Cucumbers are not a leafy vegetable as cucumbers are actually technically a fruit as botanically cucumbers are considered a fruit.
Botanically a fruit is the seed bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant, and by this definition, cucumbers are fruits because they contain seeds and grow from the cucumbers plant's flower.
However by culinary definition, and in cooking, cucumbers are treated as a vegetable and they are often eaten in savory dishes salads and are often grouped with other green vegetables.
Pickles are also made from cucumbers.
Leafy green vegetables are vegetables like spinach, kale and lettuce, which means the edible parts are the leaves of the plant.
The 5 leafy green vegetables are collard greens, Swiss Chard, Romaine lettuce, kale and spinach.
These leafy green vegetables are a nutritious part of a healthy diet and provide essential vitamins as well as minerals and can be eaten in a variety of different ways, including raw in salads, or cooked into soups and other dishes.
Other leafy green vegetables are broccoli, endive, dandelion, beet greens, Microgreens, cabbage, turnip greens, mustard greens, Watercress and Arugula.
The vegetables that are not classified as leafy vegetables are stem vegetables, fruit vegetables, bulb vegetables, flower vegetables and vegetables as well as eggplant, peas, beans and mushrooms.
Root vegetables are vegetables such as carrots, radishes, turnips, parsnips, beets and potatoes which are not classified as leafy vegetables.
Stem vegetables like celery and asparagus are also not classified at leafy vegetables.
Fruit vegetables like squash, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes are not classified as leafy vegetables.
Bulb vegetables like garlic and onions are not classified as leafy vegetables.
Flower vegetables like artichokes, cauliflower and broccoli are not classified as leafy vegetables.
The vegetables that are classified as leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, collard greens, Romaine lettuce, Arugula, Swiss Chard, Mustard greens, Bok Choy, turnip greens, beet greens, watercress, endive and cabbage.
Leafy green vegetables have great nutritional value and health benefits.
Leafy green vegetables contain vitamins A, vitamins C and vitamins K, as well as potassium, magnesium and folate and leafy greens are also high in fiber and aids in digestion and promotes feelings of fullness.
The leafy green vegetables also are rich in antioxidants, which are compounds that help to protect the body from damage and can reduce risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.
You can also eat a large amount of leafy greens without consuming too many calories as leafy greens are low in calories.
Leafy greens are very versatile and can be used in salads, soups, stir fries, wraps and even smoothies.
You can blend leafy greens like spinach into smoothies to add a nutritional boost to the smoothies without a strong flavor.
You can stuff wraps with leafy greens, along with other ingredients like tuna, chicken or other vegetables, or chop and add the leafy greens to stir fries, with your choice of protein and other vegetables and add heartier leafy greens like collard greens and kale to stews and soups.
Or use tender leafy greens like spinach, romaine and arugula for a base or mix them with other vegetables.