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Vegetable nutrition facts

What's the importance of incorporating a diet rich in vegetable-nutrition?

What advantages do vegetables offer for our health?

Indeed!

Fresh vegetables contain nearly all the essential nutrients our body needs, resulting in significant health benefits. They serve as a rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber.

Vegetable-nutrition

  • Vegetables, similar to fruits, are low in calories and fats, yet they are rich sources of essential vitamins and minerals. The category of Green-Yellow-Orange vegetables stands out as a particularly abundant source of nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, beta-carotene, vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

  • In line with fruits, vegetables also house a plethora of antioxidants. These valuable phytochemical compounds serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they shield the human body from oxidative stress, diseases, and cancers. Secondly, they bolster the body's immunity, enabling it to combat these health challenges effectively.

    Furthermore, vegetables are brimming with both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers collectively known as non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), such as cellulose, mucilage, hemi-cellulose, gums, and pectin, among others. These substances absorb excess water in the colon, maintain optimal moisture levels in fecal matter, and facilitate its smooth passage out of the body. Consequently, an adequate fiber intake helps prevent conditions like chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and rectal fissures.

Opt for green vegetables to support your journey towards better health and fitness!

Here is an impressive list of vegetables with detailed illustrations of their health benefits and nutrition facts:

acorm squash
Acorn squash
amaranth greens
Amaranth greens
artichoke
Artichoke
arugula
Arugula
asparagus
Asparagus
bamboo shoots
Bamboo shoots
basella- vine or malabar spinach
Basella
beets
Beets
bell pepper
Bell pepper
bitter gourd
Bitter gourd
bok choy
Bok choy
bottle gourd
Bottle gourd
broccoli
Broccoli
broccoli rabe
Broccoli rabe
brussel sprouts
Brussel sprouts
butternut squash
Butternut squash
cabbage
Cabbage
cardoon stalks
Cardoon stalks
carrots
Carrots
cassava root
Cassava
cauliflower
Cauliflower
cherry tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes
sugar leaf chicory
Chicory greens
collard greens
Collard greens
cucumber
Cucumber
edamame
Edamame
eggpalnt
Eggplant (Aubergine)
endive
Endive
fava beans
Fava beans
fennel
Fennel
fiddlehead ferns
Fiddlehead ferns
french beans
Green beans
sunchokes
Jerusalem sunchoke
jicama -yambean
Jicama (yambean)
kale
Kale
kohlrabi
Kohlrabi
leeks
Leeks
lettuce
Lettuce
lima beans
Lima beans
lotus root
Lotus root
mizuna greens
Mizuna greens
moringa pods
Moringa pods
mustard green
Mustard greens
lima beans
Lima beans
okra
Okra
spanish-onion
Onion
parsnips
Parsnips
green peas
Peas
potato
Potato
pumpkin
Pumpkin
purslane
Purslane
radicchio
Radicchio
red globe radish
Radish
rhubarb
Rhubarb
rutabaga
Rutabaga
salsify
Salsify
scallions
Scallions
shallot
Shallots
snap peas
Snap peas
spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash
spinach
Spinach
sweet corn
Sweetcorn
sweet potato
Sweet potato
green chard
Swiss chard
tomatoes
Tomato
turnips
Turnips
waterchestnuts
Chinese water chestnuts
watercress
Watercress
winged bean
Winged Bean
yams
Yams
yardlong beans
Yardlong beans
zucchini
Zucchini

Vegetable nutrition has garnered widespread attention from both health-conscious individuals and food scientists due to their well-established health benefits. Most commonly consumed vegetables are remarkably low in both calories and saturated fats. For instance, watercress and celery contain a mere 11 and 16 calories per 100 grams, respectively. A lengthy roster of vegetables boasts less than 20 calories per 100 grams, including bottle gourd, bitter melon, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, bok-choy, eggplant, endive, spinach, summer squash, swiss chard (silverbeet), and more. Scientific research has demonstrated that these low-calorie yet nutrient-rich foods contribute to maintaining optimal health and preventing diseases.

Additionally, the human body expends a significant amount of energy on the metabolic process of food, known as BMR or Basal Metabolism Rate. Consider this: by incorporating a substantial amount of vegetable nutrition into your daily diet, you may actually end up losing more weight than you consume. Yes, that's right! This is the underlying principle behind the concept of "negative calorie foods."


What's the Ideal Daily Vegetable Intake?

Aim to include a minimum of 5-7 servings of fresh vegetables in your daily diet. Current federal dietary guidelines recommend increasing this to a minimum of nine servings of both vegetables and fruits daily. It's also beneficial to prioritize seasonal vegetables and introduce variety into your vegetable choices. Yellow and orange vegetables are abundant in Vitamin-A, α, ß-carotenes, zeaxanthin, and crypto-xanthins, while dark-green vegetables provide valuable minerals and a rich array of phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin antioxidants.



Selection of vegetables

If available, opt for organic vegetables from local farms to maximize the health benefits. These can often be reasonably priced when sourced from nearby farm owners. Organic produce may be smaller in size but boasts a robust flavor and contains a high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and a wealth of health-enhancing antioxidants.

  • When shopping in markets, be sure to purchase small quantities to ensure they remain fresh for a day or two. There's no sense in consuming vegetables that have gone bad!

  • Select vegetables that exhibit signs of freshness, vibrant colors, and a rich flavor, and feel substantial when held in your hands.

  • Inspect them closely for any blemishes, spots, fungal mold, or indications of pesticide residue. Opt for whole vegetables rather than sections of them, such as a whole pumpkin, for instance.


Preparing and Preserving Vegetables

Once you've selected your vegetables, the first step is to ensure they are thoroughly cleaned, especially green leafy varieties. Rinse them in saltwater for a few minutes and gently swish them in cool water until you are satisfied with their cleanliness. This helps remove any dirt, sand, or residual chemical sprays.

It's essential to use them promptly while they are fresh for two main reasons. Firstly, some vegetables have a very short shelf life. Secondly, the health-enhancing properties of vegetables tend to decline over time. However, if you need to store them, place them inside plastic wrap or zip pouches to preserve their nutrition for shorter periods until you're ready to use them.

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Further Resources:

1. Stanford School of Medicine Cancer information Page- Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risk.



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