide farm-fresh produce, and sometimes dairy and eggs, and deliver them to drop sites in your neighborhood, bringing local, seasonal produce to you.

KEEPING YOUR GREENS FRESH
Like most fresh produce, greens only stay fresh for about five days in the refrigerator. Try to cook or consume your greens within this time frame. When you get home with your greens, immediately wash them by swishing them gently in a bowl of cool water. Spin them out in a salad spinner and lay them on paper towels to dry. The damp greens can be layered with paper towels up to three or four layers thick, then rolled and stored in your vegetable drawer until use.

If you can’t get to your greens within a week, you can prep them and store them in the freezer for later cooking. After washing your greens thoroughly, place them in a stock pot with just the water left on them. Cook on medium heat and allow them to steam gently for several minutes until they wilt, flatten and turn bright green. Set aside to cool, then store in Ziploc freezer bags marked with the name of the greens and the date. Soft greens such as spinach and arugula can be eaten when thawed. Tough greens, such as turnip and mustard greens, will need to be sautéed up to 20 or 30 minutes until soft.

Sauteed Greens

    1 bunch greens (kale, turnip greens, collard greens)
    1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
    2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
    4 slices bacon or turkey bacon
    2-4 tablespoons olive oil
    Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside. Add olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Add greens and cook until they are soft and tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add cooked, crumbled bacon.

Kale Chips

    1 bunch kale
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    Sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash kale and use a salad spinner to dry or air dry before beginning recipe. Kale must be completely dry! Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread kale out on parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Place in the oven for 12-20 minutes until kale is crispy thin but not burnt. Remove from oven, season with sea salt and serve immediately.

GREEN SYNERGY
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