Four benefits of salad

Spinach, radicchio and watercress aren't necessarily the first things that come to mind when you want to strengthen your bones. But they all contain a lot of vitamin K. According to a study from Tufts University in Boston, vitamin K deficiency leads to low bone density in women (this does not apply to men). Just one cup of watercress (250 ml) contains the daily requirement of vitamin K: 100 %. Radicchio provides 120 % and spinach even 170 % of the requirement

Make a salad of spinach leaves, romaine lettuce and oak leaf lettuce. They all contain lots of vitamin A, lutein and zeaxanthin - perfect for good vision. Vitamin A helps the eyes adjust from light to dark. Lutein and zeaxanthin filter high-energy light rays that could otherwise damage the eye from free radicals.

According to a recent study from Sweden, excess nitrate in spinach causes muscles to use less oxygen. During the course of the study, participants consumed a dose of nitrate both before and after a training session. This increased the performance of the mitochondria that power the cells in our muscles. en can.

A study by the University of Southampton in Great Britain found that the isothiocyanate in watercress prevents a tumor from sending signals to healthy tissue, which would otherwise form new blood vessels and thus create even more cancer cells. Participants in the study, all of whom were being treated for breast cancer, all ate a cereal-sized portion of watercress. It turned out that one of the most important proteins in this process was influenced by this. Although this still needs further research, the study found that watercress intake may help fight cancer.