5 Nutritious Underrated Greens You Should Put in Your Salads

Although salad lovers are often made fun of for eating “rabbit food”, you cannot deny their benefits. There’s nothing like a huge bowl of fresh greens for lunch or dinner to feel rejuvenated and a bit better about our occasional indulgences. Hey, you can still eat love meatless burgers and dairy-free ice cream too. Moderation is key.

However, for most of us, once we find a salad we like, we tend to eat it again and again, and again (you get the gist). There’s nothing wrong with that except for the fact that the plant kingdom is full of different varieties of greens and vegetable that each offer us unique types of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Did you know that greens contain different types of phytochemicals depending on their family, color, and where they originate from? Cruciferous vegetables tend to be higher in glucosinolates (a powerful antioxidant that can help fight cancer cells) while plants with red-tinted leaves like escarole have a type of antioxidant called anthocyanins which is not typically found in green leaves?

It turns out, variety is not only the spice of life but the key to better health so if you’ve been sticking with kale salads for too long, it’s time to venture out and try including any (or all) of these five amazing types of greens and vegetables in your meals.

1. Purslane

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Purslane may sound unfamiliar but it’s likely you’ve come across this plant. In fact, you probably have some in your garden right now. Purslane is classified as a weed as it grows in almost any soil. If you consider it a nuisance, you should totally rethink your opinion because this plant makes a tasty addition to salads and it’s packed full of nutrition.

The stems and succulent leaves of the purslane (that’s the edible parts) are high in omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidants, and minerals which means it may strengthen our immune system and protect our cardio-vascular system. It has also been shown to be a powerful food for preventing degenerative processes caused by oxidative stress in the human body. If you didn’t know, “oxidative stress” is what happens when free-radicals are present in a too high proportion compared to antioxidants. This puts stress on our bodies and it eventually results in aging and is also responsible for a host of diseases.

Purslane has a taste reminiscent of watercress and spinach so feel free to use it as you would in this Smoky Chickpea and Watercress Salad or this 3-Step Spinach Pesto Pasta Salad. You can also try this Quinoa Salad with Figs, Purslane, and Goji Berries or even add purslane to sandwiches or stir-fries. Your imagination really is the limit here!

2. Mustard Greens

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These greens have a peppery, bitter taste reminiscing of mustard (shocking, right?) that may make you apprehensive about including them in your salads but you really should give them a try because they’re quite tasty when you know how to prepare them. As a bonus, they’re incredibly good for you. Did you know that eating a large proportion of plants from the brassica family (which mustards greens are part of) may decrease your risk of getting a chronic disease? This effect is mainly attributed to the glucosinolates they contain which is a natural compound found in pungent type greens like cabbage and horseradish. These compounds have been shown to prevent cancer of the alimentary track and the lungs.

If you want to learn to love the unique taste of this amazing green, check out these 10 Creative (and Delicious) Ways to Flavor Raw Leafy Greens. You can also include it in soups and stews if its raw taste is too overpowering for you. Check out these Tips for Cooking Greens So They Taste Real Delicious and you’ll become a pro at getting your greens in. Your health and taste buds will thank you.

3. Chicory

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This plant is a distant cousin of dandelion and as such has a similar appearance and taste. Its leaves are slightly bitter but picked early they’re milder and actually quite nice. You can include them in salads just like you would with dandelion in this Spring Salad. Chicory greens are also closely related to endive so feel free to make the swap in this delicious Belgian Pear and Endive Salad.

Chicory makes a great addition to salads because of its amazing antioxidant properties. Indeed this plant’s leaves have a high concentration of tannins, saponins, and flavonoids which are all powerful phytochemicals. Amongst other things, the regular consumption of these compounds may have a protective effect against many diseases as they are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic agents. Chicory greens also contain a high amount of vitamin A and C as well as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus.

Keep that in mind next time you go grocery shopping. You definitely get a bang (of health) for your buck with chicory.

4. Celtuce

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Celtuce, also called stem lettuce or Chinese lettuce may be strange looking but it has been a staple in Asia for centuries. The stem and leaves which taste like a mix of lettuce and celery can be eaten raw or slightly steamed. They’re also great in stir-fries. However, you’ll get the most benefits from the antioxidants and vitamins it contains if you eat it in its simplest form. Celtuce is rich in vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C. It’s also a great source of carotenoids which is a type of phytochemical known for its anti-inflammatory properties and protective effects against cardiovascular disease.

Include celtuce raw in your usual favorite salad recipe or try it as an entrée with this Chinese Garlic Oil Lettuce dish. You can also sneak celtuce leaves in this delicious Indo-Chinese Veggie Burger. The options are endless if you are willing to get creative.

5. Chinese Cabbage

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Chinese cabbage or more commonly known as Napa cabbage is one of our favorite types of cruciferous vegetable (kimchi, anyone?) but rarely do we ever eat it raw. We’re here to remedy that because it’s actually delicious in salads and incredibly healthy for you.

Did you know that eating a lot of cruciferous vegetables has been linked with a decreased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic diseases? That’s due to the high level of vitamin C and E as well as carotenoids, polyphenols and sulfur-organic compounds they contain. These phytochemicals not only promote anti-inflammatory processes in our bodies but they induce detoxification enzymes and stimulate our immune system to prevent carcinogenic mutations and reduce the reproduction of cancer cells. How amazing is that?

If you’re looking for inspiration on how to prepare raw Napa cabbage, try this Chinese Cabbage Salad With Tofu and Spicy Peanut Dressing or this awesome Sesame Crunch Salad. You can also check out these 10 Ways to Give Cabbage a Try and Cook With It Tonight because even though it’s cooked it’s still really healthy for you. Are you hungry yet? We are!

Recommended Resources and Recipes to Get You Started!

Want more information about the benefits of greens and how to prepare them? Here are a few articles to get you started:

• 20 Ways to Add More Leafy Greens to Your Diet
• The Essential Guide on How to Work With Every Kind of Green Vegetable
• Tips for Cooking Greens So They Taste Real Delicious
• Your Ultimate Guide to Leafy Greens
• Heard of Endive? Here’s How to Make This Green Delicious!
• Lettuce Decide: Which is Best?

Looking for more salad recipes that use common and less common greens? Try any of these!

This Simple BLT Salad uses romaine lettuce and has all the flavors of a good BLT, but the “B” is not vegan bacon. It’s for the black beans in the recipe. This salad is complete with homemade croutons and a mayo-based dressing. There’s no reason to sacrifice flavor for health.

Speaking of flavor, this amazing Grilled Apricot and Endive Salad has plenty. This citrusy salad is set on a bed of baby spinach and the bitterness of the endives balances perfectly with the sweet apricots and the apricot-mint dressing that ties the whole dish together.

For even more salad ideas, check out these 13 Grilled Summer Salads Guaranteed to Wow Your BBQ Guests and these 15 Summer Salad Recipes.

If you enjoy articles like this and want to find more salad recipes, you can also download the Food Monster App. For those that don’t have it, it’s a brilliant Food app available for both Android and iPhone. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to eat healthier, cut out or reduce allergens like meat, dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, grains, and find more awesome recipes, cooking tips, articles, product recommendations and how-tos. The app shows you how having diet/health/food preferences can be full of delicious abundance rather than restrictions.

The Food Monster app has over 8000+ recipes and 500 are free. To access the rest, you have to pay a subscription fee but it’s totally worth it because not only do you get instant access to 8000+ recipes, you get 10 NEW recipes every day! You can also make meal plans, add bookmarks, read feature stories, and browse recipes across hundreds of categories like diet, cuisine, meal type, occasion, ingredient, popular, seasonal, and so much more!

Lead image source: Gideon/Flickr