The power of dark green leafy vegetables

By Cherice Bronte-Tinkew, RD

It’s a Sunday morning and you’re searching in the drawer for the swizzle stick to finish the callaloo, or it’s a Saturday morning and you stir up some steamed pak choi to go with your sada roti.

All these habits are encouraged because the dark green leafy vegetables pack a punch full of vitamins and minerals. They can be extremely helpful for persons who have been diagnosed with anaemia, and helpful during pregnancy. I would also recommend it for persons with cancer, diabetes, and hypertension.

Dark green leafy vegetables such as pak choi, spinach, broccoli, dasheen bush and kale are a source of iron. Iron is needed for making red blood cells. Red blood cells help to carry oxygen around your body, and they help the organs and muscles to function. Basically, they allow us to live and thrive.

This is great for persons recovering from an injury or after surgery too. Females need more iron compared to men especially during their childbearing years. During pregnancy, the demand for more blood is significantly increased.

Folic acid is a vitamin B found in dark green leafy vegetables, too. It is needed for creating red blood cells as well and preventing birth defects of the spine and brain for babies. Folic acid is recommended in both supplement and food sources for women wishing to conceive and is vital for the rapid growing period during the first and second trimester.

Regularly including dark green leafy vegetables in one’s diet can increase your dietary fibre intake. Dietary fibre is necessary to improve blood sugar levels for those who are diabetic and support better digestion and bowel movements. Do not forget to drink adequate water for regular bowel movements, too.

Calcium is important for the growth and development of our bones and teeth. Besides getting it from sources such as cow’s milk, soy milk and sardines, it is also found in dark green leafy vegetables. For older persons, eating good sources of calcium can prevent osteoporosis.

It is important to note these vegetables are just one part of one’s diet and incorporating a variety of other foods improves absorption of many types of nutrients needed. There is no need for prolonged periods of juicing or cleansing, just eating good food.

So, if you don’t like them, try out these ideas in your next meal to improve the taste:

1. Include steamed pak choi in stir fry dishes with sweet pepper, christophine and carrots. Add sesame oil and honey for a tasty glaze over the vegetables just before it is done.
2. Add cooked spinach to a toasted or grilled cheese sandwich.
3. For a salad with kale, cucumbers, and tomatoes, add a dressing of plain yogurt, garlic powder and parsley. Sprinkle chopped almonds or sunflower seeds onto the salad.
4. Chop the entire broccoli (florets and stem) and add to a macaroni pie or corn pie.

Cherice Bronte-Tinkew has been a registered dietitian for over nine years. She is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians.

For more information: Facebook and Instagram pages @JustCherNutrition.

Email- justchernutri@gmail.com

Reference

Recommended Nutrient Intakes and Population Nutrient Intake Goals for the Caribbean, Pan American Health Organization, 2020