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Leafy greens

Leafy greens are edible leaves such as spinach, chard, or mustard greens, commonly eaten raw, sautéed, steamed, or added to soups.

Leafy greens — illustrative ingredient image

About Leafy greens

Leafy greens is a broad culinary category for edible leaves and tender leafy portions of plants, including spinach, chard, kale, lettuce, and mustard greens. They are used raw in salads and sandwiches or cooked as side dishes and ingredients in soups, stews, sauces, and fillings. The particular plant determines their flavour, cooking time, and best use.

Flavour may be mild, earthy, peppery, sweet, or bitter. Texture ranges from delicate and tender to crisp, fibrous, or substantial. Young leaves are often milder and softer, while mature leaves and sturdy stems benefit from longer cooking. Sautéing, steaming, braising, boiling, and wilting each produce a different result.

They are sold as loose leaves, bunches, heads, or trimmed tender portions. Colours range from pale yellow-green to deep green, and leaves may be smooth, crinkled, broad, or narrow. Stems can be eaten or removed according to type; cooking softens the leaves and greatly reduces their volume.

Ingredient type
whole food

Forms & related ingredients

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Where leafy greens appears

21 linked foods

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Main dishes

Sides

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for leafy greens

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Leafy greens

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Leafy greens nutrition & diet

Leafy greens nutritional value

Reference: Mixed leafy greens, pre-packaged, all types

Per 100 g of the edible portion of the stated reference food.

Calories
12.9kcal
Protein
2.2g
Carbs
0.0g
Fat
0.0g

Reference example for the named food and preparation, per 100 g edible portion. This is not a universal value for every recipe or brand; packaged products should be compared with their own label. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AFCD Release 3, food F009788. Available carbohydrate excludes sugar alcohols; energy converted from kJ to kcal (÷4.184). Australian data may not be appropriate for use in other countries. There are limitations associated with food composition databases. Food composition data used in the database or databases may represent an average of the nutrient content of a particular sample of foods and ingredients, determined at a particular time. The nutrient composition of foods and ingredients can vary substantially between batches and brands because of a number of factors, including changes in season, processing practices and ingredient source, and methods of calculation. Data licensed under the FSANZ Data User Licence Agreement, based on CC BY-SA 3.0 AU: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/monitoringnutrients/afcd/datauserlicenceagreement.

Portions & preparation

Identify the specific leaf, maturity, and edible parts because spinach, chard, mustard greens, and other leaves are not interchangeable. Record raw or cooked weight and whether stems are included. Sautéing, steaming, blanching, dressing, or creaming adds preparation details that affect comparison.

Compare the right form: Match references to the named leafy green and its raw or cooked edible portion, including whether stems, dressing, or cooking additions are included.

Diet considerations

Leafy greens are plant-derived, but the category is not a single species. Compatibility changes with animal fats, dairy, sauces, dressings, breaded coatings, or mixed dishes. Plain leaves differ from creamed, sautéed, or grain-based preparations, while portion and accompanying ingredients influence carbohydrate patterns.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically compatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically compatible
The plain form fits the conventional paleo food groups. Added ingredients and individual interpretations can differ.
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3, 2025 — Mixed leafy greens, pre-packaged, all types ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .