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Nutrients in Leafy Greens

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants you to eat more watercress.

Leafy greens

According to a report released by the CDC that examined 17 different nutrient markers (e.g., folate, zinc, potassium, and calcium) of 41 different fruits and vegetables, watercress scored the highest among them in terms of its “nutrient density” score (a perfect 100 score). The nutrient density score was based on the levels of nutrients per 100 calories of the food. Watercress wasn’t the only leafy green found to offer substantial nutritional benefits, however, as the top five foods on the list were all types of leafy greens. In order of nutrient density scores, these leafy greens include Chinese cabbage (91.99), chard (89.27), beet greens (87.08), and spinach (86.43). Parsley, romaine lettuce and collards also fared well. So, it’s true that green is the color of health.

See also: Making Leafy Greens Safer to Eat


Matthew Kadey, MS, RD

Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.

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