Hi, welcome! You know I love talking about food. But that includes topics of health benefits of food ingredients, not just the flavors and cooking methods. It delights me to no end to think that the delicious food I eat can also help me become healthier. How incredible is that? Let food be thy medicine, as Hippocrates once said. So in today’s blog post, let’s talk about leafy greens which are the most nutrient-packed food ingredients in the world. I’ve included the leafy greens list that are most popular, the health benefits, and how to use them.

What are Leafy greens?

So what are leafy greens anyway? Also called “dark leafy greens,” “greens” is a term commonly used to refer to a variety of leafy green vegetables that are rich in nutrients. These vegetables are typically characterized by their green color, although there are many green and other color variations and combinations. So we all heard that eating more greens will help you be healthier. But when you want to implement that into your life, you have no idea what the specific vegetables they are, what they are good for, and how to use them in your daily diet.

I’ve been there, let me help you a little with that! So here is the most beloved leafy greens list in the world.

Leafy Greens List

1. Spinach

Spinach is a versatile leafy green that can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in various dishes. It’s rich in iron, vitamins A and K, and folate. You can read here what you can cook with spinach.

2. Kale

Kale is known for its deep beautiful green colors and is packed with nutrients, including vitamin C, K, and various antioxidants. One of the easiest ways to include kale is to put a few leaves of kale in your smoothies, especially those in green or yellow colors that taste sweet and sour. Kale brings out beautiful green colors in it and tastes so fresh! I’ll tell you why having more green color is also good for you.

3. Napa cabbage

As a Korean, I cannot live without my kimchi which is made out of napa cabbage. In Korea, we also make lots of different soups with napa cabbage. I can assure you I eat my share of napa cabbage.

4. Arugula

Arugula is a peppery-flavored green often used in salads. You can also put fresh arugula on your pizza or sandwich; they are so tasty!

5. Broccoli

While technically not a “leafy” green, as the broccoli we eat is a head of flower, it is a wonderful green vegetable that has very similar characteristics and nutrients to green leafy vegetables. Eat it steamed, roasted, stir-fried, or however you want! Broccoli has that nutty, sweet, and savory flavor when cooked that I love!

6. Bok Choy

Bok choy is a vegetable that is often used in Asian cuisine. When cooked, the green leaves become soft and wrinkled which absorbs lots of sauces. I love biting into lovely juicy bok choy soaked in sauces!

7. Cabbage

Cabbage comes in various varieties, including green cabbage, purple cabbage, and napa cabbage I wrote above. I use chopped cabbage in a lot of my cooking for its natural sweetness. It doesn’t change the main flavor of the dish, so when appropriate, I love sneaking cabbage into my recipes for more nutrition and fiber.

8. Lettuce

Lettuce is a common salad greens, and no wonder. Its crisp texture and fresh taste are so easy to love.

Health Benefits of Chlorophyll from Leafy Greens

There are so many other greens such as collard greens, swiss chard, and even some wild greens like dandelion, but now you get the idea. So now you wonder why you need to eat more of the greens. It boils down to the health effects of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in plants and algae. It plays a crucial role in photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy by capturing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.

While chlorophyll is primarily associated with plant biology, it has gained attention for its potential health benefits when consumed by humans. Here are why chlorophyll is considered good for our health.

1. Antioxidant properties

Chlorophyll is an incredible antioxidant that helps protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. It means it lowers the risk of various chronic diseases and aging.

2. Detoxification

Chlorophyll has been studied for its potential detoxifying properties. It may help the body eliminate toxins and heavy metals by binding to them and facilitating their removal. This detoxification process could benefit liver health.

3. Reduction of body odor

This one was so interesting to me! There have been studies that chlorophyll has effects of reducing body odor, including bad breath and sweat. Chlorophyll helps neutralize odors by binding to odor-causing compounds.

4. CoQ10 generation

You might have seen CoQ10, or Coenzyme Q10 pills in a pharmacy as a supplement to take. CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that generates energy in every cell in our body and fights harmful free radicals. It is a so-called anti-aging property. There once was a common belief that the human body cannot convert sunlight into energy directly. However, science has discovered that after eating greens, the chlorophyll in our body may react with sunlight that penetrates through our skin and bones. And what happens next is that our body was able to create CoQ10 naturally by itself! So chlorophyll is not only an antioxidant itself, it helps our body to create another antioxidant in our body!

Summary for Leafy Greens List

I hope this helped you to understand why you need to include more greens in your diet, and it is easier than you might think. Let food be thy medicine, as Hippocrates once said. Just enjoy your food and you can enjoy more of your life. How wonderful is that? Here are some of my recipes to incorporate more spinach into your diet.