Leafy greens are a great way to improve your health as they possess many vital nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. As a nutritionist, I would highly recommend getting more of the following salad leaves in your diet.

Spinach

is easy to get all year round, and is chock full of iron, calcium, potassium and vitamins B6, C and K. It is also a good source of antioxidants, which can reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers.

It’s best eaten uncooked, as part of a salad, as cooking tends to destroy the naturally occurring polyphenols and flavanols in the leaves. Certain polyphenols and flavonoids may reduce the chance of developing certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Kale

has a unique taste that can vary somewhat depending on its variety and how it’s prepared. If you can handle bitter taste, kale is packed with important micronutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. It is also a good source of vitamins, including vitamins A, B, E, C and K.

Avoid blanching and boiling kale as it can reduce the amount of water-soluble minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in the leaves. Kale can be eaten uncooked in salads.

A cup of uncooked kale (21g) is just nine calories.