If you've never tried Japanese mustard greens before, the slightly peppery flavor and potential health benefits may surprise you and leave you wanting more.

They're commonly called mizuna and are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, which also includes kale, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

Eating mustard greens supplies you with a good source of vitamins A, C and K.

According to the Linus Pauling Institute, eating them more often may reduce your risk of developing cancer.

Japanese mustard greens are rich in the fat-soluble vitamins A and K.One cup of raw greens gives you 33 percent of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A and 180 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K.

Your immune system, vision and reproductive system depend on vitamin A to work properly. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A may also prevent certain forms of cancer.

Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and may help keep your bones strong as you age.

If you take blood-thinning medications, talk with your health care provider about how much vitamin K is safe for you to eat.

Vitamin C. Unlike the fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble vitamins are not stored in your body and they must come from your diet daily. Vitamin C is one of these necessary nutrients, and one serving of Japanese mustard greens gives you 65 percent of the daily recommended intake. Your body needs vitamin C for the synthesis of certain neurotransmitters and collagen, a protein that strengthens connective tissues and helps wounds heal. Immune function and iron absorption are also enhanced by vitamin C.

The vitamin is heat sensitive and degrades with cooking, so eat mustard greens raw to get the most benefit.

Cancer PreventionAccording to the Linus Pauling Institute, Japanese mustard greens contain plant compounds called glucosinolates, which are precursors to isothiocyanates.

These phytochemicals, also found in other cruciferous vegetables, may reduce your risk of developing cancer by blocking certain detrimental enzymes, according to an article published in the journal "Drug Metabolism Reviews" in 2000.

The amount of isothiocyanates you absorb decreases if you cook the mustard greens, so eat them raw for the greatest cancer-protection benefit.

GROWING INFORMATION

CULTURE:Sow from early spring through midsummer. In the South, greens are well adapted to fall plantings. For full-sized bunching, sow 15 seeds/ft., 1/4" deep in 2" wide bands in rows 18" apart. Most varieties do not require thinning. See catalog descriptions for varieties that do. Harvest before flowering. For baby leaf, sow a 2" to 4" wide band at 60 seeds/ft. Clip young leaves when 3-6" tall.

Will be shipped from Manhasset, New York. From a store called Flower Shop Inc.

Florist and greenhouse situated in Long Island, New York. Been in business for 20 years and counting.