| Too many American restaurants seem unaware | | | | Chard: Chard is a tough leafy vegetable that is |
| that there are more leafy green vegetables than | | | | similar in many respects to spinach, but with |
| just simple iceberg lettuce. If you go to a | | | | shinier leaves, a more bitter flavor, and a tougher |
| fastfood restaurant or any other low-cost eating | | | | texture. Young chard leaves are less bitter and |
| establishment, you're rarely going to find any | | | | are often added raw to salads, while more aged |
| variety. And unfortunately, the common types of | | | | chard leaves are often sautéed to take an |
| lettuce tend to be a little less tasty and also less | | | | edge off the bitterness. |
| nutritious than their less common counterparts. Of | | | | Kale: Kale is a very tough form of cabbage that |
| course, other types of lettuce are often a little | | | | originates in Europe and is now grown throughout |
| more expensive, but vegetables are one area | | | | the world. Although it's difficult to eat in raw form, |
| where a little bit of splurging is almost always | | | | it is undoubtedly one of the most nutritious |
| worth the price. | | | | vegetables in the world, containing many types of |
| Here are some types of leafy green vegetables | | | | vitamins and nutrients in addition to good amounts |
| that you may want to consider introducing into | | | | of protein and dietary fiber. |
| your diet: | | | | Romaine: Romaine lettuce is probably the second |
| Arugula: Arugula has been a staple of | | | | most commonly used lettuce in the U.S., after |
| Mediterranean cuisine since Ancient Roman times, | | | | iceberg lettuce, having a strong presence in many |
| but it was not cultivated in other parts of the | | | | types of salads and international cuisines. It is |
| world until relatively recently. It's rapidly grown in | | | | highly nutritious and flavorful, and it's one of the |
| popularity and is now cultivated in widespread | | | | few leafy green vegetables that can be cooked |
| areas such as India, Egypt, and California. The | | | | without wilting. |
| flavor is strong and peppery, and it's often used | | | | Spinach: The value of spinach as an everyday |
| as a topping added to dishes after the cooking is | | | | component of one's diet cannot be |
| done. | | | | underestimated. Spinach is one of the few leafy |
| Bok choy: Sometimes known as Chinese cabbage | | | | green vegetables that are nutrient rich without |
| or snow cabbage, bok choy originated in China but | | | | being too tough or bitter. While having what many |
| has since made its way into markets around the | | | | people agree to be one of the best flavors of all |
| world. It's the type of cabbage used in Korean | | | | leafy green vegetables, spinach also contains tons |
| kimchi, it's used in many types of modern | | | | of vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, |
| Japanese cuisine, and it also goes great as an | | | | Iron, Calcium, and protein. Simply introducing a |
| alternative to cabbage in any American dish. The | | | | couple of servings of spinach into your everyday |
| flavor is similar to cabbage, but it has a slightly | | | | diet can really give a boost to your health. |
| tougher texture. | | | | |