Dark-green leafy veggies may help prevent varicose veins, a condition as many as 30 percent of women will get -- often from carrying a baby. According to a study in the Journal of Vascular Research, vitamin K plays a key role in keeping blood-vessel walls clear, which helps decrease the incidence of varicose veins. The highest source of K: kale, followed by spinach, broccoli, green-leaf lettuces, and parsley. Experts recommend about one cup a day -- raw or cooked -- so one serving of salad should do the trick. For more benefits, top it off with a drizzle of olive oil and some shredded cheddar cheese and wash it down with green tea, three other surprising sources of K. See Parenting.com/salad for creative and healthy salad recipes.

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