If you’re looking to up both the nutrient quotient andthe flavor of your salads, try switching from iceberg to leafy greens.
Rich in beta-carotene and other healthful compounds, leafy greens can help protect against cancer, circulatory diseases and many problems linked to aging. As to which greens are the best, a simple, if imperfect, rule is this: The harder they are to pronounce and the more they cost, the better they taste. They are available at most supermarkets in bunches and, often, loose in bins.
Green | Appearance | Taste |
Arugula (roquette) |
Long, medium-green, sometimes scalloped leaves | Aggressive peppery taste |
Beet | Reddish stems with tender leaves | Mild cabbage flavor |
Belgian endive | Tight, elongated head with blanched white to pale yellow-green leaves | Slightly bitter flavor |
Chard | Narrow, fan-shaped loose green leaf, with white or red veins and stems | Taste slightly of mustard |
Chicory | Bushy, frizzy head made of thick, crisp, narrow leaves with curly, frilly edges | Ranges from slightly bitter when young to extremely bitter when old |
Collard greens | Large, smooth, silvery green leaves | Tastes like a cross between spinach and watercress |
Dandelion | Jagged, medium-green leaves | Young leaves have a pleasant, slightly bitter flavor; older leaves are more pungent |
Escarole | Broad, curly-edged, dark green leaves with pale, yellowish heart | Bitter flavor |
Kale | Very curly, dark green, coarse leaves with frilly edges | Fresh, grassy flavor |
Lettuce, butterhead | Small, round, loosely formed head of soft leaves | Buttery, slightly sweet flavor |
Lettuce, loose leaf |
Curly, loose, coarse leaves | Mild flavor |
Lettuce, oak leaf |
Narrow leaves with rounded edges in an oak-leaf pattern; in red and green | Extremely mild flavor with just a hint of sweetness |
Lettuce, red leaf |
Red tinged, large, loose leaves | Delicate flavor |
Lettuce, romaine |
Elongated head with large, medium to dark green leaves that branch out from a white base | Mild, sweet, nutty flavor |
Mizuma (mizuna) |
Light green, lacy leaves | Mildly bitter, with a slight mustard taste |
Radicchio | Red, cabbage-like leaves | Sweetly bitter flavor |
Sorrel | Bright green, tongue-shaped leaves | Sour flavor |
Spinach | Dark green, tender leaves | Mild but musky flavor |
Watercress | Dark green, dime-size glossy leaves | Spicy, peppery flavor |