Dr.’s Notes Script

Eating adequate amounts of various greens have a tremendous affect on the eyes, bones, memory, diabetes, colon cancer, and stroke.

Greens protect:

1. Lens and retina in the eyes

2. Reduces memory loss

3. Reduces risk of diabetes

4. Lowers risk of colon cancer

5. Lowers risk of stroke

Greens and Bones, leads to greater bone density:
Researchers suspect that green leafy vegetables protect bone because they’re loaded with vitamin K. Since bone is normally breaking down and rebuilding constantly, it needs bone-dependent proteins to rebuild. Vitamin K is important for proper functioning of these bone-dependent proteins.

In the Framingham Heart Study, those who consumed roughly 250 micrograms of vitamin K daily (largely from food) had a 65% lower risk of hip fracture than those who averaged around 55 micrograms a day.7

In another study of nearly 1,500 Framingham women, those who consumed more than 200 micrograms of vitamin K daily had greater spine and hip bone density than those who typically ate less than about 100 micrograms a day.8 While researchers are trying to figure if it is the vitamin K, something else in leafy greens, or something else about people who eat leafy greens that protect bones, we still know it is prudent to eat leafy greens, whatever the reason.

The results of two large clinical trials are due out next year. In the meantime, you can easily get 500 micrograms of vitamin K in just half a cup of cooked collards.