Goodness of Green Leafy Vegetables and Role in Human Nutrition

By Prerna Thakur 

and Parminder Kaur

Green leafy vegetables are hugely popular among the masses as a rich source of minerals and vitamins. These vegetables are a source of vitamins like ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, folic acid, riboflavin and minerals like iron, calcium and phosphorus etc. In Punjab, a wide range of green leafy vegetables are commonly grown and consumed which includes spinach, fenugreek, celery, lettuce, Chenopodium (bathua), coriander and Chinese sarson. During the winter season, these are readily available in the market or can be grown easily in kitchen gardens.  These are comparatively inexpensive, highly nutritious and thus helps plan a healthy balanced meal. This makes GLVs most suitable source of vitamins and micronutrients supplementations to combat nutrient deficiency. 

Nutritional benefits: The green leafy vegetables being a reservoir of vitamins (Vitamin A and C) and minerals prevents iron deficiency anemia, promotes good eyesight, encourages healthy skin and maintains gum health. Green leafy vegetables can play a key role in combating widely prevalent anaemia in young adolescent girls as they contain both iron and vitamin C. Vitamin C enhances absorption of iron in the body. These vegetables contain high dietary fiber which aids in better digestion. Besides, GLVs help in fighting cancer as these contain antioxidants, phytochemicals and other health boosting properties. Owing to low energy densities, these are highly suitable in weight management diets. 

Nutritional status of green leafy vegetables:

Recommended dietary allowance:

Adults : 40g/day, preschool children (1-3 years) : 40g/day, preschool children (4-6 years): 50g/day and for boys and girls beyond 10 years of age : 50g/day. However, average consumption of green leafy vegetables is 24 g/day which is far below the recommendation. GLVs can be consumed fresh as salads or in cooked or processed form depending on the preference of the consumer. 

Period of availability:

The period of availability of GLVs in Punjab has been given in the table below along with the highly nutritious varieties developed by Punjab Agricultural University. 

GLVs can be dehydrated and used when fresh supply is not available in the market. These can be purchased in bulk during peak availability period. Thereafter, green leafy vegetables should be cleaned, trimmed, washed under water, and dried on a clean sheet. After drying, coarsely powder them by rubbing them with your hands followed by storage in tight containers.   

Precautions to be observed:

1. Do not overcook leafy vegetables to avoid loss of nutrients like vitamin C.

2. Wash these vegetables properly to avoid diarrhea and contamination with bacteria, insects, or other extraneous matter.

3. Avoid washing of GLVs after chopping to avoid loss of nutrients.

4. Ensure the vessel in which greens are cooked should be covered with a lid.

5. Avoid frying greens

6. Do not dry the leaves in the sun as this may lead to loss of carotene

7. The fibrous part of green leafy vegetables can disturb the digestive system of infants. Therefore, it is necessary that such vegetables are cooked, mashed, and sieved before serving the infant. 

Writers are from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Moga