Eat your greens; they’re packed with health benefits

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Updated: January 17, 2012 10:48AM

Nutritionists preach the benefits of dark, leafy greens.

They are powerful sources of vitamins A and C, and they provide calcium, iron, fiber and disease-fighting nutrients. Greens also are low in calories. For example, one cup of chopped raw spinach has 14 calories, and a half-cup of cooked collards has 38 calories. All greens are free of fat and cholesterol.

When buying greens, remember that they cook down considerably, to one-quarter or so in volume. For instance, 1 pound of raw kale yields about 21/2 cups cooked greens.

Most of us easily recognize spinach in produce bins. But what are all those other unfamiliar green bunches?

Take a few minutes to study the greens and you soon will distinguish the often-subtle differences. When in doubt, ask the produce staff for help.

Green up your diet with a few of the following:

† Collard greens are a variety of cabbage that doesn’t form a head but rather grows into wide-leafed greens. Collard greens taste like a cross between cabbage and kale. The Southern style of cooking collards is to boil them with a hunk of salt pork, but a more healthful version is to simmer the greens for about 30 minutes in a broth seasoned with garlic, onion, chile peppers, ginger or curry.

† Red chard, sometimes called rhubarb chard, has dark leaves and reddish stalks. Chard has a flavor similar to beets. Cook the ribs like celery or asparagus, and use the leaves raw in salads or steamed like spinach.

† Rainbow chard is recognizable by its bright yellow, orange and ruby stems. It can be prepared like its red-chard cousin, or simmer it in milk to cut its natural bitterness.

† Dandelion greens grow wild and cultivated. The bright green leaves have a slightly bitter, tangy flavor that works in salads. They also can be lightly steamed and served as a side dish.

† Kale tastes like a mild cabbage. The center stalk is tough, so remove it before cooking. Kale can be added to salads or combined with traditional cheeses for a healthful version of lasagna.

† Lacinato kale is a rustic variety with dark blue-green leaves. It’s full of flavor but is not strong or overbearing. This kale is good stir-fried with garlic, oyster sauce, chicken stock and a touch of sesame oil. It also chops well for stews, soups and bean dishes.

† Spinach probably is the most recognizable green. With dark green, slightly crinkled leaves, it is good steamed, sauteed or cooked in soups.

† Baby spinach is slightly less bitter than its full-grown counterpart. This lighter, smaller version works best in salads and as a last-minute addition to soups and pasta dishes.

Gannett News Service