Greens for dinner
Greens – the green above-ground part of vegetables or other plants, as well as young shoots of plants.
The value of greens is determined by the presence of a large amount of folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin K, carotenoids (including beta-carotene and lutein), chlorophyll, and fiber. It should be noted that folic acid is destroyed during thermal processing, so greens should be consumed fresh.
Folic acid (vitamin B9) – a water-soluble vitamin necessary for the human body for hematopoiesis and normal functioning of the immune system. In the body, it is converted to a coenzyme (tetrahydrofolate). This coenzyme participates in the formation of purines, pyrimidines, nucleic acids, and amino acids in choline metabolism; in synergy with cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12), it stimulates hematopoiesis; during pregnancy, it is necessary for the normal development of the fetus (to reduce the risk of teratogenic factors affecting the development of the fetus’s organs and systems).
Chlorophyll has anti-inflammatory properties; enhances the immune function of the body by accelerating phagocytosis; has antibacterial action; prevents the growth of anaerobic bacteria and fungi in the intestines; regulates blood pressure; strengthens cell membranes and promotes the formation of connective tissues.
Vitamin K – a fat-soluble vitamin necessary for normal blood clotting (K – from the English word “coagulation” – clotting, coagulation). It is also called the anti-hemorrhagic vitamin.
The role of carotenoids (including lutein) in the human body – for more details, see Cucumbers.
For the necessity of fiber for humans, see Vegetables.
Early greenhouse greens are dangerous because they are often treated with pesticides and contain high levels of nitrates (in greens grown in nutrient solutions or well-fertilized soil, nitrate concentrations can reach 0.4-0.5% of raw mass).
The danger to humans comes not from nitrates themselves, but from their reduced toxic compounds, which are formed in the digestive tract, – nitrites. Nitrites, upon entering the bloodstream, bind with hemoglobin in red blood cells, forming methemoglobin – a form of hemoglobin that cannot carry oxygen; this leads to oxygen deprivation. It should also be noted that in the presence of amines, nitrates can form N-nitrosamines, which have carcinogenic activity.
The acceptable daily dose of nitrates for an adult is 325 mg.
The intake of nitrates into the body can be reduced by consuming only the leaf blades of greens, as the majority of nitrates are concentrated in the stalks (basil, parsley, celery, parsnip, and other types of greens that have a stalk type of leaf).
The second method for removing nitrates is soaking in cold water for half an hour to an hour, during which 15-20% of nitrates are washed out. However, unfortunately, during soaking, water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C; B vitamins, including folic acid; nicotinic acid; biotin) also partially leach from the plant into the solution.
Pesticides are often present on the surface of the leaf blade, so most of them can be removed by thoroughly washing the greens in running water or pouring boiling water over them (but this destroys chlorophyll).
