Calories in Collards

What makes collards so powerful?

Collards belong to Brassica oleracea, the same species as cabbage, kale, and broccoli, but they are among the oldest cultivated forms — non-heading, loose-leaf plants that predate headed cabbage by centuries. The word "collard" derives from "colewort," an Old English term meaning simply "cabbage plant." What sets collards apart botanically is their remarkable cold tolerance: when temperatures drop near freezing, the plant converts stored starches into soluble sugars, which lowers the freezing point of cellular fluid and acts as a natural antifreeze. This is why gardeners and Southern cooks insist collards taste best after the first frost — the chemistry confirms it. Nutritionally, collards offer a notable advantage over spinach in calcium bioavailability. Spinach contains high levels of oxalic acid, which binds calcium and sharply reduces absorption. Collards have far lower oxalate content, making their calcium substantially more absorbable. They also concentrate glucosinolates, sulfur-containing compounds that break down into isothiocyanates during chopping and chewing, compounds studied for their role in activating detoxification enzymes in the liver.