Collard Greens – Nutrition Facts and Health Guide
About Collard Greens
Collard greens are leafy vegetable belonging to the cabbage family. It is one of the oldest members of that family and is grown since ancient times. It belongs to the Brassica Oleracea and the cultivar group of Acephala; the term coined for collards cultivar group is derived from a Greek word which also means headless. Collards have been grown since ancient Romans and Greek times that dated back to the times of Christian Era. The Greeks grew collards along side with kale as they couldn’t find any distinctive difference between both of them. Collards were introduced to the United States by wanderers in 600 .B.C and it forms an integral part of South American staple diet since then. Collards are biennial plants and are planted during spring and early winter.
Collard Greens Nutrition Facts
[tribulant_slideshow gallery_id="403"]
- The leaves and stems are good in minerals like iron, calcium, copper, manganese, selenium and zinc.
- One cup of boiled collard greens contains 63 calories, 5 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, 11 grams of carbohydrates (including 8 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar), over 250% of your daily needs for vitamin A, over 50% of your daily needs for vitamin C, 26% of calcium needs, 12% of iron and 10% of both vitamin B-6 and magnesium.
- Collard greens are an extremely rich source of vitamin K and also contain folate, thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, choline, phosphorus and potassium.
Benefits Of Collard Greens
- Collard greens prevents bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.
- Cholesterol-lowering ability.
- Improves calcium absorption.
- Growth of all bodily tissues, including skin and hair.
- The choline in collard greens is an important nutrient that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory.
- Collard greens Decreases the Risk Of Obesity.
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 30 Kcal | 1.5% |
| Carbohydrates | 5.69 g | 4% |
| Protein | 2.45 g | 4% |
| Total Fat | 0.42 g | 1.5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.60 g | 9% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 166 µg | 41.5% |
| Niacin | 0.742 mg | 5% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.267 mg | 5% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.165 mg | 13% |
| Riboflavin | 0.130 mg | 10% |
| Thiamin | 0.054 mg | 4.5% |
| Vitamin A | 6668 IU | 222% |
| Vitamin C | 35.3 mg | 59% |
| Vitamin E | 2.26 mg | 15% |
| Vitamin K | 510.8 µg | 426% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 20 mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 169 mg | 3.5% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 145 mg | 14.5% |
| Copper | 0.039 mg | 4.5% |
| Iron | 0.19 mg | 2.5% |
| Magnesium | 9 mg | 2% |
| Manganese | 0.276 mg | 12% |
| Selenium | 1.3 µg | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.13 mg | 1% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 3842 µg | — |
| Crypto-xanthin-ß | 80 µg | — |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 8932 µg | — |
Selection and storage
Collard Greens
Collard greens are a cruciferous plant known for its high nutrition level. It is a delight to every dieter because of its low calorific value and less fat content. A cup of boiled collard greens (100g) consist of only 32 calories. Owing to its cruciferous quality it comes across as a no surprise that collard greens aid in cancer prevention; the anti inflammatory property and high oxidation levels boost the body’s immune system for it to fight against cancer such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer . Collard greens are a rich source of vitamin K, Vitamin B, Vitamin B1 and folate that forms a compound that regulates the blood sugar level , blood pressure level and also prevents clogging of arteries that in future prevents the body from facing cardiovascular diseases.The fibre rich collard greens support the smooth functioning of the digestive system thereby preventing the body to be prone to any digestive disorders. This leafy vegetable is highly recommended by dieticians to people prone with Type 2 diabetes; this regulates the sugar levels in the blood and is also used to prevent diseases like rheumatoid, arthritis, obesity and other inflammations caused in the body.
Collard greens are oxalate rich food and it is a strict no – no to any person diagnosed with problems in their kidney; consumption of oxalate rich food will in turn only aggravate the situation. One needs to get it consulted to a physician and find out if they are fit to consume collard greens.
How To Enjoy Collard Greens
Collard Greens
It is rare to see that a vegetable has more nutrition value to it when cooked compared to to its raw form; collards are such vegetables. The best way to consume collards in its healthiest way possible is by steaming it and sprinkling some fresh lemon juice before cooking it; this in turn activates all the nutrients of the food. Add them to fresh salads or cook them with black eyed peas as an accompaniment to rice. Collard greens can be used as a stuffing in sushi as well; vegetarians can make collard green rolls with stuffing in it for a light starter.
(Visited 3,058 times, 1 visits today)
