Collard Greens

Eat Your Veggies

     We all know that regular consumption of cruciferous vegetables come with great benefits.  Some of those benefits include the binding of bile acids (digestive support), lowering of cholesterol levels (cardiovascular support), and even lowering our risk to cancer.  Not to mention, these foods are loaded with nutritional value.  Did you know that of all of the cruciferous vegetables, collard greens have been found to be one of the most outstanding? 

Digestive Support

The fiber count in one cup of collard greens is over 7 grams.  In addition, research has shown that sulphoraphane in collard greens helps protect the lining of our stomachs by preventing bacteria overgrowth.

Cardiovascular Support

Research has found preliminary evidence that cruciferous vegetables have the ability to lower the risk of a variety of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks, ischemic heart disease, and atherosclerosis.  Yet, the most interested cardiovascular benefit of collard greens and other cruciferous vegetables is their anti-inflammatory nature, triggered by Isothiocyanate Sulphoraphane which may also be able to help prevent and possibly help reverse blood vessel damage.

Lowering Cholesterol Levels

Another area of cardiovascular support from collard greens is their ability to lower cholesterol levels.  The fiber-related nutrients in collards bind together with bile acids in the intestines and pass them through with bile movements.  When this happens, the liver has to replace the lost acids in the intestines, so it looks to for existing supplies of cholesterol, thus resulting in the lowering of cholesterol.

Collard greens provide us with these benefits rather they are eaten raw or cooked, but studies have shown the benefits to be more significant when they are steamed.  The lowering ability of collard greens was compared to the prescription drug, cholestyramine, and bounded 46% as many bile acids (based on a standard of comparison involving total dietary fiber).

Collard Greens and Cancer Prevention

Based on a small number of studies focused specifically on collard greens and a larger number of studies focused specifically on cruciferous vegetables as a whole, collard greens seem to predominantly stand out in areas of cancer prevention.  This is due to the fact that collards greens provide special nutrient support for three systems of the body which are closely connected to the development, as well as, the prevention of cancer.   These systems are: Antioxidant System, Detox System, and Inflammatory/Anti-Infammatory System.

Note: Chronic imbalances of any of these three systems will increase the risk of cancer; an imbalance of all three, respectfully, will increase the risk even further.

• Antioxidant System – Collard greens provides an excellent source of vitamin A, C, E, and manganese.  Collard greens are also a rich source of phytonutrients which are responsible for lowering oxidative stress in our cells.
• Detox System – Antioxidant and phytonutrients of collard greens boosts phase1 activities of detoxification and sulfur-containing nutrients boosts phase2 activities.
• Inflammatory/Anti-inflammatory System – Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids.

It is concluded that cruciferous veggies are full of stuff that are beneficial to our health, but if we’re concerned about digestive and cardiovascular support, lowering our cholesterol, or reducing the risk of cancer, we may want to consider adapting collard greens as a common dish.

Reference

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=138