Leafy Greens

Monday, March 21, 2022

Written by Maggie Green, a 4th year Dietetics major, UGA Sports Nutrition Intern, and the Student Nutrition Marketing Supervisor for UGA Dining Services’ Nutrition Department

Not only are leafy greens recommended in an overall healthful diet, but they also play a vital role in brain function. Leafy green veggies such as spinach, kale, and broccoli are rich in vitamin K, folate, and carotenoids. Adequate intake of these foods is associated with healthy cognition, slower cognitive decline, improved executive function, and a sharper memory.

How many greens should you eat in a day?

USDA’s MyPlate recommends consuming between 2 ½ - 4 cups of vegetables per day for college aged-students. What does 1 cup look like?

Tip: The soup bowl in the dining commons hold exactly 1 cup to the brim and the cereal bowls in each dining commons hold 1 ½ cups. Try incorporating 1 soup bowl full of veggies per meal to meet the goal of 3 cups of vegetables per day!

Where can I find leafy greens in the Dining Commons?

Add greens in wherever you can: omelets, pasta, soups, salads, sandwiches, or sides! Some spots to find leafy greens include the Salad Bar stations’ spring mix, spinach, and romaine, the Vegetarian and Main Lines’ steam veggies like spinach, swiss chard, and broccoli.  Snelling’s Bowl concept features kale daily and the Summit features a smoothie with spinach each week.  You can add also broccoli to your custom pasta dish at Bolton and O-House and add spinach to your omelets in all dining commons.

References

U.S. Department of Agriculture. ChooseMyPlate.gov Website. Washington, DC. 10 Tips: Eat Healthy: Vegetables. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables. Accessed December 26, 2019.

Slavin JL, Lloyd B. Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Adv Nutr. 2012;3(4):506-516. Published 2012 Jul 1. doi:10.3945/an.112.002154

USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center. USDA Website. Washington,DC. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables. https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/gfnd/gfhnrc/docs/news-2013/dark-green-leafy-vegetables/#:~:text=The%20vitamin%20K%20contents%20of,the%20best%20cancer%2Dpreventing%20foods. Accessed Marc 1, 2022.

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