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9 Health Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables

Last updated on : 22 May, 2024

Read time : 5 min

If you want to stay healthy, you should include leafy green vegetables in your food. Green leafy veggies are important for a healthy diet. They are high in vitamins, minerals, and fibre while also being low in calories. A diet enriched with leafy greens has been seen to lessen the risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cognitive difficulties, among other things. Leafy vegetables, whether consumed whole, in smoothies, or as supplements, can help you look and feel younger, as well as age gracefully! They also protect your body by boosting your immune system, preventing heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer, and delaying the ageing process.

Nutritional value of leafy vegetables

Dark green leafy vegetables are high in nutrients. It’s a good idea to eat greens such as kale and spinach in your salad because they are good for you. Carotenoids, which are antioxidants that protect cells and help to prevent cancer in their early stages, are abundant in these green leafy veggies. They’re also high in fibre, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Greens are also low in carbohydrates, sodium, and cholesterol. Carbohydrates are abundant in leafy greens. They’re also lower in fat and calories than many other foods, but they can still provide protein and other nutrients. These compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may result in a variety of health benefits, including a lower risk of stroke, anaemia, high blood pressure, certain cancers, and diabetes.

Green leafy vegetables benefits

Weight loss:

When compared to other foods, one of the biggest advantages of eating green leafy veggies is that they are extremely low in calories. They are a preferred food item in a weight loss diet because, amidst being low in calories, they are often tightly packed in nutrients. Dark leafy greens have a low-calorie count. Leafy green vegetables are included in a weight-loss diet because they contain Vitamin K, an important nutrient. This fat-soluble vitamin is very effective at promoting weight loss. You can eat as many leafy greens as you want and still not gain weight.

Heart Diseases:

Vitamin K can aid in the reduction of inflammation, the treatment of diabetes, and the prevention of plaque formation in the arteries. Dark leafy greens are high in dietary fibre, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and phytochemicals, all of which aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Leafy greens help to keep your heart healthy in a variety of ways. For example; the benefits of arugula are seen in reducing blood pressure and improving blood flow. They are high in potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure, fibre, which helps to control cholesterol, and folate, which helps to prevent heart disease and stroke. Their wide range of antioxidants can also help to prevent free-radical damage, which is a major cause of atherosclerosis.

Bone strength:

Leafy greens are high in vitamin K, magnesium, and calcium, all of which contribute to the production of osteocalcin, a bone-building substance. Dark leafy greens are a good source of calcium for maintaining good bone health. Green leafy veggies like broccoli and kale are high in vitamin K, which helps protect against osteoporosis.

Type 2 diabetes prevention:

Leafy vegetables are high in magnesium and have a low glycaemic index, making them ideal for diabetes prevention and treatment. A serving of leafy greens with each meal can help maintain healthy blood glucose levels. It could be because most greens are high in magnesium. Higher intakes of this powerful mineral have been linked to a lower risk of diabetes. Leafy greens also contain several disease-fighting antioxidants that aid in a variety of ways. Leafy greens are a food group that includes lettuce, kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and edible herbs like coriander or parsley, according to scientists. And their advantages go far beyond blood sugar control.

Boost Immune System:

High levels of beta-carotene and Vitamin A improve immune function. Vitamin D is abundant in leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collards, which promotes regulatory T cells, which are capable of accurately distinguishing between outside invaders and “self” cells. When your immune system is stimulated by active vitamin D, it becomes wiser, instructing it not to strike itself and prevent the occurrence of autoimmune disease.

Eye protection:

Many antioxidants found in leafy greens, such as vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, can help slow the progression of eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. The protein in your eyes’ lenses deteriorates. Studies have shown that a healthy diet rich in dark, leafy greens can help prevent cataracts.

Cancer Prevention:

Leafy greens contain carotenoids, antioxidants, and flavonoids, which protect against most cancers. Increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables has been linked to a lower risk of many cancers, including bladder, breast, bowel, stomach, lungs, ovaries, pancreas, prostate, and kidney cancers. These dark green leafy vegetables are high in glycosylates, which break down to form cancer-fighting compounds, as well as cancer-fighting flavonoids and carotenoids. Folate is also required for the replication and repair of DNA. Damaged cells that are not repaired can develop into cancer. Another advantage is provided by certain dark green vegetables. The cruciferous family includes watercress, arugula, Bok choy, broccoli, and kale. These vegetables contain phytochemicals such as indoles, which aid in the prevention of cancer.

Brain Function at its Best:

Do you want to improve your memory and reasoning as you get older? Consume plenty of leafy green vegetables. Vegetables contain a lot of folates (B9). B vitamins have been shown to increase neurotransmitter production in the brain (chemicals that transfer messages from the brain to the rest of the body). You can get Folate by eating spinach, broccoli, and lettuce. You can also get it by drinking lemonade.

Green Leafy Veggies Brighten Your Skin:

Beta-carotene, a plant pigment commonly associated with carrots and other yellow-orange vegetables, can also be found in leafy greens. Consider how leaves change colour in the fall. As the chlorophyll fades, the red, orange and yellow pigments found beneath the leaves become visible. These vibrant colours are also responsible for leafy greens’ incredible health benefits. Beta-carotene can provide your skin with a youthful glow and even works as a natural sunscreen from within, protecting it from harmful Ultraviolet rays. Kale is a high source of beta-carotene, and studies show that cooking, juicing, or dehydrating it helps your body absorb this carotenoid more effectively.

If you want to get the most nutrients out of these dark green leafy vegetables, eat them raw.

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Our healthcare experts have carefully reviewed and compiled the information presented here to ensure accuracy and trustworthiness. It is important to note that this information serves as a general overview of the topic and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or cure any health problem. This page does not establish a doctor-patient relationship, nor does it replace the advice or consultation of a registered medical practitioner. We recommend seeking guidance from your registered medical practitioner for any questions or concerns regarding your medical condition.

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