8. Dark leafy vegetables
Dark leafy vegetables contain a variety of useful minerals and have a lot of health benefits. Some of these vegetables are rich in calcium, such as spinach, kale, and collard greens. We can get 25% of the recommended daily intake (or about 266mg) of calcium from one cup (or 190 grams) of collard greens and 20% (or about 180mg) from one cup of kale. Spinach gives 245mg calcium (or about 19% of the RDI) from one cooked cup, but it is also high in oxalates, which binds to calcium and impairs its utilization by the body. Other green vegetables contain calcium, such as broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, and turnip greens.
Dark leafy greens are also a rich source of fiber, vitamins (A, C, E, and K), minerals (potassium and manganese), folic acid, and antioxidants (lutein and B-carotene). Consumption of many leafy greens in the diet reduces the risk of hypertension, heart diseases, obesity, and problems.
