The HEALTHIEST Vegetables You Should Eat Daily
Did you know that the American Heart Association recommends eating five servings EACH of fruit and vegetables daily?
I don’t know many people who can fit that amount of produce into their daily diet.
If you do, great.
If not, I have a list of the healthiest vegetables to provide the MOST bang for your health buck.
If you’ only eat ONE vegetable daily, spinach is a great choice.
Spinach provides essential nutrients, including vitamins A, K, B6, E, and C, zeaxanthin and carotenoids, folate, calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, and more.
Research shows eating spinach helps prevent cancer, supports bone health, protects your eyes, reduces blood sugar, and aids with weight loss.
One study even found that people who ate it daily had cognitive abilities comparable to those of people 11 years younger!
Of course, variety is best to maximize the number of nutrients you get in your diet.
One easy way to ensure you get a range of key nutrients is to eat all the “colors of the rainbow.” The plant chemicals that give color to fruits and vegetables also give them unique health benefits.
For example, the orange color of sweet potatoes and carrots is a dead giveaway that they’re rich in beta-carotene, a nutrient with anti-inflammatory properties.
The red color of tomatoes and red peppers indicates lycopene, a nutrient that reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease. It’s also great for promoting youthful-looking skin.
Purple in foods like purple cauliflower and eggplant means you’ll be getting anthocyanins, known for their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-obesity effects.
Other veggies that pack a nutrient-rich punch include onions, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, kale, and collard greens.
Of course, any vegetable will provide health benefits.
Just find the ones you like best, and eat a good variety as often as possible.
P.S. Don’t make THIS diet mistake. It could send your dementia risk SOARING!
SOURCE:
Morris, M. C., et al., (2018). Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline: Prospective study. Neurology, 90(3), e214. doi. org/ 10.1212 /WNL.0000000000004815
