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.

The search for the perfect anti-ageing diet never seems to end. From intermittent fasting to keto plans, most options require discipline, calorie restrictions, or rigid meal routines. But a new trend, gaining attention worldwide and called ‘fake fasting,’ suggests you could reap the benefits of fasting without actually going hungry. And yes, experts are taking notice.

Recent research shows that “fake fasting” may provide similar age-reversing health effects as full fasting. Known as the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD), this approach is designed to imitate water fasting by affecting blood glucose, ketone levels, and other biomarkers.

Unlike traditional fasting, which means completely abstaining from food, FMD allows for a controlled intake of certain nutrients and follows a cycle: usually five days on the diet each month, with normal eating the rest of the time.

What Is The ‘Fake Fasting’ Diet Trend?

The FMD is a five-day plan that is high in unsaturated fats but low in calories, protein, and carbs, designed to mimic the effects of water-only fasting while still giving your body essential nutrients. The idea is to simulate fasting’s benefits, like targeting blood glucose and ketone levels, without going entirely without food.

During normal fasting, people consume nothing. In fake fasting, however, you eat small amounts of specific nutrients in cycles.

A study published in Nature Communications in 2024 outlined the diet’s benefits. Researchers highlighted that FMD is a five-day program rich in unsaturated fats, low in calories, protein, and carbohydrates, and structured to mimic a water-only fast while still supplying necessary nutrients, making it easier for people to complete.

Professor Valter Longo of the USC Leonard Davis School, senior author of the study, developed the diet. “This is the first study showing that a food-based approach, without requiring permanent dietary or lifestyle changes, can make people biologically younger, based on changes in both ageing and disease risk factors and a validated method by the Levine group to measure biological age,” Longo said.

Fake Fasting Diet: What Does Research Show?

In USC studies, participants went through three to four cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet, each followed by a return to regular eating. Typical meals included plant-based soups, nut bars, herbal teas, vegetable chips, and supplements packed with vitamins, minerals, and essential fats.

Key findings included:

• Reduced diabetes risk factors
• Lowered liver fat
• Improved ageing markers
• Better metabolic and immune function

Researchers suggested that limiting calories while following precise nutrient ratios may create an environment that supports cellular renewal.

Fake Fasting Diet: What To Eat During This Diet?

A standard FMD program is low in protein and carbohydrates but high in healthy fats. Typical foods include:

• Nut-based energy bars
• Light vegetable soups or broths
• Olives or kale chips
• Herbal teas
• Small portions of vegetables
• Low-glycaemic fruits like berries, pears, or apples

Can Fake Fasting Diet Slow Down Ageing?

During FMD, calories are cut to about 40–50% of normal daily intake, with protein and carbs restricted to trigger cellular and metabolic effects similar to water fasting. The diet relies on unsaturated fats, known to lower inflammation and support heart health. In the USC study, participants followed three to four monthly FMD cycles, each lasting five days, then returned to a normal or Mediterranean-style diet for the remaining 25 days.

While on FMD, participants consumed plant-based soups, energy bars, chips, drinks, and tea, along with supplements rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.

The study found that FMD lowered diabetes risk factors, reduced liver fat, slowed immune ageing, and decreased age-related health risks, effectively lowering biological age. “This is the first evidence from two clinical trials showing a reduction in biological age, along with rejuvenation of metabolic and immune function,” said Professor Valter Longo.

Who Should Avoid The Fake Fasting Trend?

Fake fasting is not for everyone. Some may experience:

• Fatigue or low energy during the five-day period
• Irritability or headaches
• Difficulty adjusting to reduced calories

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, underweight individuals, or anyone with chronic health conditions unless supervised by a professional. Experts stress consulting a doctor before making major dietary changes.

A new study has revealed that Gen Zs eat much more ultra-processed foods than we may think. Processed foods have saturated the market over the years, however, recent researches have revealed how these foods affect our health. But do you know who is most affected by this? The study, done by the Virginia Tech, showed that not only are gen Zs more likely to overeat, but most of their diet is also affected by processed foods.

Research suggests about 62% of their total calories come from these factory-made items. A new study from Virginia Tech warns that this high intake, especially when it leads to overeating, is a major concern for their future health.

How Much UPFs and Calorie Intake?

Researchers at Virginia Tech looked at 27 young men and women, aged 18 to 25. For the study, the volunteers followed two different eating plans:

High-UPF Diet

81% of the calories came from ultra-processed foods.

Junk-Free Diet

A whole-food diet with no junk food.

The diets were strictly controlled and matched for things like fiber, sugar, and fat content to make sure the researchers were measuring the effect of processing alone, not just the nutrients. Each participant followed one diet for two weeks, took a break, and then switched to the other diet for two weeks.

Why Are Ultra-Processed Foods Bad?

According to John Hopkins University, Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) contains ingredients you wouldn't find in a home kitchen. These include chemical-based preservatives, industrial emulsifiers (like certain oils), high-intensity sweeteners (like high-fructose corn syrup), and artificial colors and flavors.

Furthermore, UPFs undergo intense factory processing techniques like molding, extrusion, and chemical alteration. The final product often bears almost no resemblance to the original ingredients it came from.

Common examples of UPFs include soda, packaged snacks (chips, cookies), candy, boxed macaroni and cheese, frozen ready-to-eat meals, lunch meats, and hot dogs.

Why Are Younger Gen Zs Are Overeating?

After following each two-week diet, the participants were given a breakfast buffet and allowed to eat as much or as little as they wanted. The researchers noticed a key difference based on age:

Ages 18 to 21

This younger group consumed significantly more calories during the buffet, especially after eating the high-UPF diet for two weeks. They were also more likely to gorge themselves even when they weren't hungry.

Ages 22 to 25

This older group ate less and did not show the same tendency to overeat.

The study suggests that being a younger adult may be a risk factor for eating too many calories after being exposed to a high-UPF diet. This indicates that the younger participants may be more influenced by the strong, appealing nature of junk food.

How Much Health Risks Do UPFs Pose?

The lead researcher noted that even though this was a short-term trial, if this kind of increased calorie intake continues over time, it will almost certainly lead to weight gain in these young people.

The findings are especially concerning because UPFs have already been linked to 32 negative health issues, including higher risks of heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and mental health problems. Experts predict that if drastic measures are not taken, a third of Americans aged 15 to 24 could meet the criteria for obesity by 2050.

The latest Lancet Study warns that India is experiencing a rapid and worrying rise in the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The UPF includes food like instant noodles, packaged snacks, ready-to-eat meals, sugary beverages, mass-produced breads, processed meats, and other industrially formulated products.

The paper was authored by 43 global experts who noted that traditional Indian meals are increasingly being replaced by convenient but nutritionally poor foods, which are not contributing to a rise in chronic diseases.

The Series calls for “immediate and decisive public health action”, stressing that individual willpower alone cannot fix dietary patterns. Instead, the availability, affordability, marketing, and widespread promotion of UPFs must be addressed at the policy level.

The Rate Of UPFs Growth In India

The shift has been dramatic. The retail sales of UPFs in India jumped from ₹7,996 crore in 2006 to ₹3.3 lakh crore in 2019. In other words, the initial value for the same products in 2006 was less than $ 0.9 Billion and by 2019, it reached the value of $ 38 Billion, leading to a forty-fold rise, or an increase around 4000%. This reflects a massive surge of how deeply these products have entered the Indian household.

During the same period, obesity rates among both men and women have doubled. Today, nearly one in four Indians is obese, one in ten has diabetes, and one in three has abdominal obesity. Childhood obesity has also risen, increasing from 2.1% to 3.4% between 2016 and 2019–21. The authors warn that this pattern mirrors global trends where UPF consumption is strongly linked to weight gain and metabolic disorders.

According to the papers, the UPF industry is a central driver of this shift. Because UPFs are more profitable than minimally processed foods, corporations invest heavily in their production, distribution, and marketing. This profit-focused model encourages continuous expansion, making these foods widely accessible and aggressively promoted.

Read: After Lancet Links Ultra-Processed Foods to Organ Damage, New Study Ties Them to Bowel Polyps in Women Under 50

why Is This Happening In India?

The Lancet Series highlighted that the major concerns are due to corporate influence and gap in India's food regulation. The marketing network of corporate influence often delay or weaken public health policies.

They uses strategies like direct lobbying and political pressure, involvement in the government committees, litigation to block regulations, funding research that creates doubt or shifts the blames and influence public opinion through advertising and public relation campaigns.

“UPFs are advertised addictions. A ban on their advertising and sponsorship is needed,” said Prof. Srinath Reddy, Chancellor of PHFI University of Public Health Sciences to The Tribune.

What Are The Health Impacts?

The authors emphasize that the harm caused by UPFs extends far beyond poor nutrition. Industrial processes, such as chemical modification, extrusion, and the addition of synthetic ingredients, can alter food structure in ways that negatively affect metabolism, immunity, and long-term health.

Regular consumption of UPFs has been linked to higher risks of obesity, Type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and premature death. “These foods contribute to diminished immunity, aggravated inflammation, and a rise in life-threatening chronic diseases,” Dr. Reddy said.