Greens
Leafy green vegetables are packed with powerful nutrients that are critical for your health. They are available year round and can easily be incorporated to many types of meals. However, it takes getting to know them a little better to feel confident about cooking them. And always remember to wash them!
A good rule of thumb is the darker the green the more nutritious it is, however each leafy green has their specifics, which are laid out for you here. Want even more details on what this means to you? Scroll allll the way down to see what said nutrients can do for the body.
AMARANTH GREENS | In the US, we commonly know of amaranth for the grain (ancient-grain comparable to rice) portion of the plant. However, their leafy greens, streaked through with beautiful shades of red and purple, are delicious and nutritious as well. They are typically grown in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean but if you’re lucky you can find these special greens from some immigrant farmers in the US. These are made of beautiful green and purple leaves, shown on the very left in the image above.
Health Benefits: nutritionally similar to beets, swiss chard and spinach. These greens are packed with Vitamins E & C / carotene, amino acids, iron, calcium, protein, magnesium, potassium, and dietary fiber.
Taste: slightly astringent when raw, but turn soft and mellow as they cook down.
Cooking: stir fries, soups, sautéed similar to spinach, fermented, simmered curry, in a salad.
ARUGULA | a leafy green from the Brassicaceae family with many names – rocket, colewort, roquette, ruchettea, rucola and rucoli. Arugula was first cultivated in Ancient Rome and has been a staple in Italian and French cuisine. It has become popular in the US and is commonly used in salads with other greens.
Health Benefits: Vitamins A, B, C & K / zinc, copper, iron, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, protein, polyphenols and dietary fiber. Its also one of the best sources of dietary nitrates, which increases muscle blood flow and makes working out easier!
Taste: a very distinctive spicy kick with a taste of pepper and mustard. The flavor can be bright, tart, peppery and slightly bitter depending on its maturity.
Cooking: great for salads (on its own or in addition to other green), as a garnish with a protein, in soups, pasta, pizza, pesto, and even in a cocktail!
BEET GREENS | Did you know that green leaves grow out of the tip of beets similar to carrots? They may not have made it into the popular crowd with their beautiful, round burgundy counterpart, but are too delicious and full of nutrients to just throw away! Be sure to buy your beets with greens attached, so that you get 2 vegetables for the price of one, and add a whole set of nutrients into the picture!
Health Benefits: some of the most nutrient-rich greens around and actually contains more nutrients than the beet itself. Beet greens are rich in vitamins A, C & K / iron, calcium, riboflavin, and fiber. They also contain the antioxidants beta-carotene and lutein, good for the eyes.
Taste: vegetal, crunchy, sweet.
Coco’s Reco: its fun to serve them alongside beets so you can show your friends how you’ve reduced food waste. Expect reactions like “Wow,
were like really eating the WHOLE beet!”
BOK CHOY | one of the most popular Asian greens, Bok Choy originated in China and is a member of the enormous Brassica family, think Chinese cabbage. A very versatile green, Bok Choy is known for its crispy stems and silky greens. Bok choy is one of my favorite vegetables and I personally like to throw it into a wide range of dishes I make, typically at the end so they maintain some crunch. These greens just make any dish better.
Green Shanghai vs. Standard White Bok Choy by Food52
Health Benefits: Vitamins A & C / potassium and beta-caroten. Bok choy also contains the mineral selenium, which plays an important role in brain health, immunity, cancer protection and proper thyroid gland function (metabolism).
Taste: clean, crunchy, vegetal, mild.
Cooking: sautéed as a quick side dish, in curries, soups, stir-frys, braises, and stews.
Coco’s Reco: You will often see Standard White Bok Choy and Green Shanghai Bok Choy (my favorite) at the store. White Bok Choy has white stalks and dark green, crinkly leaves with a more mineral taste. Shanghai Bok Choy has wide, jade-colored stalks shaped like soupspoons and light green smooth leaves with a more mild, celery-like flavor. Both can be used interchangeably.
BROCCOLI RABE | or rapini, is a green cruciferous (Brassicaceae) vegetable, with the leaves, buds and stems all being edible. Some call it an “Italian turnip” as it is, botanically, much closer to turnips than it is to broccoli, though they all belong to the big Brassicaceae family. This vegetable is a staple in Southern Italy but also very popular in China, Spain and Portugal.
Broccoli Rabe by Food52
Health Benefits: Vitamins A, C and K / potassium, manganese, calcium, iron, fiber, and folate (inflammation).
Taste: nutty, bitter and pungent (Coco’s Reco - broccoli rabe is less bitter when its fresher so we recommend purchasing broccoli rabe at farmers markets).
Cooking: sautéed or braised with olive oil and garlic, served in soup, pastas, sandwiches, beans, with sausage, or on pizza.
Coco’s Reco: BLANCH (dipping into boiling hot water + salt for one minute) bitter greens such as broccoli rabe before any cooking steps to reduce the bitterness.
CABBAGE | comprised of thick leaves and comes in green, white or purple colors. It belongs to the Brassica family along with brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and cauliflower.
Health Benefits: Vitamins B, C and K / calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese.
Taste: bitter with a hint of sweetness.
Cooking: can be eaten raw in a slaw, cooked in a stir fry, stuffed, in a soup, as lettuce cups, or can be fermented and turned into sauerkraut (which aids digestion and promotes immune health).
Types: Napa Cabbage, Savoy Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Green Cabbage
CHARD | All chard varieties are native to the Mediterranean and descendants of the sea beet, along with beets and spinach. Discover chard with green/white stems (green chard), red stems (red chard) and rainbow stems (rainbow chard). Don’t throw away the stems! They are crunchy, delicious and highly nutritious.
Red Chard
Health Benefits: Vitamins A, B, C, E and tons of K / potassium, calcium, zinc, manganese, iron and magnesium. Its nutrients help keep your bones and brain healthy, lower blood pressure and improve how well food moves through your gut.
Taste: earthy, mellow sweetness, delicate crunch
Cooking: treat chard leaves like spinach and its stems like asparagus. They can be sautéed, blanched, used in stews and soups, and are good for creamy casseroles. Some fun ideas are swiss chard wraps or a green shakshuka!
Health Benefits: Vitamins A, B, C, E and tons of K / potassium, calcium, zinc, manganese, iron and magnesium. Its nutrients help keep your bones and brain healthy, lower blood pressure and improve how well food moves through your gut.
Taste: earthy, mellow sweetness, delicate crunch
Cooking: treat chard leaves like spinach and its stems like asparagus. They can be sautéed, blanched, used in stews and soups, and are good for creamy casseroles. Some fun ideas are swiss chard wraps or a green shakshuka!
COLLARD GREENS | a type of large, leafy green vegetable common in the South. They are a member of Brassica oleracea, the same species as many common vegetables, including cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli.
Health Benefits: Vitamins A (half of your daily requirement!), B9, C & K / fiber, calcium, manganese, iron and magnesium.
Taste: tough and bitter when raw, more moist and mild the longer you cook them.
Cooking: These greens are often cooked using moist heat to help with their bitterness and toughness, and stems are usually left out. The greens can be braised, sautéed, steamed or blanched and often include ham or turkey.
DANDELION GREENS | yes these are greens that come from the same plants that produce beautiful dandelion flowers, but are often considered “pest-y” weeds. The entire dandelion plant is edible and the leaves are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Find these greens at health stores and at farmers markets, and use them as a unique substitute for any dark, bitter green.
Dandelion Greens by LA Times
Health Benefits: Vitamins A, C, E & K / calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.
Taste: bitter flavor (reduced when cooked or when added acid), earthy and nutty (similar to radicchio).
Cooking: sautéed, braised, good with beans, in a simple salad, thrown into soups, as a pesto, or in a pasta.
KALE | a poster child for leafy greens due to its tremendous health benefits and its diverse cooking potential. Kale is a green, leafy cruciferous vegetable rich in nutrients, antioxidants, minerals and fiber. It is a member of the mustard, or Brassicaceae, family, along with cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat.
Health Benefits: Vitamins A, B6, C (lowkey more than a whole orange) & K / calcium, potassium, beta-carotene, manganese, omega-3 fatty acid and iron. It is also packed with lutein, an antioxidant known to protect eyesight.
Taste: thick and slightly bitter but mellows down when massaged or cooked.
Cooking: so versatile, I use kale in everything. Enjoy it raw in a salad, in a smoothie, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, roasted (kale chips), in soups and sauces, or in a pesto.
Coco’s Reco: Raw kale is very tough, so you need to massage it with your hands to soften before eating it raw. See how here. Although kale does not need to be massaged heavily if you are letting it sit in the dressing for some time, as acids such as lemon or vinegar, break it down the same way that massaging it does.
LETTUCE | salads! Lettuce is a leaf vegetable of the Asteraceae family, mostly popular for its use raw in salads. It plays the same role in salads as bread plays in sandwiches. Find one that you like and use it as a foundation to create your everyday green salad, or more unique plays on the Caesar Salad or Nicoise Salad.
Niçoise Salad with Butter Lettuce
Health Benefits: generally a rich source of vitamins A & K, but the nutritional quality depends on the variety of lettuce.
Taste: crunchy, light, crisp and vegetal.
Cooking: most often used for salads but can also be used raw in lettuce wraps and sandwiches or some varieties can be grilled.
Types:
Butter Lettuce: known as Boston Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce, butter lettuce holds the shape of a beautiful blooming rose shape, raw butter lettuce provides your dose of vitamin K and manganese. Great for use for lettuce wraps and to sub out tortillas.
Greenleaf: a standard, curly green lettuce with vitamins A, C and K.
Iceberg: 90% water and the least nutritious, however it can still fill you up with just a few calories, and zero fat.
Redleaf: vitamins A & K / iron, manganese and folate
Romaine: a lighter green with less nutritional benefits than most, but more than iceberg! Romaine lettuce contains Vitamin A & C, calcium, beta-carotene, potassium and folate. Always wash your romaine, even the pre-bagged kind.
MUSTARD GREENS | sort of like a cross breed between kale and arugula, mustard greens are the peppery leafy greens of the mustard plant. This vegetable is commonly used in Chinese, Japanese and Indian cooking but is as versatile as any leafy green.
Mustard Greens by Bon Appetit
Health Benefits: Vitamins A (beta carotene), C & K / calcium, iron, potassium and folate. Mustard Greens also contain glucosinolates, which are phytonutrients that can accelerate enzymes that help to detoxify out liver and other organs.
Taste: With a pungent mustard flavor and thick texture, mustard greens are less bitter than kale or collard greens, while more peppery, similar to arugula.
Cooking: in a salad (an acid like lemon or vinegar will tone down the strong mustard flavor), blanched/sautéed, cooked in creamy dishes, or with coconut milk, eggs, or white beans.
SPINACH | a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia that has become extremely popularized as a SUPERFOOD due to its abundance of nutrients and antioxidants! It is part of the amaranth family and is closely related to beets and quinoa.
Health Benefits: Vitamins A (carotenoids), B, C & K / iron, folate, calcium, potassium, fiber, and manganese. It is most famously known for its ability to benefit eye health, reduce oxidative stress, help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels.
Taste: when raw – very mild, slightly sweet and green / when cooked – can taste bitter
Cooking: so versatile and very delicious both raw and cooked. Enjoy it lightly sautéed (a lot goes a little ways), in salads, wraps or sandwiches, blended in smoothies, added to pastas, soups, or creamed in casseroles, eat it with eggs or use it to make dips!
TURNIP GREENS | just like beets and carrots, turnips also have leafy greens growing out of their head. These greens are often discarded despite the fact that they are delicious, edible and contain lots of nutrients.
Turnip Greens
Health Benefits: Vitamins A, C & K / calcium, manganese, and folate. Turnip greens are considered a cruciferous vegetable, which have been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer and inflammation. They also contain several antioxidants that play a role in reducing stress.
Taste: strong and spicy flavor and should be enjoyed cooked
Cooking: turnip greens have thick cellular walls and a spicy flavor, so cooking these with acid (lemon or vinegar) and fat (oil, butter, bacon) will break them down. These greens are often used in southern-style cooking, and are delicious sauteed, in stir-fries, soups, stews or quiches as they wilt nicely when heated for some time.
OTHER GREENS TO CHECK OUT: Yam Leaves, Moringa, Water Spinach, Chicories (Endive, Radicchio), Watercress, Microgreens
HEALTH BENEFITS (explained)
Antioxidants: substances that protect your cells against free radicals (unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures).
Calcium: important for bone and teeth health and plays a role in your nervous system, heart and muscles function.
Iron: a mineral with its primarily role in the red blood cells, where it helps carry oxygen to the body’s cells and tissues.
Magnesium: important for proper functioning of the immune system, nerves and muscles, bones, the heart, and it also helps adjust blood glucose level.
Manganese: a mineral necessary for proper carbohydrate and protein metabolism. It also plays a role in bone formation, blood clotting and reducing inflammation.
Nitrates: nitric oxide which increases muscle blood flow and can help your muscles work better during exercise.
Potassium: necessary for muscle functioning, to regulate fluid balance, and to keep blood pressure numbers in a healthy range.
Phosphorus: keeps your bones strong and healthy, helps make energy and enables you to use your muscles without pain.
Riboflavin: (vitamin B2) part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism; important for normal vision and skin health.
Vitamin A: (beta-carotene) skin and hair / Vitamin A is needed for vision, healthy skin and mucous membranes, bone and tooth growth, and immune system health.
Vitamin B9: (folate or folic acid) essential for normal cellular function and tissue growth. It is also known to be a mood-booster.
Vitamin C: promotes skin health (collagen) and immune function. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that serves many vital functions in the body’s cells such as protein metabolism, immune system health and it aids in iron absorption.
Vitamin E: (tocotrienols) an antioxidant that helps repair damaged cells.
Vitamin K: maintains healthy & strong bones and reduces blood clots.
Zinc: a nutrient that people need to keep their immune system healthy as it fights off invading bacteria and viruses. It also makes proteins and DNA, the genetic material in all cells.
