Best Choices

Appears in

Published 2018

Dark leafy greens are the most nutrient-dense of all foods, with broccoli, bok choy, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, and okra being good calcium sources. Some others are high in oxalates that reduce calcium absorption; beet greens, spinach, and Swiss chard are healthy options but not good sources of calcium.
All other nonstarchy vegetables are great choices—eat them to your heart’s content.
Organic vegetables are preferred; minimize your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
Eat a rainbow of colors to maximize the quantity and variety of protective compounds.
The fresher, the better. Nothing beats homegrown vegetables, so if you can, frequent farmer’s markets and produce stands or start gardening.