"Eat more greens" is a common piece of advice in the wellness world — but are they made equally? In this article, you'll learn more about three types of greens found in the Caribbean region, their nutritional value, potential health benefits and even how they compare to the infamous kale.
January 7th, 2025
Eating leafy greens is an important aspect of your nutrition and wellbeing — whether you're managing a chronic disease or simply taking care of your general health.
Fortunately, here in the Caribbean, we have quite a few to choose from.
This article will focus on just three — poi spinach, chorai bhagi, and dasheen bush — and highlight how these greens compare to the foreign powerhouse, kale.
Types of spinach
There are many types of leafy greens found in the Caribbean including watercress, pak choi (bok choy), and lettuce.
However, this article will focus on three types of spinach or 'bhagi'.
Poi spinach
Poi spinach (Basella alba) is also called Poi bhagi, Chinese spinach or Malabar spinach and is widely found across Asia and Africa.
It's a tropical vine — and technically not a true spinach at all — but that does not stop it from being enjoyed in the many ways that 'regular' spinach is.
You can consume poi spinach raw in a salad or sandwich, steamed, in soups and stir-frys, and satueed or "boiled down" with some onion, garlic, pimento, tomtato and coconut milk (yum!).
Poi spinach has been used in traditional Thai and Aryuvedic remedies to treat skin disorders such as ringworm, rashes, and burns (1).
Modern research however, has shown that the vegetable contains powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that can potentially prevent skin disorders (1).
However, this type of bhagi is produced in smaller quantities and is generally less available, so you may quicker get your hands on chorai bhagi and dasheen bush.
Chorai bhagi spinach
Chorai bhagi is a type of amaranth greens and is also called Jamaican callaloo and wild spinach in Trinidad and Tobago.
Similarly to poi, it can be consumed in a variety of cooked dishes — soups, casseroles or lasagna, stir-frys, steamed, scrambled eggs, and "boiled down" with coconut milk — although it is not traditionally consumed raw in the Caribbean.
As with many greens, chorai bhagi also contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, and would generally make a nutritious addition to your diet.
Dasheen bush
Dasheen bush (Colocasia esculenta) is also called elephant ear and taro leaf.
In Trinidad and Tobago, it's colloquially called callaloo bush because it is primarily used for making the traditional callaloo dish.
Dasheen bush is also used in other traditional foods like oildown and saheena, and can be made as a 'clumpy' side dish, or blended into a fine soup. Add smoked bones to boost its flavor, or exclude all animal products for a vegetarian option.
Unlike poi however, this plant is poisonous in its raw state — but the poison is destroyed when cooked — so ensure that you thoroughly cook dasheen bush before consuming (2).
Nutrition & health benefits
Leafy greens like poi, chorai and dasheen bush are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber that are beneficial for heart, immune and gut health.
Regularly consuming leafy greens can help to reduce your risk of diabetes (high blood sugar), hypertension (high blood pressure), and even reduce mental decline as you age (3).
Generally, these greens are low in calories and provide small amounts of protein, iron, carbohydrates, and phosphorus.
They provide varying amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and vitamin A.
Below is the nutritional breakdown of each — including kale — per 100g of cooked greens.
Nutrient | Poi (4) | Chorai (5) | Dasheen (6) | Kale (7) |
Protein | 3 grams | 2.1 grams | 2.7 grams | 2.9 grams |
Fiber | 2.1g (8% DV) | 2g (7%) | 2g (7% DV) | 4 g (14% DV) |
Calcium | 124mg (10% DV) | 209mg (16% DV) | 86mg (7% DV) | 150mg (12% DV) |
Iron | 1.5mg (8% DV) | 2.3mg (13% DV) | 12mg (7% DV). | 0.8mg (5% DV) |
Magnesium | 48mg (11% DV) | 55mg (13% DV) | 55mg (13% DV) | 25mg (6% DV) |
Potassium | 256mg (5% DV) | 641mg (14% DV) | 460mg (10% DV) | 144mg (3% DV) |
Folate | 114μg (29% DV) | 57μg (14% DV) | 48μg (12% DV) | 65μg (16% DV) |
Vitamin C | 6mg (7% DV) | 41mg (46% DV) | 36mg (39% DV) | 18mg (20% DV) |
Vitamin A | 58μg (6% DV) | 139μg (15% DV) | 212μg (24% DV) | 146μg (16% DV) |
Is kale worth the hype?
Kale has become a very popular vegetable option in the Caribbean region.
While this isn't a bad thing — because kale IS a healthy food — in some cases, persons may be misled to think that it is superior to the regional options.
Reviewing the nutritional values in the table above, we can clearly see how poi, chorai and dasheen bush compare to kale.
Poi provides the most amount of protein and folate, while chorai is the richest in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C among these greens.
Dasheen bush is leading in its vitamin A content, and is also a richer source of magnesium, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C than kale.
Among the nutrients examined, kale is only leading in its dietary fiber content.
This is to say, Cultural Fam', that you can confidently consume Caribbean leafy greens knowing that you are providing your body with quality nutrients.
Takeaway
Leafy greens are an important part of your nutrition. They contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals shown to support overall wellbeing.
In the Caribbean, poi spinach, chorai bhagi and dasheen bush are highly nutritious options — and may even give you more bang for your buck than kale.
The Caribbean Market is a blog that highlights the nutritional facts and health benefits of fruits and vegetables commonly found in the Caribbean, with the goals of improving knowledge and empowering the Caribbean diaspora.
Sources:
Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: Prospective study - PMC
Malabar spinach, cooked - USDA FoodData Central Food Details
Amaranth leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt - USDA FoodData Central Food Details
Taro leaves, cooked, steamed, without salt - USDA FoodData Central Food Details
Kale, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt - USDA FoodData Central Food Details
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