Health-conscious consumers are embracing dark leafy green vegetables. However, few people meet the USDA minimum recommendations for these nutritional powerhouses. What makes a vegetable a powerhouse Dark Green vegetable? A Centers for Disease Control report states that a powerhouse vegetable supplies 10% or more of the daily value for 17 nutrients per 100 calories.
Watercress, chicory, beet greens and spinach are the top-rated green powerhouse veggies. Other vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, collard and kale, kale, leaf lettuce, and kale are also good contenders. It may be easier to increase your consumption of dark green vegetables if you are aware of the health benefits.
Recommendations for intake Dark Green
Your age, gender, and level of physical activity will determine how much dark green vegetables you should eat. A general rule of thumb is to eat three cups of dark-green vegetables per week in order to improve your diet. You don’t have to eat this much to follow the guidelines.
Dark Green Health Benefits
The richest source of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients are found in dark green vegetables. These are the most nutritious.
Almost any vegetable that is dark green will be of value to your diet. Many nutrients are found in dark green leafy vegetables, including vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and antioxidants. They also contain fiber, folate and vitamin K.
Dark Green Calories
If you don’t top dark green vegetables with butter and cheese, they will likely be the lowest caloric food. A full cup of spinach has seven calories. A cup of kale has 33 calories, while a cup of broccoli has just over 30 calories.
Dark Green Macronutrients
When you look at the health benefits of green vegetables, it’s more than the low calorie count. It’s also where those calories are found that is important. These vegetables are rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein and very little fat (if any).
One cup of spinach contains just over one gram carbohydrate. Most of it is fiber. A cup of spinach will also provide you with a gram protein.
A cup of broccoli contains approximately six grams of carbohydrate, 2.4g of fiber and more than 2.5 grams protein.
This macronutrient balance, particularly the fiber and protein, provides a sense of long-term satiety–satisfaction and fullness–that starchier vegetables and other foods may not provide.
Macronutrients
When you look at the health benefits of green vegetables, it’s more than the low calorie count. It’s also where those calories are found that is important. These vegetables are rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. They also contain very little fat (if any).
One cup of spinach contains just over one gram carbohydrate. Most of it is fiber. A cup of spinach will also provide you with a gram protein.
A cup of broccoli contains approximately six grams of carbohydrate, 2.4g of fiber and more than 2.5 grams protein.
This macronutrient balance, particularly the fiber and protein, provides a sense of long-term satiety–satisfaction and fullness–that starchier vegetables and other foods may not provide.
People who are following a low-carb diet will find dark green leafy vegetables to be particularly beneficial. These greens have very little carbohydrate, and are densely packed with fiber. They are therefore very slow to digest.
Micronutrients
Dark green vegetables are rich in minerals like iron, calcium and potassium. They are also rich in vitamins such as vitamins C, E and many B vitamins.
Numerous dark green vegetable varieties contain phytonutrients such as lutein, beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. These nutrients protect our cells and eyes from age-related damage, among other benefits. Even dark green leafy vegetables like kale contain small amounts omega-3 fats.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin is an important nutrient found in many dark green veggies.
According to government sources spinach is one of the most popular sources of vitamin K in the U.S. diet, along with broccoli and iceberg lettuce. Collards, kale and turnip greens are other green leafy sources for vitamin K.
Recent research shows that vitamin B12 may be more important than we thought, and many people don’t get enough.
Vitamin K:
This may be a key regulator for inflammation that could help us avoid inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.May help prevent diabetes. Reduces calcium levels in arterial plaques, which may prevent or reduce atherosclerosis. Protects bones against osteoporosis
Blood clotting is controlled. People who are diabetics should eat a consistent amount of vitamin K every day. Before incorporating greens into their diet, they should inform their doctors.
Disease Prevention
Research has shown that green leafy vegetables can help to prevent certain diseases. According to a study published in Neurology, consuming one serving per day of green leafy vegetable was associated with slower cognitive decline as a result of ageing.
Large-scale meta-analyses showed that green leafy vegetables, including cruciferous veggies, significantly lowers the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
One study found that increasing intake of green leafy veggies may increase the effectiveness of certain omega-3 supplements. However, researchers cautioned that further research is necessary to verify this benefit.
Tips to increase your intake
There are many varieties of dark green and dark leafy vegetables that you can choose from. You can increase variety by trying different types of vegetables and different cooking methods.
These are three ways you can add leafy greens into your diet
Egg scrambles – Add your favorite leafy green vegetable to egg scrambles or omelets.
Sandwiches and wraps: Add some leafy greens to your sandwich, such as spinach or romaine lettuce. To reduce calories, you can also use green leafy vegetables instead of bread for sandwiches and wraps.
Starchy or processed carbs
Smoothies: Blend frozen leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, and beet greens into your green smoothie with fruits such as banana and apples. This is a great way to increase your vegetable intake if you don’t enjoy them.
A word from Verywell
It is simple to eat more dark green leafy veggies if you plan ahead. Start by adding them to at least three meals per week. Then, add more as you discover new recipes and variety that you love.