Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables

October 30, 2014Last Updated: March 28, 2019

4 minutes read

Leafy greens are well known as greens, vegetable greens, salad greens and potherb. They are plant leaves, which are eaten as vegetable and in some cases, are accompanied by the tender shoots and petioles. They are coming from wider ranges of plants; most of them share great deal of other vegetables in cooking and nutritious methods. There are around thousands of species, which are known as an edible leaves. They come from short-lived herbaceous plants like spinach and lettuce. Some of the woody plants whose, leaves could be considered as leafy greens are- aralia, Adansonia, Morus and Toona species.

Health benefits of Leafy Greens

Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables include its potential to lower cholesterol, decrease heart diseases, provide a proper nutrition & help in anemia, skin diseases & obesity.

Lowers cholesterol & decreases the risk of heart diseases

They are better choice for healthy diet because they do not contain cholesterol and are naturally low in sodium and calories. Green leafy vegetables provide a larger number of benefits to heart. They help in decrease heart diseases risk. These effects are due to the phyto-nutrients present in them. Phyto nutrients are plant biological chemicals useful in prevention of diseases and have a potent anti-oxidant action. The phyto-nutrients could act as a means of preventing chronic diseases like heart and cancer.

Helpful in obesity

Low in calories

Lettuce is commonly taken as leafy vegetable that provides 7 calories per 1 cup serving. It is not a single vegetable, which is used as vegetables but is served as array of vegetables and fruits with respect to salads. They are extremely low in calories and yet quite sufficient and high with nutrients. You should make them the base for your dinner and lunch.

Low fat content

Leafy green vegetables are low with fat content, but rich in water-soluble antioxidants content. They are one with rich fiber content. It helps to restrict your dietary intake of fats. However, fats are also essential for body. Fats become harmful when consumed more than the daily requirement.

Leafy green vegetables also contain healthy carbohydrates, which do not provide many calories. Therefore, Leafy green vegetables are very helpful in obesity.

Leafy green vegetables contain some phyto nutrient and fiber content that help in keeping blood sugar levels at your check.

Rejuvenation of skin

Some of the leafy options like spinach, kale and Swiss chard are containing anti-oxidants, which are including beta-carotene. Beta-carotene alkaloids are helpful in repairing and renewing your skin.

Helps in repairing the body tissues

Leafy green vegetables also contain folate, a special nutrient for DNA lutein and repair. They balance the lipids in the skin, by increasing elasticity and hydration. They are also helping your skin from sun damage, which is ageing your skin.

Cure for acne

Studies have revealed that high glycemic foods are triggering breakout with some people. They are the foods, which are containing refined sugars and refined grains. These foods cause spikes in blood glucose level, which your body is trying to lower by producing some male hormones and insulin.

The above hormones are causing the sebaceous glands for producing more blocking pores, in turn, oil. When there is too much of sebum in the pores then it causes the acne bacterium to over propagate and inflaming the pore by causing a pimple.

When you are using leafy green vegetables, which have low-glycemic in your food, then they are quite effective. Some other options, which are rich with low glycemic food, are fish, green tea and whole grains etc.

Maintenance of Beauty

One could gain pretty face via the leaves. Leafy green vegetables are helpful in enhancing the color of your skin. They help in appearance of attractive and healthier eyes. The students observed that people who were eating leafy greens were attractive and had glowing skins. Therefore, it is recommended that you should have more and more green leaves as you would look more attractive and impressive. When you do so, you will get more compliments than previous ones.

Studies depicting facts about leafy green vegetables

According to different researches like American Journal of the clinical nutrition’s, there are dark leafs which are protective against cognitive decline in older adults. It is attributed to higher folate content for greens. They help against declining in the verbal fluency and also another cognitive test which is called as spatial copying. They help in protecting the diseases like stress and so on.

Vitamins & minerals rich

Leafy green vegetables also contain Vitamin B, plus K, C, A and minerals. Vitamin B is beneficial in protecting your mitochondria and brain cells. Vitamin C and Vitamin A are minerals, which are supporting your immune cells. Vitamin K keeps the blood vessels and bones healthy and safe.

Minerals are considered as the co-factor for hundreds of different enzymes in your body. They are containing vitamins like B2, A, B6, E, C, Folate, copper, calcium, potassium, fiber, zinc, magnesium etc which are crucial for your healthy heart.

Folate

The folate in Leafy green vegetables helps in reducing the levels of homocysteine, which could contribute to disease of cardiovascular and strokes.

High in Magnesium

Leafy green vegetables are high in magnesium, which reduces the incidences of immediate or sudden failure of cardiac in women.

Leafy green vegetables are great source of magnesium and magnesium in elements like chlorophyll molecules, which are providing green effect.

They will help in reducing your heart problem.

Collards and kale do contain ITCs (isothiocyanates) which is a compound with proven activities of anti-cancer.

Good iron supplement – helps in anemia

Leafy green vegetables are a good source of natural occurring iron. Therefore, they help the anemic patients.

Side effects & Allergic reaction

Allergic reactions are quite rare with leafy green vegetables. However, immediately seek medical attention if you are noticing any of the below mentioned symptoms of serious allergies like: