Vegetables: Vegetable Greens: Part, #2

By Harshita Joshi

Vegetable greens are complete source of minerals, vitamins and plant chemicals that keeps oneself protected from various diseases. It is advised by all the health practitioners to include green leaves at least once in a day. Green leafy vegetables are also rich in fibers that help in digestion, keeping check on cholesterol and blood pressure. Most of the dieticians recommend a daily intake of 116 gm of leafy vegetables in the diet. Other than nutrient contents, mere watching a green plant in a home garden gives a sense of joy and energy. Root vegetables such as radish and turnip are planted to be consumed as greens and root vegetables both. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce, celery, parsley, basil, coriander leaves etc are consumed in their natural forms and seeds are used as flavoring agents. Other leafy greens are consumed after cooking or boiling.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Agrihortico
• Release date: Mar 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393719779

Harshita Joshi

Harshita Joshi is an agribusiness consultant and a freelance writer. She holds Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture and Post Graduate Diploma in Agribusiness Management. Horticulture is one of her areas of expertise and writing is her passion.She publishes her writings on horticulture with the help of agrihortico.com,a leading portal in horticulture knowledge dissemination services.

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Why Greens in the Home Gardens?

Vegetable greens are complete source of minerals, vitamins and plant chemicals that keeps oneself protected from various diseases. It is advised by all the health practitioners to include green leaves at least once in a day. Green leafy vegetables are also rich in fibers that help in digestion, keeping check on cholesterol and blood pressure. Most of the dieticians recommend a daily intake of 116 gm of leafy vegetables in the diet. Other than nutrient contents, mere watching a green plant in a home garden gives a sense of joy and energy. Root vegetables such as radish and turnip are planted to be consumed as greens and root vegetables both. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce, celery, parsley, basil, coriander leaves etc are consumed in their natural forms and seeds are used as flavoring agents. Other leafy greens are consumed after cooking or boiling.

Nutritional Value of Green Leafy Vegetables

The essential nutrients present in green leafy vegetables are Vitamin A, B, C, E, K, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Potassium. Some of the other minerals are also present in these vegetables that are already discussed in part one of the book. In other words greens are full of compounds that are required for proper growth and functioning of body. All the Vitamins are required by the body to regulate various metabolic processes of the human body. Vitamin A is required for healthy vision, mucous membranes, skin and tooth structure. The main function of Vitamin B Complex is to carry out enzymatic reactions and proper functioning of endocrine glands. Vitamin C, on the other hand is required to keep the teeth, bones and muscles healthy.  Similarly, Vitamin E strengthens the immune system of the body. Major role of Vitamin K in the human body is to help in clotting of the blood.

Almost all the green leafy vegetables contain appreciable amount of these Vitamins.

Minerals available in the vegetable greens such as Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Copper also help in growth and development of the body. Though these minerals are required by the body in trace amounts however deficiency of any of these leads to improper functioning of the body. Some of the vegetable greens are very good sources of anti-oxidants too.

Vegetable Greens and Their Classification

Common vegetable greens that are grown in all regions of