The benefits of fruits and vegetables are well known, but many people seem to have trouble eating their five to 10 a day. The produce department or the frozen food section are places to go for variety. Start small by trying something new, but aim to eventually eat two brightly colored fruits and/or vegetables at both lunch and dinner. If you already eat lots of different fruits and vegetables, try a new one, the goal is to eat one extra serving a day.
• High in phytonutrients – carotenoids, cruciferous and flavonoids
• High in vitamins, such as A, C, E, K & folate
• High in soluble or insoluble fiber
• High in minerals, such as potassium, manganese & iron
• High in vitamins, such as A, C, E, K & folate
• High in soluble or insoluble fiber
• High in minerals, such as potassium, manganese & iron
Vegetables are so important that every single public health agency recommends 3 to 5 servings every day. Yet only 9% of the population get the recommended amounts. And over 22% eat NO vegetables at all – much less healthy ones!
Some benefits of vegetables with high nutritional values
• A 41% reduced risk of heart disease
• 22% lower risk of certain cancers
• Protection from macular degeneration and glaucoma
• Better teeth and bone structure
• Improved memory and brain function
• Stronger immune system – less colds, flu and infections
Vegetables vary in their nutritional values. And some have high levels of pesticide residues (noted in parentheses) and should be bought organically.The Anti Aging Benefits of Antioxidants
Antioxidants are anti aging. This means staying younger longer with better health.
The benefits of antioxidants from food, or a good quality natural antioxidant supplement, give you the anti aging protection against degenerative diseases and help slow down the aging process of your skin, cells, tissues and organs.
Benefits of Antioxidants
Antioxidants are the naturally occurring nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables. They've been proven to protect human cells from oxidative damage and provide:
• Stronger immune resistance to flues, viruses and infections
• Greatly reduced incidence of all cancers
• Prevention of glaucoma and macular degeneration
• Reduced risk of cholesterol-oxidation and heart disease
• Anti-aging of cells and overall body
The main antioxidants found in food include vitamins A, C and E, the minerals selenium and zinc and all of the phytonutrient carotenoids.
How Antioxidants Work
Although breathing oxygen is essential to life, oxygen can also be your worst enemy. It starts a process in your body called oxidation, which is the formation of free radicals.
The oxidation of metal is a good example. Iron gets old and rusty, aluminum is bleached an ugly white and copper turns an "aged" green. Something similar happens when your body is exposed to air, light and poor nutrition.
Free radical oxidation damage is the primary cause of aging (rust and corrosion). It's as harmful and destructive to your body and brain as corrosion is to your car.
Just think of antioxidants as human "Rust-Oleum."
Phytonutrients in Food
Antioxidants keep free radicals from ravaging your body and stealing the life from your cells. The carotenoid phytonutrients actually sacrifice themselves for your well being.
The more phytonutrients in your bloodstream, the healthier you'll be.
Since they're so important to health, the Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University measured the total phytonutrient protection power of various foods. Colorful carotenoid rich vegetables and fruit came out at the top of the list.
The highest-ranking vegetables are broccoli, spinach, greens, Brussels sprouts, beets, red peppers, carrots and tomatoes. And the best ranking fruits are berries, oranges, pink grapefruit, apricots, plums, peaches, red grapes and papaya.
Here's the Problem
Hardly anyone gets enough fruits and vegetables.
The most "popular" are bananas, iceberg lettuce and French-fried potatoes. But, since they contain very few carotenoids, none of these are on Tufts phytonutrient list.
Also the most commonly used ingredients in the most aggressively marketed, phytonutrient supplements are pine bark (pycnogenol), sea algae, milk thistle, gingo biloba, quercetin, grape seed extract and alpha lipoic acid.
And none of these hype-marketed ingredients are found on the list of recommended foods from the Human Nutrition Research Center, Tufts or the USDA.
Finding a Good Supplement
When looking for a natural antioxidant supplement, always ask a simple question, "Can I find these ingredients at a salad bar or fruit and vegetable stand?"
If your answer is "no" then keep on looking for something that comes from the human food chain and has been proven safe and effective.
For my highest recommendation, check out the research at the carotenoids website.
Steam Your Veggies
Eating certain vegetables is very good for you. As a matter of fact, having five to nine daily servings of bright red, yellow and green vegetables is one of the healthiest things you can do.
But how should you fix them? For many (like dark green leafy veggies), it's preferable to eat them raw. However, when you're cooking them, steaming veggies can best preserve their nutrients, as well as their natural flavor, color and texture. Plus, steaming requires no added fat and is easy to do - once you get the knack of it.
Start with about an inch of pure water in a large pot or steamer. If you're not sure about the quality of your tap water, consider using purified or bottled water instead.
Bring the water to a rolling boil so the vegetables will cook fast and absorb less water. As it comes to a boil, cut and trim your veggies just before cooking to prevent dehydration and oxidation. Slice thinly for quicker more even cooking and be sure to include the stems of things like broccoli and cauliflower whenever possible. If you're cooking a mixture, put the firmer ones in first, before adding more tender varieties. Add greens like spinach last, since they cook very fast.
Don't overcook. Steamed veggies should be a little crispy, but tender enough to eat. You can usually tell they're done by poking with a fork to see if they're chewable. Vegetables cut thin will only take a few minutes. Greens cook fastest, broccoli and green beans take a little longer and roots, like carrot chunks, may need 12-20 minutes or more.
A little reduced sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, herbs or onion and garlic added to the water can provide extra flavor. To avoid overcooking, use a timer so you can see how long it takes. When done, be sure to serve them right away.
You can learn to cook vegetables healthfully and even learn to love them that way (if you don't already). Just like with everything else, practice makes perfect.
Eating certain vegetables is very good for you. As a matter of fact, having five to nine daily servings of bright red, yellow and green vegetables is one of the healthiest things you can do.
But how should you fix them? For many (like dark green leafy veggies), it's preferable to eat them raw. However, when you're cooking them, steaming veggies can best preserve their nutrients, as well as their natural flavor, color and texture. Plus, steaming requires no added fat and is easy to do - once you get the knack of it.
Start with about an inch of pure water in a large pot or steamer. If you're not sure about the quality of your tap water, consider using purified or bottled water instead.
Bring the water to a rolling boil so the vegetables will cook fast and absorb less water. As it comes to a boil, cut and trim your veggies just before cooking to prevent dehydration and oxidation. Slice thinly for quicker more even cooking and be sure to include the stems of things like broccoli and cauliflower whenever possible. If you're cooking a mixture, put the firmer ones in first, before adding more tender varieties. Add greens like spinach last, since they cook very fast.
Don't overcook. Steamed veggies should be a little crispy, but tender enough to eat. You can usually tell they're done by poking with a fork to see if they're chewable. Vegetables cut thin will only take a few minutes. Greens cook fastest, broccoli and green beans take a little longer and roots, like carrot chunks, may need 12-20 minutes or more.
A little reduced sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, herbs or onion and garlic added to the water can provide extra flavor. To avoid overcooking, use a timer so you can see how long it takes. When done, be sure to serve them right away.
You can learn to cook vegetables healthfully and even learn to love them that way (if you don't already). Just like with everything else, practice makes perfect.
| VEGETABLE | NUTRITIONAL VALUES IN ORDER (considerations) |
| Arugula | carotenoids, fiber, A, C, K, folate |
| Asparagus | K, folate, C, A, tryptophan, B1, B2 |
| Avocado (fruit) | essential fatty acids (fat, glycemic) |
| Beets | flavonoids, folate, manganese, potassium (glycemic) |
| Bell peppers | carotenoids, C, A, B6, fiber (pesticides, nightshade) |
| Bok choy | cruciferous, A, C, K, B6, folate |
| Broccoli | carotenoids, cruciferous, C, K, A, folate, fiber |
| Brussels sprouts | carotenoids, cruciferous, K, C, folate, A, manganese, fiber |
| Cabbage | cruciferous, K, C, fiber, manganese, B6, folate |
| Carrots | carotenoids, A, K, C, fiber, potassium (glycemic when cooked) |
| Cauliflower | cruciferous, C, K, folate, fiber, B6 |
| Celery | K, C, potassium, folate, fiber (pesticides) |
| Collard greens | carotenoids, cruciferous, K, A, C, manganese, fiber, calcium |
| Corn, yellow | A, iron (glycemic) |
| Cucumbers | C, molybdenum, A, potassium, (wax coating) |
| Dandelion greens | carotenoids, A, C, E. folate |
| Eggplant | fiber, potassium, manganese, (nightshade) |
| Garlic | allicin, manganese, B6, C |
| Green beans | flavonoids, K, C, manganese, A, fiber, potassium, folate |
| Green peas | K, manganese, C, fiber, B1, folate |
| Kale | carotenoids, flavonoids, cruciferous, K, A, C, manganese, fiber |
| Leeks | Manganese |
| Mushrooms | selenium, B2, copper, B3, tryptophan, B5 |
| Mustard greens | carotenoids, cruciferous, K, A, C, folate, manganese, E |
| Okra | carotenoids, fiber, A, C, K, thiamine, B6 |
| Olives | essential fatty acids (fat, glycemic) |
| Onions | sulfur compounds, flavonoids, chromium, fiber |
| Parsnips | fiber, C, K, folate (glycemic) |
| Potatoes | C (pesticides, nightshade, glycemic) |
| Pumpkin | carotenoids, A, C, E (glycemic) |
| Romaine lettuce | carotenoids, K, A, C, folate, manganese, chromium (pesticide) |
| Spinach | carotenoids, K, A, minerals, folate, iron, C, B2, B6, fiber, B1, E |
| Squash, summer | manganese, C, magnesium, A, fiber |
| Squash, winter | carotenoids, A, C, potassium, fiber |
| Sweet potatoes | carotenoids, A, C, manganese (glycemic) |
| Swiss chard | carotenoids, K, A, C, manganese, potassium, iron |
| Tomatoes (fruit) | carotenoids, C, A, K, molybdenum, potassium (nightshade) |
| Turnip greens | carotenoids, cruciferous, K, A, C, folate, manganese, fiber |
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art49323.asp | |
| Watercress | carotenoids, cruciferous, A, C, folate |
| Yams | (glycemic) |
| Zucchini | carotenoids, C, magnesium, A, fiber |
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