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Collard Greens Anti Inflammatory Food

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Yep! I am at it again. Here is some interesting info about Collard Greens...I am channeling my inner Clash on this one y'all! Making Collard Green and Black Eyed Pea soup tonight.

Collard Greens' Anti-inflammatory Benefits

As an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA), collard greens provide us with two hallmark anti-inflammatory nutrients. Vitamin K acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response, and ALA is the building block for several of the body's most widely-used families of anti-inflammatory messaging molecules. In addition to these two anti-inflammatory components, one of the glucosinolates found in collard greens—glucobrassicin—can be readily converted into an isothiocyanate molecule called I3C, or indole-3-carbinol (I3C). I3C is an anti-inflammatory compound that can actually operate at the genetic level, and by doing so, prevent the initiation of inflammatory responses at a very early stage.

Like chronic oxidative stress and chronic weakened detox ability, chronic unwanted inflammation can significantly increase our risk of cancers and other chronic diseases (especially cardiovascular diseases).
 
Aren't black-eyed peas supposed to be tough on the gut? Might want to check.

I wonder if you can find collard greens in Canada? Operating on a genetic level to reduce inflammation?! That's great!

I wonder if any other foods contain glucobrassicin? ....off to Google....
 
Okay - brassicin = brassica

So, also broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and the like. We do those here in Canada. :)
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Black eyed peas aren't more difficult than the other legumes but that said everyone needs to know their own body and legumes are hard for some people.

O is in very good shape now and can tolerate beans. T has been eating beans heavily now for a year. Doesn't seem to make her worse or better. We recently switched to low residue diet to see if she was more comfortable and it actually made her worse. I am afraid for her it is just going to take finding the right med and getting her started in the healing process.

So here is more on Collard Greens:

•The cholesterol-lowering ability of collard greens may be the greatest of all commonly eaten cruciferous vegetables. In a recent study, steamed collard greens outshined steamed kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage in terms of its ability to bind bile acids in the digestive tract. When this bile acid binding takes place, it is easier for the bile acids to be excreted from the body. Since bile acids are made from cholesterol, the net impact of this bile acid binding is a lowering of the body's cholesterol level. It's worth noting that steamed collards show much greater bile acid binding ability than raw collards.
•We get unique health benefits from collard greens in the form of cancer protection. The cancer-preventive properties of collard greens may be largely related to 4 specific glucosinolates found in this cruciferous vegetable: glucoraphanin, sinigrin, gluconasturtiian, and glucotropaeolin. Each of these glucosinolates can be converted into an isothiocyanate (ITC) that helps lower our cancer risk by supporting our detox and anti-inflammatory systems

Unlike broccoli and kale and cabbage, you won't find many research studies devoted to the specific health benefits of collard greens. However, collard greens are sometimes included in a longer list of cruciferous vegetables that are lumped together and examined for the health benefits they provide. Based on a very small number of studies looking specifically at collard greens, and a larger number of studies looking at cruciferous vegetables as a group (and including collard greens on the list of vegetables studied), cancer prevention appears to be a standout area for collard greens with respect to their health benefits.

This connection between collard greens and cancer prevention should not be surprising since collard greens provide special nutrient support for three body systems that are closely connected with cancer development as well as cancer prevention. These three systems are (1) the body's detox system, (2) its antioxidant system, and (3) its inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system. Chronic imbalances in any of these three systems can increase risk of cancer, and when imbalances in all three systems occur simultaneously, the risk of cancer increases significantly. Among all types of cancer, prevention of the following cancer types is most closely associated with intake of collard greens: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.


Collard Greens, chopped, cooked
1.00 cup
(190.00 grams)

Calories: 63
GI: very low


NutrientDRI/DV


vitamin K858%


vitamin A80%


manganese49%


vitamin C46%


fiber30%


calcium27%


choline17%


vitamin B2 15%


vitamin B6 14%


iron12%


copper11%


vitamin E11%


magnesium10%


protein10%


phosphorus9%


omega-3 fats8%


folate8%


pantothenic acid8%


vitamin B37%


vitamin B17%


potassium6%
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Okay - brassicin = brassica

So, also broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and the like. We do those here in Canada. :)
Yep! those are other heavy hitters in the nutrition world! I am making a brussel sprout slaw in a few days. My girls love em roasted too!
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Last one I promise

The anti-inflammatory nature of glucosinolates/isothiocyanates and other nutrients found in collard greens has been the basis for new research on inflammation-related health problems and the potential role of collard greens in their prevention. Current and potentially promising research is underway to examine the benefits of collard greens in relationship to our risk of the following inflammation-related conditions: Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, insulin resistance, irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic syndrome, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and ulcerative colitis.
 
Question, for those who cannot tolerate the roughage....would juicing work? Just wondering.....does cooked or raw make any difference?
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
There are a bunch of adults on here who juice and I imagine it is better than nothing. You may miss the fiber benefits but if the fiber is going to cause trouble better to skip it.

Also, there are a lot of vegetables where steaming or cooking increases the benefits. I believe collard greens are one of them.
 
Yep! those are other heavy hitters in the nutrition world! I am making a brussel sprout slaw in a few days. My girls love em roasted too!
Yum, me too. We roast them with orange rind, cumin, olive oil and a little of the orange juice. Delicious!

But I'm going on a hunt for collard greens now....
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
This is the season for collard greens. Do you have a Whole Foods up there in the Candian tundra? I got mine there. If they aren't out ask one of the staff and they will go in back and check. Sometimes not all their stuff is out there.
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Great info. Going to buy some this weekend and try them! Too bad S won't even consider that anything 'green' is actually an edible food!
 
Yep, New Years tradition here, fresh black-eyed peas and greens.

Actually we have fresh greens fairly often, we switch between turnips and collards!

On some weekends we will cook a large pot and then divide it up in freezer containers to freeze!

Sadly, the adage about those foods and New Year has never proved out for us!
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Sadly, the adage about those foods and New Year has never proved out for us!
Hmm or the anti inflammatory part either:( Unless C doesn't eat 'em?

How do you cook them? I have the soup on and it doesn't look or smell so appealing. Maybe I tried to go to healthy?
 
Haha girl this is the South, healthy and collards are rarely said in the same sentence!

Usually, some type of ham for seasoning and it boils forever then the collards are added, brought to boil and cook for hours. The smell is not appeasing.

Chase loves them but the pork used for seasoning probably cancels out the health benefit.
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
:rof::rof:why did I have a feeling?:rof:

What is it about the bitter greens when you add salty, fatty meat they are so delish! The south has collards and the Italians have Broccoli Rabe and sausage!

I am preparing for an epic fail tonight. Soup is sautéed onions, carrots and garlic. Add black eyed peas, collards, and 6 cups of vegetable broth. I did vegetable broth for O the vegetarian but I think if I switched it for chicken it would be better.

Couple glasses of wine and I will love it! :wine:
 
But hey on a health note for me...I need a high salt diet and the pork for seasoning is great for that!!! With all the different diets each family member needs to be on...there is no way to achieve it unless I could 3 different meals!

The suckiest part is I have never put salt on anything...hate the taste..salty and now I'm supposed to take in 3x the normal amount, yay me.
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
O had some issue similar years ago. After they did the tilt table test they told me not to limit her salt. The nurse was joking with her saying at least you won't retain water once a month and the doc said, yeah but she shouldn't eat chocolate either because of the caffeine and caffeine is a diuretic.

O.K. so I can't let you off that easy...there are ways to get all that salt without all that fat!
 
Haha...but that would take all the fun out too!

Seriously though, my last appt doc is confused that some of my issues don't match dx so I may be finished with my high salt diet and back in dx limbo.

I hope your meal turns out to be a crowd pleaser.
 
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