Others
Baby leaf
【Can it supplement nutrients that vegans and vegetarians tend to lack?】
Baby leaf greens contain approximately 6 times more calcium—essential for building strong bones—and about 62 times more vitamin K compared to daikon radish. They also provide roughly 7 times more iron, vital for producing new, healthy blood, and about 4 times more folate. Furthermore, they include several types of cruciferous vegetables.
The isothiocyanates found in cruciferous vegetables have excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can help prevent the aging of cells and blood vessels, which can lead to the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease.
【Features】
Baby leaf is a general term for young vegetable leaves, and there are various varieties, such as red kale, which is related to cabbage, green romaine, which is related to lettuce, and young spinach leaves. There are single-variety products, but mixed packs containing multiple varieties are common. The varieties included in mixed packs are not fixed throughout the year, but are mixed in a well-balanced way, considering taste and color according to the germination period. However, “baby leaf” is a Japanese-made English term.
【Sushi】
Baby leaf greens are a great addition to hand-rolled sushi and chirashi sushi. Try them in gunkan-maki sushi topped with a drizzle of olive oil.
【Umami Components】
The umami content varies depending on the vegetables in the mix, but in any case, it is minimal.
【Five Methods/Five Colors/Five Flavors】
Raw/Green (Blue)/Bitter
【Seasoning】
Salt or Nikiri shoyu
【Vegetables Used in Mix Packs】
・Beet
Young leaves of beet (beetroot). Characterized by green leaves and red stems, adding vibrant color to dishes.
・Spinach
Young leaves of spinach. Thick, deep green leaves with a soft texture. Rich in iron.
・Red Kale
Young kale leaves, known as an ingredient in green juice. Characterized by purple leaf stalks, with a mellow umami flavor.
・Mizuna
Young leaves of Kyoto vegetables. Crisp and juicy texture.
・Red Romaine
Young leaves of a leafy vegetable in the Asteraceae family. Characterized by red leaves, with a slight bitterness.
・Green Harrier
Young leaves of leaf lettuce, characterized by their pointed shape. Crisp texture.
・Oak
A member of the lettuce family, young leaves of a vegetable in the Asteraceae family. Has a nutty flavor and soft texture.
・Green Romaine
Young leaves of romaine lettuce. Soft and crisp texture.
・Pino Green
Young leaves of komatsuna. Characterized by its deep green color and crisp stems.
・Arugula
Young leaves of a vegetable in the Brassicaceae family often used in Italian cuisine. Characterized by its sesame-like aroma and slight bitterness.