The 10 most nutrientrich leafy greens

If you’re going to grow your salads, here are the 10 greens that make every bite as nutrient-rich as possible.

How to grow the very best salad this summer

Ask people what’s the most nutritious leafy green you can grow, and the common answer is kale. But comprehensive research in the US shows it’s another member of the cruciferous family that top the charts: watercress. Kale comes in at number 15. The research by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) looked at what it calls ‘powerhouse fruit and vegetables’ (PFV), the ones most strongly associated with reduced chronic disease risk. It developed a world-first classification for PFV, defining it as:

“Foods providing, on average, 10 percent or more daily value per 100kcal of 17 qualifying nutrients.”

The qualifying nutrients are of public health importance, as per guidelines from the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, and the Institute of Medicine. They are:

The CDC looked at 47 fruits and vegetables and found 41 that reached the PFV classification, and six that didn’t (raspberries, tangerines, cranberries, garlic, onions, blueberries). Researcher Jennifer Di Noia says that’s because their health benefits are due in part to the presence of phytochemicals, which isn’t included in the calculations.

“Higher-ranking foods provide more nutrientsper-calorie. These rankings provide clarity on the nutrient quality of the different foods and may aid in the selection of more nutrient-dense items within the powerhouse group.” Jennifer Di Noia, William Paterson University

Plants do well in colder weather, have flowers that resemble a cross (cruciferous = crucify). Edible part: the ‘flower’ or leaves Famous family members: the Brassica family (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, kale), watercress, rocket (arugula), radish, daikon, wasabi.

Mostly short-lived herbaceous plants. Edible part: leaves Famous family members: leaf lettuce, chard, spinach, chicory.