Leafy greens, we all know are one of the healthiest foods on the earth. It offers so much, the benefits are countless, whether it is brain health, heart health or to control your blood sugar levels. But there is always a debate between which one is better. Spinach or kale?

So let's get into it!

Kale, we often must have heard its name listed as a "superfood". The reason is because of the rich nutrients it has to offer. However, both, spinach and kale are powerhouse leafy greens, rich in various nutrients.

If one must break down its nutrients, then we can broadly divide it between the fiber content, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and folate.

Fiber

All leafy greens are rich in dietary fiber and thus is essential for feeding your gut microbiome. This is the community of good bacteria that lives in your gut and supports your digestive health. The recommended daily amount or the RDA of fiber is 25 grams per day. So, if you go for a cup of raw spinach, this gives you around .7 grams of dietary fiber, whereas one cup of raw kale gives you a bit more. It has .9 grams of fiber.

A study published in M J Lifestyle Med titled . Closing America's fiber intake gap: Communication strategies from a food and fiber summit, found that most Americans actually do not get their RDA for fiber met. So, adding spinach and kale could be a great way to give your RDA fiber a start!

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting or lowering blood flow following an injury so that the wound can heal. In addition to calcium and vitamin D, it also supports healthy bones. While some animal products and fermented foods include vitamin K2, a 2020 study titled Vitamin K2 needs an RDI separate from vitamin K1, notes that lush greens like spinach and kale have vitamin K1.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin K is 120 microgrammes (mcg). A cup of raw kale has 82 microgrammes of vitamin K, while a cup of raw spinach contains 145 microgrammes.

Vitamin C

It is a water-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that protect cells from damage and supports immune health. While it is often attributed to citrus fruits like oranges, vitamin C can also be found in leafy greens and both kale and spinach could be a great source. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends around 80 milligram of daily vitamin C. In one cup of raw spinach, you can get 8.5 milligrams, while kale provides 20 milligrams of daily vitamin C.

Vitamin A

As per the FDA, vitamin A is important not only for your immune system, but also for your eye health. One must have at least 3,000 international units daily. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that spinach and kale contain compounds called carotenoids, which our bodies convert to a usable form of vitamin A. This way you can have these leafy greens in your diet to fulfill your requirement of vitamin A. In one cup of spinach, you can get 2,810 international units of vitamin A, whereas in one cup of kale, you will find 1,010 international units of vitamin A.

Calcium

Leafy greens are a rich source of calcium, an important nutrient which supports healthy bones and teeth, nerve communication, and muscle movement. The RDA for calcium in adults is 1,300 milligrams and one cup of raw spinach contains 30 milligrams of calcium, whereas in kale, it has 53 milligrams.

Folate

It is a B vitamin which is best known for its important in pregnancy and that provides neural tube defects like spina bifida in fetuses. The RDA for folate is 400 micrograms in pregnant mothers and 600 for those who are lactating. In one cup of spinach, one can get 58.2 micrograms of folate, whereas kale contains 13 micrograms of folate.

How to Decide Your Diet?

Now that you know the nutrients that kale and spinach contain, you make your own decision. This could be decided based on your requirement. The best way to do this is by talking to a healthcare expert, or a nutritionist who can recommend you better based on your body's need.

Eating more ultra-processed food (UPF) has been associated with a higher risk of several chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic disorders and high blood pressure.

Yet another large review of studies involving about 9 million participants showed that every additional 100 grams of UPF consumed per day was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events and an 11% higher risk of high blood pressure.

This is concerning because cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world’s leading cause of death. In 2022, an estimated 19.8 million people died from CVDs, accounting for about 32% of all deaths globally. Heart attacks and strokes caused 85% of these deaths, as per data from the WHO.

Uncontrolled blood pressure is also worrying as it is a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. An estimated 1.4 billion people lived with hypertension in 2024, yet just over one in five have it under control either through medication or addressing modifiable health risks.

What Did The Study Find?

The findings, published in the open-access journal Family Medicine and Community Health, were based on 51 prospective cohort studies involving 8,819,894 participants across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

The researchers found that people with higher UPF consumption had greater risks of several health problems:

• Cardiovascular events: 24% higher risk
• Cancer: 12% higher risk
• Overweight or obesity: 23% higher risk
• Metabolic syndrome or diabetes: 24% higher risk
• Depression or anxiety: 27% higher risk
• Digestive diseases: 31% higher risk
• High blood pressure: 11% higher risk
• Death from any cause: 18% higher risk

The researchers also examined the association with every additional 100 grams of UPF consumed per day. This was associated with:

• 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events
• 4% higher risk of cancer
• 3% higher risk of death from any cause
• 2% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes

The studies included participants aged 23 to 77 years, with follow-up periods ranging from two to 32 years.

How UPF Affects Heart Health?

The researchers said emerging evidence suggests that exposure to multiple additives in UPFs may have combined effects on health.

Some compounds that can form during food processing, including acrylamide and acrolein, have been associated with cardiovascular disease.

Laboratory research also suggests that the altered physical structure of UPFs may affect the gut microbiome and contribute to inflammation and insulin resistance.

However, the researchers noted that these mechanisms are still being investigated.

“Given that UPF-related chronic diseases often cluster as multi-morbidity, reducing consumption of UPFs and replacing them with minimally processed alternatives may be relevant for chronic disease prevention and primary care management,” the Duke-NUS Medical School researchers said.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured products that typically contain ingredients and additives not commonly used in home cooking.

They can include:

• Sugary drinks
• Processed meats
• Packaged snacks and chips
• Candy and confectionery
• Baked goods
• Refined grain products
• Ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat meals

Many UPFs are high in added sugar, sodium, and refined carbohydrates and may contain additives such as emulsifiers, sweeteners, preservatives, colorants and flavor enhancers.

Limit ultra-processed foods to lower risk of heart disease, say experts. Replacing some ultra-processed foods with minimally processed alternatives may therefore be one dietary approach to consider as part of broader chronic disease prevention.

India is actively taking steps towards stricter front-of-pack warnings for packaged foods. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is now proposing that a product could be labelled with a red warning even if one nutrient, like salt, sugar or fat, crosses the prescribed limit.

The change marks a shift from FSSAI’s earlier proposal, under which a warning would have been needed only when at least two nutrients crossed their respective thresholds. The latest proposal was submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, September 23.

The rules are not final yet. FSSAI has proposed about four months to finalise the draft regulations, followed by a 365-day voluntary compliance period for food businesses.

How Will The New Warning Appear On Packaging?

Under the proposed system, packaged foods exceeding the specified limits would carry a red hexagonal warning on the front of the pack. The warning would identify the nutrient concerned, such as:

• HIGH SALT
• HIGH SUGAR
• HIGH FAT

If a product crosses the limits for two or three nutrients, the same warning symbol would identify all the applicable nutrients.

The label is proposed to appear prominently on the upper left of the front of the package, with the text larger than the nutrition information printed on the back.

Also read: High Sugar, Salt Or Fat? India May Mandate Red Hexagon Labels On Food Packs

Separate FOPL For Products Containing Non-Caloric Sweetener

FSSAI has also proposed a separate front-of-pack statement for certain products containing non-calorific sweeteners. It stresses that packaged foods and beverages containing non-caloric sweeteners should carry the declaration “CONTAIN NON CALORIC SWEETENER” on the front of the pack.

A LocalCircles survey found that 92% of respondents wanted artificial sweeteners to be prominently disclosed on the front of packaged foods. 41% urban Indian consumers confirm consuming foods with artificial sweeteners every month.

Also read: Synthetic Paneer Whitened With Chuna Busted In Delhi: How Dangerous Is It For Your Health?

Single-Nutrient Warning

Consider a packaged food that is extremely high in sugar but relatively low in salt and fat. Under the earlier two-nutrient approach, that product could have escaped the warning as only one nutrient crossed the threshold. The revised proposal would change that.

The idea is that no product should escape a warning simply because it is high in only one nutrient of concern.

This is a key development as excessive intake of added sugars, sodium and saturated fats is associated with major diet-related health risks. High sodium intake, for example, can contribute to raised blood pressure, while diets high in added sugars can contribute to excess calorie intake and weight gain.

Also read: Cipla's Drug License Cancelled Over Reactin Plus, Then Restored: Why Did Bombay HC Pull Up Maharashtra FDA?

FSSAI’s Key Initiative

A front-of-pack warning is meant to flag specific nutrients that are present above the permitted threshold, rather than declare that the entire food is unhealthy.

A food item could be high in one nutrient while still providing other nutrients like protein, fibre, vitamins or minerals. Conversely, a product without a warning should not automatically be considered as healthy.

FSSAI has proposed using the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, developed by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, as the basis for the nutrient thresholds.

What About “Healthy” Claims On Packets?

FSSAI’s proposal could also make it easier for consumers to look beyond marketing claims. Words like “multigrain”, “baked” or claims about added vitamins do not necessarily tell consumers how much salt, sugar or fat a product contains.

A prominent warning on the front could bring that information into view before a consumer reaches the detailed nutrition panel on the back.

Just when we thought the widespread protein takeover on almost all foods and drinks had settled, it crept up in the alcoholic beverage industry. Yes, beer may soon be getting a ‘health makeover’.

The world's largest brewer by market value has declared its plans to introduce smaller pack sizes as well as ‘health-ify’ these drinks by adding protein or electrolytes. With this move, the company wants to create a shift in changing consumer preferences amid growing focus on health and wellness.

The company has already launched a version of its Spaten beer that contains added protein in Brazil and now plans to expand low-calorie, zero-alcohol beers with functional ingredients like protein and electrolytes. The company has candidly expressed that wants to increase consumption among people who drink beer occasionally.

The news leaves us with one glaring question: does adding protein or electrolytes actually make an alcoholic drink healthier? To put it simply, it won’t if the drink contains alcohol.

The Era Of Protein In Beer

As most of us know, protein is an essential macronutrient needed to build and strengthen muscles, enzymes, hormones, and repair tissue. Simply adding protein to a beverage can amplify its nutritional value. But doing so with an alcoholic drink like beer does not negate the harmful effects of alcohol.

Alcohol is a psychoactive and toxic substance that threatens the consumer with dependence-inducing properties.

The World Health Organization says alcohol consumption is linked with more than 200 diseases, injuries, and health conditions. Also considered to be carcinogenic, alcohol increases the risk of several cancers, including breast, liver, colorectal and oesophageal cancers.

So a beer containing some additional protein cannot automatically be considered a healthy, protein-rich drink that one can consume regularly. This is because the nutritional value of the added protein has to be considered separately from the risks linked with the alcohol itself.

Also read: US Gen Z, Millennials Are Drinking Less Alcohol For First Time Since COVID-19

Do Electrolytes Make A Difference?

Electrolytes like sodium and potassium can help regulate fluid balance in the body, especially when one is dehydrated.

Electrolyte drinks can be useful in situations when the body loses significant fluid and electrolytes, like prolonged exercise, sweating or certain illnesses. But adding electrolytes to an alcoholic beverage does not make it healthier.

Alcohol increases the production of urine and thus contributes to dehydration. It can disrupt the electrolyte balance in your body even on days when you don’t engage in strenuous exercise.

Therefore, an electrolyte label should not have an alcoholic drink be considered appropriate for hydration.

Also read: BORG Drinking Trend: Why These Viral Alcohol Jugs Can Be Dangerous

Marketing Gimmick To Get More People Drunk

The company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, has openly said it wants to grow beer consumption among occasional drinkers, while simultaneously cashing in on the current health-and-wellness trend with products containing protein, electrolytes and fewer calories.

It may seem to be a harmless tactic, but presenting alcohol alongside words associated with fitness and nutrition could make the product appear healthier than it actually is. The company is simply ‘masking’ its beer to make it more palatable for health-conscious consumers.

This is not the first time an alcohol company has resorted to such marketing gimmicks. They often opt for surrogate marketing, especially in countries where advertising alcohol directly is prohibited.

Dr. Robin Ireland, public health activist and honorary research fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK, told HealthandMe, “Alcohol companies often promote alcohol-free products. In India, I'm aware of surrogate marketing, where alcohol companies produce packaged drinking water using the same brand, colourway and distribution networks. So it's hardly surprising these brands are normalised to young people. Even where alcohol advertising is banned, alcohol can still be heavily promoted.”

This does not mean the company's intention is to deliberately mislead consumers. But the poorly-placed combination of wellness language and an alcoholic product can blur an important health boundary.

Hence, it is crucial to remember that adding a beneficial nutrient does not eliminate the harm associated with ethanol.

WHO warns that there is no risk-free level of alcohol consumption. It says that the health risk comes from the alcohol itself, regardless of the type or quality of the drink.

Can Labelling Help?

One may argue that alcohol companies will do the ethical thing and disclose all the nutritional facts on the packaging. But it’s not a guarantee that everyone will read the information diligently and make the healthy choice.

Dr. Ireland said, “Labelling helps, but it's only part of the solution. Not everybody has the time or resources to read labels, and people will still buy what they can afford and what is accessible.”

As alcohol companies have resorted borrow the language of wellness to influence consumer behaviour, people should learn to look beyond the front-of-pack claims and ask the simplest question first: How much alcohol does it contain?