Collard greens, like broccoli, cabbage, and kale, are a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica genus of plants. These plants are endemic to North America, and they have been a staple of Southern American cuisine for centuries. Collard greens, like other Brassicas, are high in nutrients and provide numerous health benefits when consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet. Collard greens are high in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, which benefit your health.
Dietary fiber is essential for maintaining intestinal health. Collard greens include soluble fiber, which can help absorb cholesterol before it enters your bloodstream, decreasing cholesterol levels. Collard greens’ insoluble fiber nourishes the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which might help you digest meals more quickly. Its also provide the following health benefits:
Collard Greens Nutrition Facts
Here is a table based on Collard Greens Nutrition Facts per 100 gram serving with percent daily values based on a 2,000-calorie diet:
| Nutrient | Amount per 100g | % Daily Value |
| Calories | 32 | 2% |
| Total Fat | 0.6g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 25mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 389mg | 11% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 5.4g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugars | 0.5g | – |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 3333IU | 67% |
| Vitamin C | 35mg | 58% |
| Calcium | 145mg | 15% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
| Vitamin K | 418mcg | 523% |
| Folate | 39mcg | 10% |
Note: the percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet and may vary depending on your individual needs.
Collard Greens have a Lot of Health Benefits:
They are high in potassium, which is necessary for heart rhythm regulation, muscular contraction, and balancing the effects of salt on the body. Collard greens have a low glycemic index, which means they won’t produce a surge in blood sugar when you eat them.
People with diabetes frequently turn to foods with a low glycemic index to help them better manage their blood sugar levels. Because they take longer to digest, foods with a low glycemic index help you feel fuller for longer. This impact may aid weight-loss efforts by preventing overeating. Collard greens are also high in the following nutrients:
1. Bone Health Improvements
Collard greens are high in vitamin K, which is essential for strong bones. Vitamin K helps your body absorb calcium and builds the essential structure of your bones if you get enough of it daily. As a result, collard greens may assist in the prevention of osteoporosis.
Vitamin K deficiency can raise the risk of osteoporosis and bone fracturesTrusted Source. Vitamin K is a bone matrix protein modulator, enhances calcium absorption, and may minimize calcium excretion in the urine. Seven hundred seventy micrograms of vitamin K are found in one cup of boiling collard greens.
According to the United States Dietary Guidelines for 2015-2020, a woman aged 19 to 30 should consume 90 mcg of vitamin K daily, while a man of the same age should consume 120 mcg. This amount of vitamin K can be found in a cup of collard greens three times over.
2. Preventing Disease
As a result of consuming energy, your body produces free radicals.
These free radicals can harm other cells, resulting in cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Collard greens are high in antioxidants, which assist in neutralizing free radicals and may lower your risk of cancer.
3. Birth Defects can be Prevented
The best natural sources of folate are dark, leafy vegetables like collard greens. Folate is a necessary vitamin for body growth, and it is especially crucial for young children and pregnant women.
Doctors recommend that pregnant women take at least 400 mcg of folate each day to help avoid birth abnormalities like spina bifida.
4. Immune Strengthening
Collard greens are high in vitamins A and C and benefit your immune system. Vitamin C is necessary for healthy blood cells, and vitamin A is required for healthy T-cells, a type of immune cell that fights bacteria and viruses.
5. Diabetes and the Function of the Liver
Trusted Source is recommended in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Women should consume 22.4 to 28 grams of fiber per day, depending on their age, while men should consume 28 to 33.6 grams daily. According to a study published in 2014, a high fiber intake may lower inflammation and glucose levels in patients with type 1 diabetes.
It may assist persons with type 2 diabetes to achieve healthier blood sugar, cholesterol, and insulin levels. Nearly 8 grams of fiber are included in one cup of boiling collard greens. While “normal” levels can serve to avoid oxidative stress, excessive quantities can cause cell damage. According to research, Collard greens enhanced liver function in animals with elevated blood pressure.
Collard greens also contain alpha-lipoic acid, an antioxidant. According to sources, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) can lower glucose levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and protect people with diabetes against oxidative stress. It may also aid in the regeneration of liver tissue.
Researchers have also discovered that ALA may help persons with diabetes manage their peripheral neuropathy symptoms. However, whether ALA can be used as long-term therapy is still unknown. In addition, intravenous ALA has been employed in research, and oral supplements may not offer the same advantages. Excessively high dosages of ALA appear to have side effects comparable to those induced by too little ALA.
6. Healthy Skin and Hair
Collard greens contain a much of vitamin A. Vitamin A is required to form sebum, which keeps hair nourished. All human tissues, including skin and hair, require vitamin A to flourish. It also supports the immune system and the eyes and maintains the health of the body’s organs.
Vitamin C helps the body create and maintain collagen levels, which provide skin and hair structure. A lady needs 75 milligrams of vitamin C daily, while a guy needs 90 milligrams. Nearly 35 mg of vitamin C can be found in a cup of boiling collard greens. Anemia, a common cause of hair loss, is prevented by iron.
The body’s ability to use energy efficiently might be harmed by a lack of iron in the diet. Iron is found in collard greens, Spinach, lentils, tuna, and eggs. Adults require 8 mg of iron daily, whereas women in their reproductive years require 18 mg. 2.5 milligrams of iron are found in one cup of cooked collard greens.
Which is Healthier, Collard Greens or Spinach?
Collard greens are popular in the southern United States, but they are worth mentioning everywhere because of their health benefits. Collard greens have approximately twice the calcium content of Spinach and are high in potassium and magnesium.
For a brief rundown of the most important nutrients and distinctions between collard greens and Spinach, consider: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, dietary fiber, and potassium are all abundant in spinach and collard greens.
More pantothenic acid is found in collard greens. Spinach has a lot of iron, and the leaves are also softer and more fragile. However, if you merely want to add some cooked greens to a recipe, Spinach, especially defrosted frozen Spinach, is a fine substitute for collard greens.
Because Spinach isn’t good eaten raw, please don’t use it in recipes that call for raw collards. Kale has more calcium, vitamin K, and twice as much vitamin C as Spinach, according to their nutritional makeup. On the other hand, Spinach has a higher concentration of iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate, and vitamins A and E. “However, both are extremely healthful options in general.
Are Collard Greens Good for Cholesterol?
Studies have shown Collard greens to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol. Collards have a favorable effect on both blood pressure and cholesterol, which promotes overall heart health, thanks to the high fiber content in the vegetable. Dietary fiber is essential for maintaining intestinal health.
Collard greens’ soluble fiber can help absorb cholesterol before entering your bloodstream, decreasing cholesterol levels. They belong to the same cruciferous family as kale. The leaves of collard greens are big, smooth, and flat, unlike the curly, narrow kale leaves.
This versatile vegetable is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and regular consumption may lower the risk of some ailments. Collard greens are nutritious, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Collard greens are high in fiber, which takes your body longer to digest than other foods. When you consume too much fiber at once, you may have unpleasant side effects such as bloating or gas.
What is the Healthiest Way to Eat Collard Greens?
Serve with pasta, lasagna, or other Italian or Greek main courses. With these collards, make a simple spaghetti dish. As previously said, these collard greens pair well with rice and black beans. Add chopped peanuts to make a dish inspired by West African cuisine.
Cook collard greens healthy by sautéing them in a pan rather than boiling them, and this ensures that no nutrients are lost throughout the cooking process. Don’t forget to leave out the bacon. The collard greens are cooked in a frying pan with olive oil and garlic in this nutritious collard greens recipe. They have only 12 calories per cup when eaten raw.
Raw greens are advised above fried greens if you’re seeking a good source of folate. One cup of raw greens has 46 micrograms of folate, compared to 20.5 micrograms in one cup of cooked greens. Collard greens are particularly high in calcium and vitamin K, which benefit bone health. 1 cup (170 grams) of cooked greens delivers 27% of the daily need for calcium and 883 percent of the daily value for vitamin K.
Are Collard Greens Good for High Blood Pressure?
According to Harvard Medical School, many leafy greens, from Arugula and kale to spinach and collard greens, include potassium and magnesium, which are important for blood pressure control. Collard greens are high in vitamins A and C and benefit your immune system.
Vitamin C is vital for healthy blood cells, while vitamin A is necessary for healthy T-cells, which are part of your immune system and fight invading bacteria and viruses. Collard greens are natural liver cleaners due to their sulfur-containing components, and Collard greens include antioxidants that aid in preventing harm.
When you bring them home, Collard greens at the grocery store or farmers’ market may be unclean, pesticide-coated, or infested with aphids. A little effort spent preparing your collard greens can go a long way toward making them safe to eat. Begin with a thorough soak, and rinse the leaves well.
Are Collard Greens Good for Kidney Disease?
Potassium levels in leafy greens should be monitored if you have kidney illness. The amount of potassium you can consume daily is determined by your renal disease stage and the type of dialysis you undergo. Because of the potassium, most persons with CKD do not need to limit their consumption of leafy greens.
Kale, Spinach, chard, and collard greens are high in vitamins A and C, calcium, and other minerals. Carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamin K are also abundant in kale. Vitamins A, C, K, and folate are abundant in Spinach.
Potassium-rich greens like Spinach and kale are difficult to incorporate into a renal diet. On the other hand, Arugula is a nutrient-dense green with a low potassium content, making it a suitable option for kidney-friendly salads and side dishes.
Contrary to popular assumption, patients with kidney illness can eat fruit and vegetables despite the feared potassium limitations. Fruits and vegetables are an important element of a healthy, well-balanced diet since they include several vitamins and minerals and fiber, and flavor.
Conclusion
Collard greens contain choline, a crucial neurotransmitter. Choline is involved in mood, sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory functions. Choline helps with cell membrane structure, nerve impulse transmission, fat absorption, and chronic inflammation prevention.
Folate, also included in choline, may help reduce the development of homocysteine in the body, leading to depression. In patients with bipolar disorder and depression connected to alcohol misuse, homocysteine levels were increased. Consumption of folate may reduce the risk of getting depressive symptoms in some persons.
