I mean dark green leaves such as those found on plants of dandelion, green chicory, parsley, kale, various campanulas, thyme, reichardia, violas etc. See our leaflets on Winter Salads , edible leaves etc. for more examples. Green leaves are also extremely rich sources of potassium - a mineral that tends to be lacking in the processed diet of industrial society. The potassium and sodium are in balance, there being much more potassium than sodium - which is the natural order of things. This excess of sodium causes serious imbalance in the body resulting in numerous health problems.
Green leaves are a very rich source of iron.
They are also good sources of zinc, manganese cobalt, copper and many other minerals that we need, but tend not to think much about. Pregnant women are often advised to take vitamin supplements, and especially folic acid, in order to prevent Spina bifida in babies. All they have to do, of course, is make sure they eat a salad every day since, of course, foliage is the best source of folic acid. Maintaining the immune system. Green leaves are the richest sources of carotene, or provitamin A, from which the body easily makes as much vitamin A as it needs.