Collard greens are highly nutritious staple green “cabbage-like leaves” vegetable. Collards are one of the most popular members of the Brassica family, closely related to kale and cabbage and could be described as a non-heading (acephalous) cabbage. Collards are probably originated in the eastern European or Asia Minor region and now days grown almost all parts of the cooler temperate regions. The plant grows up to 3-4 feet in height and bears dark-green leaves arranged in a rosette fashion around an upright, stocky main stem.
- Wonderfully nutritious collard leaves are very low in calories (provide only 30 calories per 100 g) and contain no cholesterol. However, its green leaves contain a very good amount of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber that helps control LDL cholesterol levels and offer protection against hemorrhoids, constipation as well as colon cancer diseases.
- Widely considered to be wholesome foods, collards are rich in invaluable sources of phyto-nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as di-indolyl-methane (DIM) and sulforaphane that have proven benefits against prostate, breast, cervical, colon, ovarian cancers by virtue of their cancer-cell growth inhibition and cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.
- Di-indolyl-methane has also found to be effective immune modulator, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties by potentiating Interferon-gamma receptors.
- The leaves are also an excellent source of folates, provides about 166 µg or 41.5% of RDA. Folates are important in DNA synthesis and when given during the peri-conception period can prevent neural tube defects in the baby.
- Fresh collard leaves are also rich in vitamin-C, provides about 59% of RDA per 100 g. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural anti-oxidant that offers protection against free radical injury and flu-like viral infections.
- Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin-A (222% of RDA per 100 g) and carotenoid anti-oxidants such as lutein, carotenes, zea-xanthin, crypto-xanthin, etc. These compounds are scientifically found to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for healthy vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
- This leafy vegetable contains amazingly high levels of vitamin-K, provides staggering 426% of recommended daily levels per 100 leaves. Vitamin K has a potential role in the increase of bone mass by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bone. It also has the beneficial effect in Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.
- Collards are rich in many vital B-complex groups of minerals such as niacin (vitamin B-3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and riboflavin.
- Further, the leaves and stems are good in minerals like iron, calcium, copper, manganese, selenium and zinc.
Collard kijani ni sana lishe msingi kijani <unk>kabbage-kama majani<unk> mboga. Collards ni moja ya wanachama maarufu wa familia ya Brassica, karibu na kale na kabichi na inaweza kuelezwa kama kabichi isiyo na kichwa (acephalous). Kwa kweli, mimea ya collard ilitoka Ulaya ya Mashariki na Asia Ndogo, na sasa inapatikana katika maeneo yote ya hali ya hewa ya wastani. Mti huo hukua hadi mita 3 hadi 4 na una majani ya kijani-kibichi yaliyopangwa kwa njia ya rosette kuzunguka shina kuu la wima. Majani ya collard ni ya lishe nzuri na yenye kalori chache sana (hutoa kalori 30 tu kwa kila gramu 100) na haina cholesterol. Majani yake ya kijani yana kiasi kikubwa cha nyuzi za chakula zinazoweza kuyeyuka na zisizoweza kuyeyuka ambazo husaidia kudhibiti viwango vya LDL cholesterol na kutoa ulinzi dhidi ya hemorrhoids, constipation na saratani ya utumbo. Kwa sababu ya kuhifadhiwa kwa virutubisho vya afya, collard ni chanzo muhimu cha virutubisho vya phyto-nutrients na mali ya kupambana na kansa, kama vile di-indole-methane (DIM) na sulforaphane, ambayo imethibitishwa kuwa na faida dhidi ya kansa ya prostate, ya kifua, ya shingo ya tumbo, ya tumbo, ya ovari, kwa sababu ya kuzuia ukuaji wa seli za kansa na athari za cytotoxic kwenye seli za kansa. - Di-indolyl-methane pia imegunduliwa kuwa moduli ya kinga yenye ufanisi, mali ya kupambana na bakteria na kupambana na virusi kwa kuimarisha receptors za Interferon-gamma. Majani ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea. Foliate ni muhimu katika DNA synthesis na wakati kupewa wakati wa peri-conception kipindi inaweza kuzuia kasoro za bomba neural katika mtoto. Majani ya collard safi pia ni tajiri katika vitamini C, hutoa karibu 59% ya RDA kwa kila 100 g. vitamini C ni nguvu ya asili ya antioxidant ambayo inatoa ulinzi dhidi ya majeraha ya free radical na maambukizi ya virusi kama mafua. - Collard kijani ni chanzo bora cha vitamini A (222% ya RDA kwa 100 g) na carotenoid antioxidants kama vile lutein, carotenes, zea-xanthin, crypto-xanthin, nk. Vifaa hivyo vimegunduliwa kisayansi kuwa na uwezo wa kuzuia vimeng'enyaji. Vitamini A pia inahitajika kudumisha utambuzi wa ngozi na utambuzi wa ngozi na pia ni muhimu kwa maono ya afya. Matumizi ya matunda ya asili yenye flavonoids husaidia kulinda dhidi ya kansa ya mapafu na ya mdomo. Mazao haya ya majani yana viwango vya juu vya vitamini K, na hutoa asilimia 426 ya viwango vya kila siku vya kila jani. Vitamini K ina jukumu la uwezekano katika ongezeko la uzito wa mifupa kwa kukuza shughuli ya osteotrophic katika mfupa. Pia ina athari nzuri kwa wagonjwa wa ugonjwa wa Alzheimer kwa kupunguza uharibifu wa neva katika ubongo wao. Kwa sababu ya utajiri wa madini ya B-complex, ni muhimu sana kwa watu wenye ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa wa ugonjwa. - Zaidi ya hayo, majani na shina ni nzuri katika madini kama chuma, kalsiamu, shaba, manganese, selenium na zinki.