Fitness Gear: Test Your Dark Leafy Greens IQ!

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Saturday, August 2, 2008

By Joe Wilkes

Dark-green leafy vegetables are great metabolism boosters. How much do you know about them?

What popular salad green is also known as rocket? Arugula or Eruca sativa. This spicy Mediterranean native is rich in potassium and vitamin C. It is popular in salads in America and as a pizza topping in Italy.

Which dark leafy green is considered the ancestor of most types of cabbage? Kale, also known as "wild cabbage." Kale was very popular in northern climates like Scandinavia and Germany as it thrives in low temperatures and even frost, and it is one of the hardiest of all vegetables. It's a great source of iron, calcium, and vitamins C and K.

Which common garden weed has even more vitamins than broccoli? A one-cup serving of dandelion greens contains more than 4 times as much vitamin A and almost twice as much vitamin K, calcium, and iron. If you're going to eat them out of your yard, the key is to pick the greens before the plant flowers, as they become bitter then. Only get dandelions from your yard or some place you know, so you don't eat greens sautéed in weed killer.

What green comes in ruby, yellow, and rainbow varieties? Swiss chard, so named because it was discovered by a Swiss botanist, is from the same species as the beet but is cultivated for its leaves rather than its roots.

What city recently concluded the 2008 Collard Green Festival? California's East Palo Alto held the festival on July 26th. It celebrates the green as well as the community's African American heritage—early slaves cooked big pots of leftover greens for sustenance, an early version of soul food. The festival raises money for education. And yes, the festival did feature collard green ice cream!

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