They have large, fanlike leaves and tough stems. While people can eat them raw, they can be bitter and tough to chew, which is why many people may braise or steam them.

Collards are rich in vitamin A , vitamin C , folate , vitamin K , and calcium. According to the USDA , 1 cup g of cooked chopped collards contains:.

Spinach is another leafy green that contains many vitamins and nutrients, including iron , magnesium , phosphorus , folic acid, and calcium. It also contains carotenoids, which may help prevent eye diseases and maintain eye health.

According to the USDA , 1 cup 30 g of raw spinach contains:. Cabbage leaves vary from green to purple to white. People often saute, stir-fry, or boil cabbage. People also ferment cabbage to make kimchi and sauerkraut. It may also protect cells from oxidative damage during cancer radiation therapy and may lower the risk for stroke and high blood pressure.

According to the USDA , 1 cup 89 g of chopped raw cabbage has:. This slightly peppery and spicy aquatic plant also belongs to the cruciferous family. Like other cruciferous plants, watercress may protect cells against chemotherapy-related damage and exercise-induced oxidative stress and help prevent liver toxicity.

According to the USDA , 1 cup 34 g of raw watercress contains:. Romaine lettuce, or cos lettuce, is a salad favorite for its crispy, mild-flavored leaves. It is high in antioxidants , which can help eliminate free radicals , boost immunity, and protect against cancer.

It also contains potassium, an important mineral for heart health, and beta carotene, which is essential for eye health. Beta carotene may help prevent macular degeneration , according to the National Institutes of Health.

According to the USDA , 1 cup 47 g of shredded raw romaine lettuce contains:. Arugula , or rocket, is a versatile salad green with tender leaves and a sharp, peppery flavor. People often eat it raw, while others may add it to soups and pasta.

It offers the same benefits as other cruciferous vegetables. According to the USDA , half a cup 10 g of raw arugula contains:. Also called Chinese cabbage or pak choi, bok choy is another cruciferous vegetable packed with many vitamins and minerals.

It also contains selenium , a mineral that can help protect against oxidative damage and infection. According to the USDA , 1 cup 70 g of shredded raw bok choy contains:.

Beet leaves are edible and have an earthy taste. People can add them to salads and soups or saute or steam them for a side dish. They are rich in nutrients, including antioxidants. According to the USDA , 1 cup 38 g of raw beet greens contains:. Swiss chard has dark leaves and thick stalks in various colors, which is why some people call it rainbow chard.

Others may call it sea kale or leaf beet. The leaves have an earthy flavor, and the stalks taste sweet. Aside from containing many nutrients, it also contains compounds called polyphenols. A study suggests that these compounds have the potential to stop cancer cell growth.

According to the USDA , 1 cup 36 g of raw Swiss chard contains:. Leafy greens are healthy sources of carbohydrates. They also typically contain less fat and calories than many other foods but can contain protein and other nutrients.

A study notes that green leafy vegetables often contain bioactive compounds such as niacin , omegafatty acids , flavonoids, carotenoids, sulforaphane, and others.

These compounds can provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may lead to a vast array of health benefits, such as a reduced risk for health conditions like stroke , anemia , high blood pressure , certain cancers, and diabetes.

They may also help improve gut health, immunity, and heart, bone, and skin health. A study found that a daily serving of leafy greens may help slow cognitive decline that can come with aging. Eating leafy greens is generally good for the health. However, some greens, such as collards, spinach, and chard, contain large amounts of vitamin K that may interact with blood thinners and lessen their effect.

According to a review , people who take blood thinners should not try to avoid vitamin K. Instead, they should keep their vitamin K intake stable. Feeding foods rich in nitrates to babies younger than 7 months can cause methemoglobinemia, or blue baby syndrome.

However, this is unlikely. Blue baby syndrome is more likely to result from drinking contaminated water. Foods high in oxalates can hinder calcium absorption and may cause kidney stone formation.

However, a study states that people can avoid these risks by drinking fluids and taking enough calcium. Cruciferous vegetables typically contain glucosinolates, which can interfere with iodine absorption. People with iodine deficiency, such as those who have hypothyroidism or goiter, are more susceptible.

The same study states that blanching, boiling, or cooking these vegetables can reduce the level of these antinutrients. Broccoli is indeed a dark green leafy vegetable. It belongs to the cruciferous family, along with collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.

Green leafy vegetables are nutrient-packed foods that may offer a variety of health benefits. The word "botwinka" is the diminutive form of "botwina" which refers to leafy vegetables like chard and beet leaves. In the cuisine of the Southern United States and traditional African-American cuisine , turnip , collard , kale , garden cress , dandelion , mustard , and pokeweed greens are commonly cooked, and often served with pieces of ham or bacon.

The boiling water, called potlikker , is used as broth. Water in which pokeweed has been prepared contains toxins removed by the boiling, and should be discarded. Sauteed escarole is a primary ingredient in the Italian-American dish Utica greens. These are fungal , bacterial , and much less commonly viral.

The most important remedy is temperature controlled storage, although also important is prevention of mechanical damage to produce as this provides entryways for pathogens.

Uncontaminated water for washing of the vegetables is of lesser but still significant importance. Common bacterial pathogens include: Xanthomonas campestris pv.

vitians , Pseudomonas viridiflava , P. cichorii , and P. marginalis , P. syringae pv. aptata , X. campestris pv. campestris , X. raphani , P. maculicola , P. alisalensis , Pectobacterium spp. including Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. odoriferum and Pectobacterium aroidearum , Dickeya spp.

Common fungal pathogens include: Alternaria brassicicola , A. alternata , A. arborescens , A. tenuissima , A. japonica , Colletotrichum higginsianum , Colletotrichum dematium f. spinaciae , Microdochium panattonianum , Stemphylium botryosum , Cladosporium variabile , Cercospora beticola , C.

lactucae-sativae , C. brassicicola , C. acetosella , Botrytis cinerea , Golovinomyces cichoracearum , Podosphaera fusca , Erysiphe cruciferarum , E. polygoni , E. heraclei , Sclerotinia sclerotiorum , and S. Common oomycete pathogens include: Albugo occidentalis , A.

ipomoeae-aquaticae , A. candida , Hyaloperonospora parasitica , Bremia lactucae , Peronospora effusa , and Peronospora farinosa f.

Fungicides such as prochloraz can be used to manage some of these. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Download QR code Wikidata item.

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons. Plant leaves eaten as a vegetable. Look up leaf vegetable in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Main article: List of leaf vegetables. Agastache foeniculum — anise hyssop western North America Allium fistulosum — Welsh onion East Asia Alternanthera sissoo — sissoo spinach Brazil Basella alba — Malabar spinach India , Southeast Asia , New Guinea Beta vulgaris — beets , including beet greens, Swiss chard Brassica oleracea — wild cabbage , including cabbage , gai lan , Jersey cabbage , kale , red cabbage , savoy cabbage , collard greens , mustard greens , kohlrabi and more Brassica rapa — field mustard , including napa cabbage , bok choy , bomdong , choy sum , komatsuna , rapini , tatsoi , and more Campanula versicolor — various-colored bellflower southeastern Italy to the Balkans Chenopodium quinoa — quinoa western Andes of South America Cichorium endivia — endive , including escarole Cichorium intybus — chicory Europe Claytonia perfoliata — palsingat western North America Cnidoscolus aconitifolius — chaya Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico Daucus carota subsp.

Gotukola Centella asiatica. Swiss chard. Water spinach. Sabzi Khordan , an Iranian salad-like dish, here of mixed greens and radishes. Healthy diet List of leaf vegetables Leaf protein concentrate Mesclun Slek Herbs Spring greens.

Archived from the original on 20 September Retrieved 15 September Plant Isoprenoids. Methods in Molecular Biology.