By Irene Hayton

Leafy green vegetables include lettuces, spinach, swiss chard, beet greens, arugula, endive, escarole, radicchio, dandelion greens and many cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, rapini (broccoli rabe), turnip greens, and watercress.

Leafy greens are an important part of the Eating Alive Program. They are fat-free, low in calories, and they provide fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. Many, particularly the cruciferous vegetables, are good sources of calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.

Leafy green vegetables are also the best sources of vitamin K, which is necessary for proper calcium absorption from your blood into your bones. Vitamin K activates osteocalcin, which guides calcium to where it’s needed most in your body, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. The greener the plant, the higher the amount of vitamin K it contains.

Just because you need to limit the amount of salads that you eat (especially in the cooler months when you’re not exposed to a lot of sunshine) doesn’t mean you can’t eat your leafy greens—they can be added to soups, stews, casseroles, stir-fries, egg dishes, etc.

So remember to eat your leafy greens every day. See this month’s recipe, Kale with Ginger and Garlic, for an easy way to add kale to your diet.

(For more information on cruciferous vegetables, see the Health Tip for September 2004.)