1. Kale Contains Vitamins, Phytonutrients, and Calcium
Portion 1 cup raw
Calories 93
Carbs 1 gram (g)
Fiber 0.8 g
Protein 1 g
Why It’s Healthy
Kale is a trendy green for a reason — according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), just 1 cup of cooked kale meets 19 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A, which helps maintain good vision, a healthy immune system and reproductive system, and proper functioning of the heart, lungs, and kidneys. It also contains 23 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C, which is important for the growth and repair of all tissues in the body and helps maintain a healthy immune system; and kale also has more than 4 times your daily requirement of vitamin K, crucial to form proteins necessary for normal blood clotting, build stronger bones, and protect against osteoporosis, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). While slightly higher in calories than other greens, cooked kale provides about 14 percent of your daily requirement of calcium, which is essential for building and maintaining strong bones.
Meal Prep Inspo
“Kale is delicious raw or cooked,” says Kennedy. “It’s simple to prepare sautéed with some onions and garlic, amazing baked into ‘chips,’ and makes a great base for a salad.” For the salad, if you chop the kale into small pieces or allow it to sit in the dressing for a little bit before eating (or both), it becomes more tender, she explains. Kale also pairs well with roasted squash, nuts, seeds, and beans. “However you serve kale, just be sure to remove the tough ribbing first,” Kennedy says.
How to Cut It: Kale
2. Spinach Has Vitamins, Iron, and Folate
Portion 1 cup raw
Calories 7
Carbs 1 g
Fiber 0.7 g
Protein 1 g
Why It’s Healthy
While subtle in flavor, spinach is anything but subtle when it comes to nutrition. “The most nutritious salad greens are generally the darkest in color,” Kennedy says. And the deep, vibrant color of spinach hints at its healthy nutritional profile: 1 cup has 16 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin A, and all your daily vitamin K, according to the USDA. When spinach is cooked, it’s an excellent source of iron (more than one-third of your daily requirement), as well as vitamin C (20 percent of your daily requirement) and fiber, which is essential for digestive health, per the USDA. Cooked spinach also contains more folate than most salad greens, according to Kennedy, which helps convert the food you eat into energy and produces healthy red and white blood cells, according to the ODS. Pair spinach with strawberries, balsamic, and a sprinkle of feta cheese for a flavor-packed salad.
Meal Prep Inspo
“Spinach makes a great salad base,” says Kennedy. “What I love about having spinach on hand is that it can easily be incorporated into so many dishes without ‘taking over’ flavorwise. It’s excellent on top of a sandwich, stirred into an omelet, and sautéed in olive oil.”