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Kale is a trendy green for a reason - according to the U.S. This definitive ranking can help you when you’re ready to branch out from kale. Getting a variety of leafy greens in your diet is a good strategy to take advantage of everything they have to offer, but in general, the darker the leaf, the more nutrients it contains. While nearly all greens have something to offer, they can differ somewhat in the type and amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals they contain, says Kelly Kennedy, RDN, the staff nutritionist for Everyday Health. Another study, published in March the same year in the Journal of Nutrition, found that people who consumed one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables a day had significantly stronger muscle function in their lower limbs, and walked an average of 4 percent faster than people with the lowest nitrate intake, independent of their physical activity levels. In particular, research has found that leafy greens are one of the top sources of dietary nitrates, compounds that bring cardiovascular benefits.Īfter analyzing data from more than 50,000 people over a 23-year period, Danish researchers found that those who ate just one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables a day had up to a 26 percent lower risk of heart disease, as reported in their study, published in April 2021 in the European Journal of Epidemiology. These frequently lauded vegetables have been linked to a number of health benefits.
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You already know that salad is good for you, and one of the main reasons why is that it’s usually built on a nutritious base of leafy greens.
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