The Healthiest Leafy Green--and How to Eat It
By: Melinda Hershey,
SparkPeople Blogger
6/6/2013 9:00 AM
: 82 comments
: 42,453 Views
We all know it's a good idea to eat leafy green veggies. They're chock-full of nutritious vitamins and minerals, and they're low in calories to boot. But if you can only stomach so much green in your life, which leafy green should you choose for the maximum nutritional benefits: Spinach, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, or collard greens?
Dietitians and other health professionals have been telling us to eat more kale for years—and for good reason! Although the other leafy greens we mentioned still boast impressive nutritional profiles, kale clearly takes the cake. Check out how kale stacks up against the other greens on the list when comparing several key nutrients. (All nutritional information is for one cup of raw greens. The percentages are for the recommended daily value (% DV) of each nutrient.)
Kale can take some getting used to at first—it's tough to chew and just tastes, well, green. However, when prepared correctly, you'll fall in love with it! Here are some of our favorite ways to eat this leafy veggie:
Kale Chips: The easiest way to transition into eating more kale! These are a great substitution for potato chips. Try mixing it up by adding your favorite seasonings.
Kale and Sweet Potato Sautee: Kale and sweet potatoes are a delicious and nutritious combination.
Kale and Potato Hash: A hearty, healthy meal for breakfast or dinner!
Crispy Garlic Kale with Chorizo and Beans: An easy, satisfying dish that packs a protein punch.
Chickpea, Kale, and Butternut Squash Curry Soup: A warming fall and winter favorite—you'll love this if you like the flavors of Indian food!
Easy Massaged Kale Salad: Wash and rinse about half a bunch of kale and rip it into a bowl. Add half an avocado, the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste (or any other seasonings you'd like). Massage in the avocado and lemon juice until the kale wilts and is fully coated.
Kale Smoothie: Simply add about half a cup of kale to your favorite smoothie for a boost of vitamins and minerals. You won't even taste it—we promise!
Do you eat kale? What's your favorite way to prepare it?
The Winner: Kale!
Dietitians and other health professionals have been telling us to eat more kale for years—and for good reason! Although the other leafy greens we mentioned still boast impressive nutritional profiles, kale clearly takes the cake. Check out how kale stacks up against the other greens on the list when comparing several key nutrients. (All nutritional information is for one cup of raw greens. The percentages are for the recommended daily value (% DV) of each nutrient.)
| Type of Green | Calories | Vitamin A | Vitamin C | Vitamin K | Calcium | Iron | Manganese |
| Collard Greens | 11 | 48% | 21% | 230% | 5% | 0% | 5% |
| Kale | 33 | 206% | 134% | 684% | 9% | 6% | 26% |
| Mustard Greens | 15 | 118% | 65% | 384% | 6% | 5% | 13% |
| Spinach | 7 | 56% | 14% | 181% | 3% | 5% | 13% |
| Swiss Chard | 7 | 44% | 18% | 374% | 2% | 4% | 7% |
Kale can take some getting used to at first—it's tough to chew and just tastes, well, green. However, when prepared correctly, you'll fall in love with it! Here are some of our favorite ways to eat this leafy veggie:
Kale Chips: The easiest way to transition into eating more kale! These are a great substitution for potato chips. Try mixing it up by adding your favorite seasonings.
Kale and Sweet Potato Sautee: Kale and sweet potatoes are a delicious and nutritious combination.
Kale and Potato Hash: A hearty, healthy meal for breakfast or dinner!
Crispy Garlic Kale with Chorizo and Beans: An easy, satisfying dish that packs a protein punch.
Chickpea, Kale, and Butternut Squash Curry Soup: A warming fall and winter favorite—you'll love this if you like the flavors of Indian food!
Easy Massaged Kale Salad: Wash and rinse about half a bunch of kale and rip it into a bowl. Add half an avocado, the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste (or any other seasonings you'd like). Massage in the avocado and lemon juice until the kale wilts and is fully coated.
Kale Smoothie: Simply add about half a cup of kale to your favorite smoothie for a boost of vitamins and minerals. You won't even taste it—we promise!
Do you eat kale? What's your favorite way to prepare it?
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Comments
If you compare nutrition based upon equal calories, suddenly mustard greens and spinach look much more attractive!
I think most Sparkers tend to choose their food by calories rather than by volume. And I'm sure that most of us prefer getting the most nutrition out of the volume of food we eat.... - 6/7/2013 12:07:51 PM
We also put kale in "witches stew" -- basically a beef stew we cook around Halloween, and give the veggies witchy names -- barley is "eye of newt", and kale leaves are bat wings. - 11/6/2012 11:11:09 AM
Glad to see some delicious new options for kale. I LOVE the stuff, and try to eat a serving a couple of times per week. I really dislike cooked spinach, so any time I see a recipe calling for cooked spinach, I reach for kale instead. It's just so much heartier and versatile! - 11/6/2012 5:43:45 AM
If you have problems with oxalate kidney stones, steaming or boiling the kale will significantly reduce the amount of oxalate in the kale. Just make sure you discard the cooking liquid. - 11/4/2012 7:04:05 PM
I've tried raw and I've tried making crisps. None of us enjoy raw. DH and DS both enjoyed the crisps, I didn't. I found the crisps were a lot of work, whatever the result. And far to much hassle when I didn't enjoy them. I'll keep that as a potential for sometime I need to leave the 2 guys and have food sorted before I go out! (though usually I just tell them some options then head out, leaving them to sort themselves). - 11/4/2012 4:31:45 PM
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