The nutritional value of collard greens

Although very popular in the south, collard greens are less likely to be found on the dinner plates in other regions of the country. WHFoods recommends that we eat 1-1/2 cups of cruciferous vegetables a day. Collard greens are a mainstay of this dietary plan because they are literally packed with healthful nutrients. One cup of collard greens contains 858% of our daily requirement for vitamin K, 80% of our daily requirement of vitamin A, 30% of our daily requirement of vitamin B, and 46% of our daily need for vitamin C. One serving of collard greens also contains substantial amounts of fiber (30%), calcium (27%), magnesium (10%) and substantial amounts of other essential vitamins and minerals. Here are some of the specific health benefits of the incredible collard green. Cancer prevention Cancer prevention, is by far, the most important health benefit that can be derived from eating collard greens. This is so because collard greens support three body systems that are closely associated with the development of cancer and cancer prevention. These three systems are the bodies “detox” system, its antioxidant system and its anti-inflammatory system. Imbalances in any of these systems increase the risk of developing cancer. In this respect, consumption of collard greens is most closely associated with the prevention of bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer. Antioxidant benefits of collard greens Collard greens provide us with four core antioxidants, vitamins C, A and E and manganese. In addition, collard greens provide key antioxidant phytonutrients (caffeic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin and kaempherol) which also lower the risk of oxidative stress of the body’s cells and, thus, reduce the risk that they become cancerous. By providing us with such a wide array of antioxidant nutrients, collard greens greatly reduces the chances that we will develop cancer. Anti-inflammatory benefits Collard greens provide two hallmark ant-inflammatory nutrients, vitamin K and omega fatty acids. In addition, one of the glucosinolates found in collard greens can be converted to an anti-inflammatory compound that can operate at the genetic level and prevent inflammatory responses at the earlest stage of cancer formation. Cardiovascular support Central to the understanding of cardiovascular disease is the role inflammation plays in the development of hypertension and heart disease. Of particular interest, has been the role that the sulforaphane found in collard greens can play by triggering the anti-inflammatory activity in our bodies that can prevent and possibly even reverse blood vessel damage. Of equal importance is collard greens ability to lower the bad cholesterol in our bodies. Our livers use cholesterol to produce bile acids which facilitate the absorption of fat in the intestines. The fibers in collard greens bind together with the bile acid in the intestine so that these harmful substances are simply passed out of our bodies in a bowel movement rather than being absorbed into the body where they can cause cardiovascular damage. When this happens, our livers replace the lost bile acids by drawing on the bodies supply of cholesterol this, of course, lowers the cholesterol levels in our bodies. One study showed that one serving of collard greens bound 46% as many bile acids as a standard dose of the cholesterol-lowering drug cholestyramine. At a fraction of the cost, I might add. Digestion One cup of collard greens contains over 7 grams or 30% of our daily requirement for fiber. Researchers also have found that sulforaphane protects the stomach lining from bacterial overgrowth. This attribute of collard greens may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of stomach ulcers. Additional health benefits of collard greens The ant-inflammatory nutrients in collard greens are being studied in in the treatment of several inflammatory-related conditions including Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and ulcerative colitis. Propagation Collard greens are a cool weather vegetable ideally suited for a winter crop in California. They are easy to grow from seeds. In summary While they will never rival superfoods like the magical Goji berry in either nutritional value or taste, collard greens have a lot going for them. They are extremely nutritious, far cheaper than most superfoods and much easier to grow. If you can’t grow them, they are readily available at your local farmer’s market or supermarket. I can’t think of a single reason not to eat this cheap, readily available nutritious vegetable.