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These vegetables are rich in vitamins such as A, K, C, folic acid, manganese and provide calcium and potassium.
Watercress, lettuce, chard, spinach … green leafy vegetables allow a great variety of culinary uses: raw, in broths, salads, creams, fried foods, etc. Furthermore, they are a fundamental part of a healthy and balanced diet, as they provide vitamins, fiber and other nutrients that are beneficial to our body.
Watercress is a young shoot of the cruciferous family like cabbage or turnip greens. They are grown all year round, although the most tender period is autumn and winter.
Both the leaf and the stem are consumed and its flavor is fresh and spicy, similar to that of mustard.To choose the best cress it is advisable to choose very green, turgid and fresh bunches without damaging the leaves and discard the moldy or yellowish ones.
“Watercress, like other vegetables, is low in energy and high in fiber, although the quantities that are usually consumed are relatively small due to their weight-to-volume ratio,” says Laura González, head of nutrition and Nestlé’s health.
They are also rich in vitamins such as A, K, C, folic acid, manganese and provide calcium and potassium.
The expert warns that although those that are marketed are grown in controlled waters “wild cress growing in contaminated water may have parasites that affect the liver or digestive system.”
The most common way to consume them is in salads, alone or mixed with other vegetables and topped with various sauces (the vinaigrette is particularly good).
Vegetables or greens?
To this question, Laura González explains that vegetables are vegetables whose edible parts are the green parts such as leaves and stems.
However, the term is commonly used to refer to vegetables in general.
The vegetables that are usually found on the market are lettuce, spinach, lamb’s lettuce, watercress or cabbage, among others.
They are foods, generally, with a low energy intake and are characterized by being natural sources of potassium, manganese, niacin and vitamins C and K.
Others are also distinguished by their contribution of vitamin E and folic acid such as chard and spinach.
When you store them, they should not be left at room temperature, as they quickly dehydrate.
“The best storage space is the refrigerator, whole and uncut and in perforated or open bags. The ideal is to consume them before the color of their leaves turns yellow ”, advises the specialist.
Those for raw consumption can be washed, cleaned or centrifuged to be stored in bags or in large and airy containers to be consumed in maximum 2-3 days.
In the package, González indicates that the best indicator is the expiration date, as well as observing its color, hydration or excess moisture.
Culinary uses
Leafy greens offer a wide variety of options to choose from when consumed.
For example, chard, kale or spinach are ingredients in many recipes for legumes and eggs, stews, boiled meats, omelettes, stir-fries, creams or soups.
They can also be part, raw, in salads when their leaves are very tender.
“As for lamb’s lettuce, cress, arugula and lettuce, they are normally eaten raw as part of salads, although they can be part of cooked dishes such as tortillas, pizas and hot and cold creams,” indicates the nutritionist.
Other options such as escarole, turnip greens or endive can be eaten in salads or cooked and tossed with other ingredients.
“Turnip greens, specifically, are eaten cooked with potatoes, legumes, broths and meats”, he points out.
Some advices
To make the most of the nutritional value of these green leafy vegetables, it is advisable to avoid storing them for many days in the refrigerator, to consume them fresh and raw, or to exploit, if possible, the outer layers and leaves.
The expert recommends cooking techniques that do not require direct contact with water, such as steaming, microwave, oven, frying, grilling, etc.
“The shorter the cooking time, the less nutrient loss,” he says.
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