Not all leafy greens are created equal — here's the definitive ranking of the best ones for you

Flickr / ImpromptuKitchen

When it comes to the leafy greens you put in your salads, some are a rank above the rest.

So which should you pick to justify the croutons, bacon, and other yummy toppings in your salad?

We're here to help. Using rankings from the CDC's 2014 list of "powerhouse foods," as well as the nutritional breakdowns of the veggies, we compiled the best, most nutritional greens for your salads, ranked from worst to best.

No. 10. Iceberg lettuce

It's no surprise that iceberg lettuce is among the least nutritious greens you could put in a salad. In fact, Chick-fil-A has even banned the veggie from its stores, allegedly because of its low nutritional content. Iceberg lettuce has about only 7% of your daily vitamin A per cup, as well as only 3% of daily vitamin C, among the lowest on the list.

Calories per cup: 10

No. 9. Arugula

Arugula's distinct taste doesn't quite correlate with high nutritional content. It's a solid source of vitamins A and K, but is lacking in other nutrients that other greens boast. 

Calories per cup: 6

No. 8. Kale

Trendy for a reason, kale kills it in vitamin content, especially A, C, and K. Vitamin K is especially important in helping blood clot. But kale has one tiny downside: It's a tad higher in calories than other greens — though it's still very low! — which means that technically it has a lower nutrient density, the amount of nutrients packed into each bite.

Calories per cup: 33