Health Benefits of Vegetables

Vegetables should be part of everyone’s diet; they play an important role in keeping the body strong and healthy while warding off disease. Eating a diet rich in vegetables helps support various systems in the body: digestive, excretory, and skeletal. Vegetables are a potent source of antioxidants that prevent cancer, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.

Additionally, vegetables are an important source of a wide range of vitamins, folate, vitamin B6, carotenoids, and lutein. Eating vegetables regularly will help protect you from disease more effectively than taking multivitamins.

Nutritional Value Of Vegetables

Fiber: Vegetables are a great source of dietary fiber which is critical in ensuring that your digestive system is healthy. Vegetables contain both insoluble and soluble fiber which helps improve digestion, reduce constipation, prevent hemorrhoids and diarrhea. Consumption of vegetables will make your digestive system healthier  which in turn can prevent colon cancer, polyps, and irregular bowels movement. The high fiber content of vegetables will also ensure that you are full for longer periods of time, which aids in weight loss.

Antioxidants: The antioxidant content of vegetables helps to prevent cancer. In particular, dark leafy green vegetables are a potent source of minerals and phenolic flavonoid antioxidants all of which are important in helping your body function properly. Vitamin deficiencies can lead to illnesses of the bones, teeth, and organs. But more importantly, getting adequate antioxidants in your diet is an effective way of keeping your immunity strong and healthy.

Water content: Vegetables contain a lot of water this is why they are low in fat and calories. If you shift to a diet rich in vegetables you will soon notice how much leaner your body will become. More vegetable consumption will translate to more water intake which will help your body eliminate and flush toxins.

Proteins: Even if you consume less meat and begin to eat more vegetables this does not mean that your diet will lack protein. Many vegetables are a good source of protein too, especially tomatoes, beans, spinach, and lima beans. The best way to ensure that you are getting enough protein and minerals is to eat a wide variety of vegetables instead of sticking to only a few.

Vitamins: Vegetables in general already have very high vitamin content, all of which play an important role in keeping your body healthy. Vitamin A is needed to assist with immunity, reproduction, bone growth, and vision. Adequate amounts of vitamin A may also help your body reduce the risk for certain cancers. Vitamin C is necessary in helping the body heal wounds faster and protects from viruses and infections. Folate, a B vitamin, is needed by the body to create new cells and reduce the risk for birth defects in new babies. Leafy green vegetables are a potent source of folate. Vegetables also contain a high amount of vitamin K, which has been given the nickname of the clotting vitamin. Without vitamin K, your blood won’t clot properly. People who suffer from vitamin K deficiencies often experience bruising. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that you can easily get just by eating more vegetables. It helps to form new blood cells and also provides protection from infection.

Phytonutrients: Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds in plants. There are thousands of different kinds of phytonutrients that are found in vegetables. These are produced by the plants to protect themselves from bacteria, provide flavor, or to assist with photosynthesis. It’s the phytonutrients that are responsible for the bright color found in fruits, which can help reduce disease and promote overall health. Although there are small levels of phytonutrients present in plants, the best way to ensure that you are getting the most out of these compounds is through the daily consumption of vegetables.

How Much Vegetable Should You Eat?

The more vegetables we consume, the better it will be for our overall health. As a rule of thumb a good benchmark for your vegetable intake should be at least 2.5 cups of fresh vegetables each day. Spread out the variety of your vegetables by attempting to eat at least 4 different kinds every day. The more colors and variety in your diet, the more you can ensure that you are getting more nutrients and health benefits.

How To Select & Buy Vegetables

When shopping for vegetables, always opt for produce that is as fresh as possible. Consuming canned or preserved vegetables that contain additives will not have the same health benefits as eating fresh vegetables will. Look for signs of freshness such as crispy leaves and a bright color.

It is recommended to only buy vegetables that are in season because this is when they are at their best quality. When you get home, rinse your vegetables in salt water especially leafy green varieties. Once done, gently rinse again in cool water for a thorough cleansing since this will effectively remove chemical sprays, sand, and dirt.

How To Prepare & Eat Vegetables

Eating raw vegetables helps keeps the valuable enzymes and phytochemicals in place. But not everyone enjoys eating vegetables nor is every kind suitable and tasty enough to be eaten without cooking. The next healthiest way to prepare vegetables would be to steam them. Steaming is also an ideal method of preparing food especially if you have Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome.

Research also shows that steaming vegetables adds to the antioxidant content of certain produce such as green beans, bell peppers, spinach, and broccoli. Roasting your vegetables is a healthy way of giving it better texture and added flavor, and is also a safer alternative to using a grill. The charred effect that results from grilling is actually carcinogenic and should be avoided.