Most days
Greens & cabbages
Spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, rocket
What it gives you
Folate, vitamin K, fibre and some calcium. Leafy greens and the cabbage family are among the vegetables most clearly linked to a healthy heart.
LeafUp › Foods › Greens & cabbages
Easy ways to add it
- Add a handful of rocket or spinach to your sandwich.
- Stir spinach into soup, stew or dal at the end.
- Roast broccoli with your other vegetables.
- Shred cabbage into a quick slaw with lemon and oil.
- Add frozen spinach to a pasta sauce.
- Start dinner with a small green salad.
- Toss kale or chard with garlic in a pan for two minutes.
- Blend a handful of spinach into a fruit smoothie.
- Top a wrap with rocket.
- Add pak choi or broccoli to a stir-fry.
Good to know
Taking a blood thinner such as warfarin? Greens are rich in vitamin K. Keep the amount you eat steady rather than suddenly eating much more, and ask your doctor.
The science behind it
In the largest review of fruit and vegetable studies, green leafy and cruciferous vegetables stood out for lower heart disease risk.
Source: Aune et al., International Journal of Epidemiology, 2017
LeafUp gives general food guidance for adults. It is not medical or dietary advice. With a health condition, during pregnancy or with allergies, ask your doctor or a dietitian.
Plates with it
Tofu scramble with spinach
A savoury start with turmeric and toast.
Lentil salad with walnuts
Lentils, rocket, walnuts and a squeeze of lemon.
White bean, tomato and rocket salad
A Mediterranean lunch in five minutes.
Black bean wraps
Beans, salad and salsa in a wholewheat wrap.
Chickpea and spinach stew
A warming pot ready in 20 minutes.
Peanut noodles with cabbage and carrot
Crunchy vegetables in a quick peanut sauce.
Tofu and vegetable stir-fry
Crisp tofu, quick vegetables, brown rice.
Baked chickpea patties with salad
Falafel-inspired, baked instead of fried.
Wholewheat pasta with broccoli and white beans
Garlic, lemon and a little chilli.
Vegetable soup with white beans
Use whatever vegetables you have.
Red lentil dal with spinach
Mild, golden and very cheap.
Sweet potato and chickpea curry
Coconut, ginger and greens.