Why Are Vegetables So Important?

Some veggies are loaded with nutrients and even have anti aging properties. According to the latest scientific studies, five servings a day of the most Nutritious vegetables can not only help you to stay young, healthy and trim, they can also give you spectacular protection against cancer and heart disease.

So scientists keep telling us to eat more fruits and vegetables – five to nine a day. But the vast majority of the population aren’t even getting three, much less nine.

While most vegetables are low in calories and good for your body and overall health, some are definitely a whole lot better than others and offer many more vegetable nutrients.

The Most Nutritious Vegetables

Usually the best way to get your vegetable nutrients is to buy organically grown veggies and eat them raw, Lightly Steamed or in nutritious soups or stir-fries.

The Top 10 List

1. Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, chard, collard greens, spinach, parsley and dark green and red leaf lettuce are high in carotenoids and best eaten raw in salads, on healthy sandwiches, lightly steamed or in nutritious soups.
2. Broccoli is good steamed, raw (as a snack or in salads) and cooked in soups, stir-fries and other dishes. Both the green flower heads and stalks are nutritious.
3. Brussels sprouts are best quickly steamed to preserve nutritional values and avoid releasing sulfur smells caused by excess cooking.
4. Cauliflower, because of its bland flavor, can be eaten as a raw snack or added inconspicuously to dishes like soups and chili to boost nutritional values.
5. Red and Green Peppers are great in salads and healthy stir-fries.
6. Garlic and Onions are most nutritious eaten raw in salads or healthy dips. But they also make great flavorings for just about any cooked dish.
7. Sweet Potatoes are delicious when baked and eaten plain (without butter). They can also be used in soups and stir-fries.
8. Tomatoes (actually fruit) are good in salads and on sandwiches. Cherry tomatoes make great raw snacks. And pasta sauce is a good source of tomato nutrients.
9. Green Peas are best eaten raw (especially snow peas) or lightly steamed. Add fresh peas to salads (including chicken and pasta salad), soups and stir-fries.
10. Carrots are sweet, high in carotenoids and super when grated into any kind of salad. Baby carrots also make good raw snacks.