For example, free radicals can cause cell damage that can lead to cancer. The antioxidants in kale and other dark leafy greens combat these invaders. While the vegetable's other nutrients support your body to heal any damage done.

Another reason that dark leafy greens are so important to a healthy body is that they feed and heal your gut.

Your gut is deeply connected to most of your basic bodily functions. It needs to be functioning efficiently at all times for optimal performance, immune response and general wellbeing.

Greens provide the dietary fiber your gut needs to clean itself and operate in tip-top shape. Lucky for you, I've learned how to turn a variety of dark leafy greens into a delicious meal so you don't have to stress about it.

The stir fry below is my go-to recipe for cooking dark leafy greens! It's simple, packed with flavor and is a great option for meal prep, because this stir fry lasts for several days in the fridge. The first step in this easy stir fry is to gather all of the ingredients and prepare the greens.

Since they are plucked straight from the ground, dark leafy greens can be pretty dirty. I like to wash my dark leafy greens in a big bowl of water with a few drops of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice added. First, swish them around and soak for 5 minutes, then rinse under cold running water.

Finally, place the greens in a colander to drain. Washing is essential to make sure that your veggies are completely insect-free, especially if they're organic. And double-check ingredients like leeks and boy choy, which can hide dirt in the sneakiest places.

Washing leeks is an art, so make sure you watch the video below to see how to do it the right way! After washing, separate the kale leaves from the stems and chop the leaves.

You can also use the stems in the stir fry, but cut them into small pieces first. For the bok choy, remove the end and roughly chop the leaves. Nappa cabbage is a little different. I normally prefer to take the outer leaves off and just use the inner parts. Next, remove the core from the bottom and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

For the scallions, trim off the little roots, then slice them into small pieces. You can cut them on the diagonal for a nice look. Finally, slice the leek in half the long way and cut the stalks into ½ inch slices. After you have sliced up all your beautiful leafy greens, it's time to get cooking.

Heat olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold your pile of veggies. First, add the leeks and let them cook for a few minutes. Then follow with the other veggies. Next, add a little water and let everything steam until tender. Voila: there you have it, the perfect stir-fried dark leafy greens ready in 20 minutes.

Feel free to season the stir fry with your favorite sauces, seasonings and spices. I like to use fresh ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Spring Roasted Vegetables.

Italians might sauté some spinach or broccoli rabe with garlic in olive oil while Chinese cooks would stir-fry pieces of bok choy with a splash of oyster sauce. Whatever cuisine and cooking technique you choose—often it's sautéeing, blanching or braising—greens can take on a range of global flavors and be interchanged in many dishes.

Most greens tend to be thick, hearty and a bit bitter, so you'll usually need to cook them to mellow them out. Chard Bok Choy Arugula Cabbage Kale Lettuce Spinach Watercress View.

Newsletter Sign Up. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Escarole sautéed with garlic, olive oil, and cannellini beans is a classic combination, especially in a warm, hearty soup.

Dreher ML, et al. Whole fruits and fruit fiber emerging health effects. The celebrity of dark, leafy greens, kale has a mildly bitter bite when eaten raw, but the flavor mellows when sautéd with a little olive oil just be sure to chop it or tear it finely.

Kale is a powerhouse for nutrients and low in calories like all of these greens! Think fiber, antioxidants, calcium, and vitamins C and K. Kale chips kale leaves tossed with olive oil and roasted at degrees until crispy will change the way you think about any leafy green. Boom, your side dish is ready.

These greens have a spicy, peppery kick that pairs well with acids, such as vinegar or lemon juice, when cooked. They also have a huge boost of antioxidant power in the form of vitamin A.

Frazie MD, et al. Health-promoting phytochemicals from 11 mustard cultivars at baby leaf and mature stages. Asian-inspired accents soy, sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar and Southern flavors bacon, ham hocks, beans, onions are also a good… no, a great match.

There are umpteen varieties of lettuce, but as a general rule of thumb, the darker and thicker the leaf, the more nutritious it is. Sorry, iceberg.

Sturdy romaine leaves pack the alphabet in nutrients. Think beyond the salad bowl and use hearty romaine lettuce leaves to make Korean-style lettuce wraps with stir-fried sesame chicken.

Spinach has a mildly bitter flavor that pairs well with accent flavors of bacon, lemon, garlic, black pepper, or sesame seeds. Think of chard as the lighter, more tender cousin of kale — these mild leaves taste similar to beet greens and spinach, and the crunchy, slightly sweet stems might remind you of bok choy.

Swiss chard is another antioxidant superhero, fighting free radicals by day and diseases by night. Pyo Y-H, et al. Antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of Swiss chard Beta vulgaris subspecies cycla extracts. Like most greens, garlic and chard are a good combination, but you can also punch up the flavor of sautéed or steamed chard with a few dashes of balsamic or red wine vinegar, or dare we say crushed red pepper flakes?

Yes, turnips. You can eat the greens of almost any root vegetable, including carrots and parsnips. Turnip greens have a slightly peppery bite, giving your taste buds a little more excitement.

Cook them with black-eyed peas, ham hocks, onions, or bacon. FYI: This image shows the turnip greens growing back; eventually they will look similar to the beet greens.

Another peppery, slightly spicy green that needs more love is watercress. They must be on to something. Is it healthy? Get ready for this: It was ranked at the top of the U.

Before storing your greens, always remove twist-ties or bands around the stems.