Cooking Greens

he "yuck factor" can be high with cooking greens, since many of us were forced to eat mounds of overcooked vegetation as children. The exciting news is that they're full of key nutrients and, if they're cooked properly, they actually taste good!

Beta carotene, indoles, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and folate are some of the major nutrients that greens have to offer. Beta carotene helps protect against cancer and cataracts. Indoles, the phytonutrients that make broccoli and cabbage so healthy, are also found in leafy greens. They are believed to offer very potent cancer protection, especially against breast cancer. Kale, collard, mustard, dandelion, and turnip greens have at least as much calcium as milk, if not more, when compared ounce for ounce. However, some of these varieties contain oxalates, a substance which binds iron and calcium and prevents them from being absorbed in your body. That's why it's important to eat a variety of greens and other vegetables. Interestingly, many Asian cultures derive all of their calcium from greens and are able to meet their needs. Folate, essential for preventing birth defects, such as spina bifida, also helps lower homocysteine levels. Elevated homocysteine levels can lead to blocked arteries, which can eventually cause a heart attack or stroke.

Greens are very low in calories, so the only wild card is what you cook them with. One half cup of plain cooked greens has between 15 and 25 calories, 12 -3 grams of fiber, and 50-100% of the daily value of vitamins C and A (from beta carotene). However, certain greens have a fair amount of sodium. Swiss chard and beet greens have about 150 milligrams per 2 cup cooked.

If you take a peek at the wet rack in the Gelson's produce department, you'll notice a dizzying array of big green leaves. Some are in the same families and can be used interchangeably, like spinach, Swiss chard, and beet greens, all of which are tender and on the sweeter side. Escarole, endive, radicchio, and dandelion greens (all chicories) are on the more bitter side when eaten raw, but sweeten as they cook. Collard greens and kale are part of the cabbage family and both have a cabbage-like flavor. Their leaves are hearty and their stems are basically inedible; both varieties work well in soups and stews. Mustard and turnip greens have a spicy, assertive flavor that also mellows with cooking. They are best when cooked with other, milder greens to balance out their flavors.

When shopping for cooking greens, look for bright green leaves with no yellow or brown spots, holes, or major tears. Stay away from wilted leaves. When you bring them home, wrap the unwashed greens in a paper towel, put them back in their plastic bags, and store them in the crisper. Use them within 2-5 days. Before cooking, swish individual leaves in a bowl of cool water and pinch off thick stems and any tough midribs (use a knife for tougher stems like kale). Leaves should be damp for cooking. Most cookbooks recommend boiling greens, but that leaches the nutrients into the cooking water. To retain the nutrients, I recommend using them in soups and stews or steaming or sautéing them in a little olive oil. This month, try my recipes for Perfect Chicken Dinner, Swiss Chard with Hazelnut Gremolata, Lean Green Garden Soup, and Organic Creamed Spinach.

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The nutrition recommendations found in our newsletters are general in nature and are not tailored to specific health problems. Talk to your physician or other qualified health care practitioner concerning particular health issues or before beginning any nutritional program.