Green Leafy Vegetables
- Green leafy vegetables, and diets based on plant products, may be effective for the prevention of several important chronic diseases, with a 14% lower risk of developing diabetes for every one serving increase (100 g).1
- Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, have been shown to contain high concentrations of beta carotene, vitamin C, and polyphenols, all of which confer antioxidant properties.
- Green leafy vegetables are also good sources of alpha- linolenic acid, which is an omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Thus there are several possible mechanisms that could explain the benefit of consuming green leafy vegetables in the diet.
- However, whole foods rather than isolated components such as antioxidants are beneficial for health.1 In fact, results from several trials using nutritional supplements (including beta-carotene and several vitamins) have produced disappointing results for prevention of disease.1, 2
1. Carter P, Gray LJ, Troughton J, Khunti K, Davies MJ. Fruit and vegetable intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2010;341:c4229.
2. Garcia-Alvarez JL, Sanchez-Tovar M, Garcia-Vigil JL. [Use of antioxidants in prevention of the cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of clinical trials]. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. Jan-Feb 2009;47(1):7-16.