A Guide to the Most Nutritious Vegetables
Below is a list of vegetables, it provides a guide to the most nutritious vegetables, and those to limit due to their high carbohydrate content, think: starch is “sugar”.
Organic and locally grown vegetables are ideal for maximizing nutrition, limiting pesticide exposure, and increasing freshness. Avoid wilted vegetables, as they lose much of their nutritional value once wilted.
Juicing is a great way to boost your vegetable intake.
When you drink fresh-made Green juice, it is almost like receiving an intravenous infusion of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes because they go straight into your system without having to be broken down.
Highly Recommended Vegetables
Asparagus
Escarole
Avocado, very high in healthy monounsaturated fat, I eat one daily.
Fennel
Beet greens
Green and Red cabbage
Bok choy
Kale
Broccoli
Endive
Brussels sprouts
Lettuce: romaine, red leaf, green leaf
Cauliflower
Mustard greens
Celery
Onions
Chicory
Parsley
Chinese cabbage
Peppers: red, green, yellow and hot
Chives
Tomatoes
Collard greens
Turnips
Cucumbers
Spinach
Dandelion greens
Zucchini
Use sparingly due to high carbohydrate levels
Beets
Jicama
Carrots
Winter squashes
Eggplant
Vegetables to Avoid
Potatoes
Corn, most corn today is Genetically Engineered (GE)
The Health Benefits of Purple Foods
Vegetables contain an array of antioxidants and other disease-fighting compounds that are very difficult to get anywhere else. Plant chemicals called phytochemicals can reduce inflammation and eliminate carcinogens, while others regulate the rate at which your cells reproduce, get rid of old cells, and maintain DNA integrity.
Many of the benefits associated with vegetables are due to the natural pigments in the food.
Purple foods tend to stand out, courtesy of their potent antioxidants called anthocyanins. Research has linked anthocyanins to a reduced risk for a number of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological dysfunction and decline.
They also help prevent obesity and diabetes, in part by inhibiting certain enzymes in your digestive tract, and by supporting healthy blood sugar control.
Also, they have potent anti-inflammatory effects, which helps explain their protective effects against chronic disease. Deep red and blue foods, including all berries and cherries are loaded with beneficial antioxidants.
Vegetables high in anthocyanins include:
Red onions
Purple cabbage
Beets
Eggplant
In addition to eating them raw in a salad, many can be lightly steamed or cooked, add them to stews and soups. Homegrown sprouts and fermented vegetables are other options that can improve the diet.
Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively
Paul Ebeling
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