CREAM OF THE CROP: If you regularly load up your grocery cart with a variety of veggies, you could be well on your way to a healthier and longer life. But which ones should you reach for? Recent research has shown that dozens of vegetables pack a particularly big nutritional punch. Sneaking them into your daily diet couldn’t be simpler.
BEET
GREENS: Beet roots’ edible leafy tops are brimming with vitamin
K, which is linked to a lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes. One cup raw
provides nearly twice your daily requirement. Cooking tip: Sauté a bunch of tender beet greens with
some olive oil and garlic for a healthy side dish. Or chop them and add to
frittatas, soups, or pasta dishes.
BEETS: Not
to be outdone by their tops, ruby red beets are a leading source of nitrates,
which are good for your blood pressure. Plus, you get fiber and other nutrients
from beets. Cooking tip: Roasting beets boosts their natural
sweetness. Wrap each beet individually in foil and bake at 350 F until tender.
Or skip the oven. Grate raw beets and add to slaws or as a topping in
sandwiches.
MICROGREENS: Great
things come in small packages. The baby versions of radishes, cabbages, kale,
and broccoli can be higher in nutrients like vitamins C and E than the regular,
mature plants. They range in flavors from peppery to tangy. Cooking tip: Try adding a handful of microgreens to
sandwiches and salads or use as a garnish for soups.
WATERCRESS: Often
overshadowed by arugula, this peppery green can knock any dish into nutritional
shape. It is particularly rich in vitamins A, C, and K, and other antioxidants
that are good for you. Cooking
tip: Watercress can instantly make
sandwiches and salads livelier and fresh-tasting. Or blend the greens into
pureed soups.
SWISS
CHARD: Two main
varieties of Swiss chard are found on store shelves: one with multicolored
stems and veins, often called rainbow chard, and another with white stems and
veins. Both are great sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, an antioxidant duo that
is good for your eyes. At only 7 calories a cup for raw chard, the green giant
is waistline-friendly, too. Cooking tip: To preserve its nutritional might, lightly steam chard
and toss with vinaigrette. You can also use the leaves instead of tortillas
when making soft tacos.
COLLARD
GREENS: This Southern favorite contains a wealth of nutritional
goodness, including notable amounts of vitamins K and C, folate, and
beta-carotene. To boost your daily nutrition, aim to eat about 2 cups of dark,
leafy greens like collards every day. Two cups of raw greens are equal to 1 cup
of vegetables, and 2.5 cups is recommended daily for a 2000-calorie diet. Cooking tip: Quickly blanch the leaves in boiling water,
then chop them and add them to whole-grain or lentil salads.
ASPARAGUS: With
an earthy-sweet flavor, asparagus is a good way to load up on folate. Research
suggests that this B vitamin is an ally in the battle against high blood
pressure. Cooking tip: Shave raw asparagus with a vegetable
peeler. You will get ribbons that are wonderful in salads.
SPINACH: This
green has healthy amounts of vitamins C, A, and K as well as manganese. Working
1.5 cups of green, leafy vegetables into your day may lower your odds of
getting type 2 diabetes. Cooking
tip: Sneak spinach into your daily
routine by adding it to scrambled eggs and casseroles or blending it into
smoothies.
BABY
KALE: Packed with nutrients like beta-carotene, vitamin C, and
bone-building vitamin K, kale has been billed as an ultimate super food. Not
everyone likes its strong flavor. Enter up-and-coming baby kale. The immature
kale leaves are deliciously tender and do not require any chopping. Cooking tip: Look for baby kale packed in plastic
containers alongside baby spinach in supermarkets. Use in wraps, salads, and
pasta dishes.
FROZEN
PEAS: It is always
a good idea to stash a bag of green peas in your freezer. Each cup of frozen
peas delivers an impressive 7.2 grams of fiber. Fiber helps you feel full,
so you eat less later. It is also good for your digestion and helps lower
cholesterol levels. Cooking tip: Use frozen peas in soups, dips, potato salads, and pasta
dishes.
RED BELL
PEPPER: You think of it as a veggie, but it's actually a fruit.
One medium pepper delivers B vitamins, beta carotene, and more than twice your
daily need for vitamin C. Cooking
tip: For a fanciful main dish, cut
the tops off peppers, remove the inner white membranes and seeds, and then
roast until tender. Finish by filling with your favorite whole-grain salad.
BROCCOLI: Broccoli is one of
nature’s rock stars. It is a top source of natural plant chemicals shown to
help lower the risk of some cancers (though many other things also affect your
cancer risk). Each cup of the florets also gives you plenty of vitamin’s C and
K. Cooking tip: Steam the florets for a simple side dish. Or add them
into stir-fries, frittatas, and even smoothies that also have naturally sweet
things, like fruit, to mask the broccoli taste.
REVIEWED BY: Christine Mikstas, RD, LD on August 17,
2020
Bellavia, A. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2013.
Beulens, J. Diabetes
Care, August 2010.
Hobbs, D. British
Journal of Nutrition, Dec. 14, 2012.
Hobbs, D. Journal of
Nutrition, September 2013.
Siervo, M. Journal of
Nutrition, June 2013.
Di Noia, J. Preventing
Chronic Disease, June 5, 2014.
Karppi, J. British
Journal of Nutrition, July 2012.
Ma, L. British Journal
of Nutrition, October 2011.
Kesse-Guyot, E. British
Journal of Nutrition, March 14, 2014.
Xun, P. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2012.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Bliss, R. Agricultural
Research, January 2014.
News release, U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
Medical News Today, Feb. 18, 2007.
National Institutes of Health
Office of Dietary Supplements: “Folate.”
University of Maryland Medical
Center: "Manganese."
Carter, P. British
Medical Journal, Aug. 19, 2010.Rickman, J. Journal of the Science
of Food and Agriculture, April 30, 2007.
Linus Pauling Institute:
"Cruciferous Vegetables."
Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon
State University: "Isothiocyanates."
Tse, G. Nutrition and
Cancer, published online Dec. 16, 2013.
Lam, T. Cancer
Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, January 2009.
Higdon, J. Pharmacological
Research, March 2007.
Liu, B. World Journal
of Urology, February 2013.
Liu, B. International
Journal of Urology, February 2012.
Conaway, C. Current
Drug Metabolism, June 2002.
Much Love,
Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit
#IWantYou2LiveWell #FeelFree2SignUpAndFollow
The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns
Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent
Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What
You Don’t Know is Sick.
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care
of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity."
(Mandy Hale)
"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel."
(Eleanor Brown)
The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr.
Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained
on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are
for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute
for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the
advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions
you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional
medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the
WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911
immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or
endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or
other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any
information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at
the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to
the Sites is solely at your own risk.
No comments:
Post a Comment