Because collard greens help boost immune function, they are also a useful tool for fighting cancer. Researchers discovered in the 1980s that people who eat high amounts of cruciferous vegetables, including collard greens, are at a lower risk for cancer-related illnesses such as breast, lung, prostate, esophageal, pancreatic, kidney, or colorectal cancer, as well as cancer of the upper digestive tract and melanoma. The glucosinolates in collard greens stop cells at different points in cancer development. Chlorophyll is also a significant factor in this fight, especially when eating foods that release carcinogens at high temperatures.

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