Adding more fruit and veg to your diet can boost your mood and emotional wellbeing
Eating plenty of vegetables is one of the easiest ways to improve your health and well-being.
All vegetables contain healthy vitamins, minerals, and fibre. However, some stand out for their exceptional health benefits.
In this Figura bespoke kitchen design we showcase some of the most healthy vegetables, along with some tips to help you enjoy them as part of a balanced diet.
Figura bespoke kitchen design
1. Spinach
Spinach is a leafy green vegetable, rich in iron. It is also a great source of calcium, vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. Vitamin K is essential for a healthy body, and especially so for strong bones. It improves how well the body absorbs calcium.
Spinach also provides a good amount of iron for energy and healthy blood, and a good level of magnesium for muscle and nerve function.
It is also rich in antioxidants. Research reports that spinach leaves may lower blood pressure and benefit heart health.
How to eat spinach
You can enjoy spinach raw in salads, sandwiches, and smoothies. Cooked spinach also has significant health benefits and is a great addition to pasta dishes and soups.
2. Kale
Kale is a very popular leafy green vegetable with several health benefits. It provides good amounts of vitamins A, C, and K.
Kale may benefit people with high cholesterol. Other research suggests that kale juice reduces blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
How to eat kale
Use baby kale in pasta dishes, salads, and sandwiches. Also, try making kale chips, or juice kale for its heart-healthy benefits.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is an incredibly healthful vegetable that belongs to the same family as cabbage, kale, and cauliflower. These are all cruciferous vegetables.Eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer, which may be because these vegetables contain sulforaphane. In animal research, sulforaphane reduced the size and number of breast cancer cells and blocked tumor growth.
How to eat broccoli
Broccoli is very versatile. People roast it, steam it, or fry it. Also, some people blend it into soups or eat it warm in salads.
4. Peas
Peas are sweet, starchy vegetables that provide a good source of plant-based protein, and eating them is an effective way for vegetarian and vegan people to boost their protein intake.
Peas and other legumes contain fibere, which supports good bacteria in the gut to ensure regular bowel movements and a healthy digestive tract.
They are also rich in saponins, which are plant compounds that may provide antioxidant and anticancer benefits.
How to eat peas
It can be easy to keep a bag of peas in the freezer and eventually use it to boost the nutritional profile of pasta dishes, risottos, and vegetable curries. Or, a person can make a refreshing pea and mint soup.
5. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are root vegetables and each potato contains much more than an adult's daily requirement of vitamin A and also vitamin C, B6 potassium and beta-carotene, which may improve eye health and fight cancer
Sweet potatoes may benefit people with diabetes. This is because they are low on the glycemic index scale and high in fiber, so they may help regulate blood sugar.
How to eat sweet potatoes
The easiest way to enjoy a sweet potato is to bake it in its skin and serve it with a source of protein, such as fish or tofu.
6. Beetroot
Drinking beetroot juice can help lower blood pressure. Beets and beetroot juice are great for improving heart health.
This vegetable is high in heart-healthy nitrates. These vegetables may also benefit people with diabetes.
How to eat beets
Roasting beets brings out their natural sweetness, but they also taste great in salads, sandwiches, and juices.
7. Carrots
Carrots contain plenty of Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, which is vital for healthy eyesight, and getting enough of this nutrient may help prevent vision loss.
How to eat carrots
Carrots are an extremely versatile vegetable. They work well in casseroles and soups, and they provide great health benefits when eaten raw with a dip such as hummus.
7. Tomatoes
Although tomatoes are technically a fruit, most people treat them as a vegetable.
Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant that may play a role in cancer prevention. Research suggests that lycopene can help prevent prostate cancer. The beta-carotene in tomatoes also has anticancer effects.
Other potent antioxidants in tomatoes, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect vision. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study reports that people who have high dietary intakes of these substances have a 25 percent reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration.
How to eat tomatoes
People can eat tomatoes raw, but cooking them releases more lycopene.
8. Garlic
Garlic has long been used in both cooking and medicine. Each garlic clove contains just 4 calories and is low in vitamins and minerals.
Garlic is a natural antibiotic. A compound in garlic, called diallyl sulfide, may be more effective than two popular antibiotics for fighting the Campylobacter bacterium, according to a lab-based study from 2012.
How to eat garlic
Heating garlic reduces its health benefits, so it is best to eat garlic raw in bruschetta and dips.
9. Onions
Onions and other allium vegetables, including garlic, contain sulfur compounds. These may help protect against cancer.
In other research, men with the highest intakes of allium vegetables had the lowest risk of prostate cancer. Also, regular consumption of onions and other allium vegetables may reduce esophageal and stomach cancer risks.
How to eat onions
It is easiest to include onions in meals such as soups, stews, stir-fries, and curries. For maximum antioxidant effects, eat them raw in sandwiches, salads, and dips such as guacamole.
10. Peppers
Peppers are popular as a raw or cooked ingredient.
Sweet peppers are commonly available in red, yellow, or orange varieties. Unripe, green peppers are also popular, but these taste less sweet than other colors.
Antioxidants present in peppers include capsanthin, quercetin, and lutein (in the green variety), which protects vision.
How to eat peppers
Peppers are extremely versatile. Add them to spaghetti dishes, scrambled eggs, or sandwiches, or serve them raw with a guacamole or hummus dip.
11. Cauliflower
Cauliflower contains plenty of vitamin C, vitamin K and fibre.
Dietary fibre boosts heart and gut health, preventing digestive issues and reducing obesity.
How to eat cauliflower
Pulse raw cauliflower in a blender to make cauliflower rice or turn it into a pizza base for a low-calorie, comforting treat. Alternatively, people may enjoy cauliflower in curries, or they may bake it with olive oil and garlic.
Summary
Eating vegetables every day is important for health. They provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, such as antioxidants and fibre.
Research consistently shows that people who eat the most vegetables have the lowest risk of many diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
Enjoy a range of vegetables daily to reap as many health benefits as possible.
SOURCE: Medical News Today