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by Derrick Schokman

The great wealth of green leafy vegetables we have is nature's gift for promoting our health and well being.

Especially in the case of malnourished women whose metabolism has been burdened by pregnancies and lactation, and malnourished children of school-going age.

Their intrinsic health value makes them an expedient and low cost supplement of essential vitamins, minerals, proteins and dietary fibre.

It is no wonder that the American cartoonist who created popeye chose to impress his child audience with the strength-giving properties of spinach.

Because it is children in particular who can benefit most from the regular consumption of dark green leafy vegetables where malnutrition is rife.

Carotene

In green leaves there is carotene, yellow pigment behind the green. It is provitamin A or the precursor of vitamin A. When milk, eggs and liver are not regularly present in the diet, carotene is the sole resource for producing this vitamin in the body.

Blindness acquired at an early age is most often caused by a deficiency of vitamin A. Hence the great value of green leaves in the diet of less privileged people.

But why green leaves specially? Why not carrots, tomato, pumpkin, papaw, mango and other yellow vegetables and fruits that also have carotene.

Green leafy vegetables get top priority because their distribution and availability is less erratic or seasonal. They also possess other nutritional advantages that the above stated fruits and vegetables lack. Namely a high proportion of minerals and proteins.

Iron and folate

Iron-deficient anaemia is a widespread problem, and in the absence of foods of animal origin, leafy vegetables are the next best alternative. An average portion of 100 grams a day provides all the iron a small chile requires.

Also all the folic acid (folate) required to meet a child's needs. Folic acid is responsible for the structure and function of red blood cells.

Pregnant and nursing mothers, who tend to suffer from a particular type of anaemia which depends on the provision of folate, will require a larger quantity of green leafy vegetables.

Calcium

Milk is a rich source of calcium that is necessary for strong bone building. Unfortunately many young children do not get enough milk especially after breast feeding. When infants are breast fed for 6 to 12 months and the milk output begins to decline, dark green leafy vegetables should be introduced to the diet at about the fourth month in a mashed or sieved form at the rate of 30 grams per day.

A child between 12 and 14 months should receive twice that quantity. Consistency is less relevant at this stage as the child now has teeth to chew.

A nursing mother losses as much as 30 mg of calcium daily in her milk. The high calcium content of green leaves - about 200 grams a day will counteract that loss.

Green leafy vegetables are a good value source of protein as well. 200 grams can supplement the diet with 6-14 grams of protein, provided it is taken with rice which compensates for any difference in amino acids.

There are over 30 different varieties of edible leaves which could be prepared in a variety of ways, so there need not be a shortage wherever we live - in the wet, dry, intermediate or avid zones of the country. Not only are these green leaves highly nutritious, but some of them are easy to grow and maintain in a small garden. You don't have to born with a green thumb to be successful.

Planting material of some of the more popular varieties like gotukola, mukunuwenna, kankun, thampala and nivithi may be obtained from the Agrarian service centres.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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