How many of you remember your mother going around the house to just make you eat vegetables? Surely, there is something about these vegetables that made her work so hard. Vegetables, in general, offer a number of health benefits to your body.
Here are a few of the healthiest vegetables that you can possibly get on planet earth. Not only are these rich in several nutrients and minerals, but they also keep a number of diseases at bay.
Table of Contents
1. Spinach
The vast variety of nutrients that are found in green leafy vegetables makes it one of the healthiest vegetables known to exist on planet earth.
- You will be surprised to know that just 30 grams of spinach make for the 56% of vitamin A that is required on a daily basis by the body.
- In fact, 100% of the body’s requirement for vitamin K can be satisfied by eating just a cup full of spinach
- The vegetable is a rich source of the much-required proteins and fiber that your body requires on a daily basis.
- It is a storehouse of important elements required by the body which includes calcium, iron, potassium, and a host of several others
- The green leafy vegetable derives all its health benefits from the presence of two antioxidants namely lutein and beta-carotene
- It definitely is a marvel vegetable which decreases the chances of contracting a number of diseases.
The best way to consume spinach in your daily diet is to use it in salads. You can also make spinach chapatis and include it in various dishes that you cool. Palak paneer is, in fact, one of the favorite north-Indian dishes for many across the globe.
2. Kale
Largely unexplored and overlooked, kale makes to the top of the list when it comes to the healthiest vegetables that are today present on the Earth’s planet. Some of the health benefits and nutritional facts about this green leafy vegetable are as follows:
- 67 grams or one cup of kale helps to provide the body’s daily requirement for various vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, as well as Vitamin K.
- Not only that, the leafy vegetable is a rich source of the much-needed potassium, calcium, as well as copper that the body requires
- The phytonutrients present therein helps to give the positive effects that the antioxidants provide in the body
- Drinking Kale juice also goes a long way in reducing the blood pressure of the body
- The good cholesterol known as the HDL cholesterol increases to healthy levels when you consume Kale juice on a regular basis
- The green vegetable helps to provide much-needed protein and fiber. Fiber, as you know, is very important for the body and helps to provide various health benefits to the body
This green leafy vegetable can be consumed in various forms. You can cook it or even make juice out of it.
3. Carrots
How often have you heard that you should eat carrots every day? Well, this is for a reason. Carrots are packed with all the essential nutrients that the body possibly needs for a healthy living. Some nutritional facts about carrots are:
- If you eat just about one cup of carrot, you will get all the required amount of Vitamin A that the body requires on a daily basis
- Carrots are considered a great source of minerals such as potassium, Vitamin K, as well as Vitamin C
- Presence of antioxidants such as beta-carotene ensures that your body remains healthy after regular consumption
- Carrots have long been known to improve eyesight in individuals
- The immune system of the body increases to a great extent
- The fiber in carrots is also considered healthy
- People who consume carrots on a daily basis are known to stay aloof from the possibilities of lung cancer and other diseases such as prostate cancer
You can always peel the vegetable and eat them as part of your salad. Besides, you can make =carrot curries and other things out of it.
4. Garlic
While most of us avoid the vegetable because of the strong smell, very little do we know that garlic has a lot of nutrients intact which make it one of the healthiest vegetables on planet earth.
- Allicin is the most important compound present in garlic which lends all the important health benefits to the food item.
- Amongst the several health benefits that the vegetable is known to provide, the most prominent one includes improving the heart health of an individual
- Blood sugar levels are also known to be regulated at stable levels if you consume garlic on a daily basis
- It is particularly important for a diabetes patient as it goes a long way in helping to reduce the levels of triglycerides in the body of an individual. This will render tremendous health benefit to an individual who happens to suffer from diabetes
- The vegetable goes a long way in helping to prevent cancer and other diseases as well.
There are many different ways of including garlic in your diet. You can make varieties of chutneys out of it and also include this in curries.
5. Collard Greens
These look like spinach and are known to be packed with various minerals and nutrients.
- Collard greens are a rich source of Vitamin C
- If you are deficient in calcium, you sure want to add collard greens to your daily diet
- These are very good in the total fiber content
- Collard greens, not many will know, provide for the daily requirement of vitamin A that the body requires
You can include collard greens in your daily diet easily. You can include these in salads. You can eat collard greens in combination with garlic to get maximum health benefits.
6. Brocolli
Another wonder green leafy vegetable that most of the people are unaware of is Brocolli. The vegetable is packed with essential nutrients which ensures that its regular consumption renders the maximum health benefits to us as individuals.
- Rich in phytonutrients, broccoli is known to reduce the risk of contracting certain diseases namely diabetes, various types of cancers, heart-related conditions, amongst others
- The antioxidant, beta-carotene is also known to impart a number of health benefits to the green leafy vegetable
- Vitamin C is also present in abundance. By eating just a few grams of the vegetable, you can complete the daily required intake of this particular vitamin
- The presence of sulforaphane, in turn, provides added health benefits to broccoli
- A lot of diseases in the body are known to be caused owing to oxidative stress. By reducing the same, broccoli protects the body from a number of diseases
Broccoli can easily be added in your daily diet in the form of salads or just toss the vegetable in olive oil and eat the same in roasted form.
7. Brussel Sprouts
Brussel sprouts belong to the same family of vegetables as the above-mentioned broccoli. Hence, it is no surprise that even these tend to impart a number of health benefits to the body.
- The cells are protected from getting damaged if you regularly consume the Brussel This is achieved owing to the presence of the anti-oxidant named kaempferol.
- If you want to detoxify your body, this is the vegetable that you should consume on a daily basis
- Like broccoli, Brussel sprouts are also known to reduce oxidative stress in the body. This, in turn, helps the body from a lot of diseases
- Vitamin c is present in abundance and that is how the immune system in the body is built up owing to the regular consumption of the sprouts
These are mostly eaten roasted and often make way as a great addition to salads.
8. Tomatoes
Most of people love tomatoes. So, for all tomato lovers, it is happy news that the vegetable has found its way into the list of top 15 healthiest vegetables. Some of the nutritional facts related to tomatoes include the following:
- Lycopene is one of the most important elements present in the vegetable. This gives the daily requirement of vitamin K to the body
- Besides, your body shall get adequate amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C on a daily basis with the regular consumption of tomatoes
- Lycopene protects the body against various other diseases such as heart-related conditions, diabetes, infertility, amongst a host of others
- Immunity system in the body also builds up owing to the regular consumption of tomatoes
Tomatoes can be eaten in any form-raw, cooked, baked, or even roasted. That is the beauty of this vegetable.
9. Ginger
Another vegetable that many do not know has a lot of health benefits to impart is ginger. After reading about its nutritional aspects, I am sure you shall use this vegetable not just for flavoring your tea, but also in other food items to stay healthy and hearty.
- Ginger has long been known to reduce the problem of nausea
- If you suffer from the problem of inflammation, you should regularly consume ginger root in its various forms
- The root can help to prevent diseases such as diabetes and a host of other chronic conditions too
- Lupus, arthritis, and other conditions shall remain at bay if you include ginger in the food that you intake on a daily basis
- Since ancient times, the roots of the ginger plant have been used to treat the problem of motion sickness in men and women
You can use ginger not only as a spice but also as one of the main ingredients of the various dishes that you prepare. It will not only make your dish tastier but your body shall also benefit from the wide variety of health benefits that ginger shall offer.
10. Sweet Potatoes
Yet another vegetable that offers a number of health benefits is sweet potatoes. Some of the health benefits are listed below:
- The orange color of the vegetable comes from the presence of the antioxidant known as beta-carotene that is also found in carrots. It is this that offers a number of health benefits to the vegetable
- You need not worry about completing the daily recommended levels of potassium and fiber if you are someone who consumes sweet potato almost regularly
- It is a rich source of vitamin A
You can easily eat a sweet potato in a baked form. You can use it as a side dish when you want something with items such as fish as well as chicken.
11. Asparagus
You can easily add asparagus to any type of diet that you eat. The vegetable is known to impart several health benefits:
- Folate is a much- required substance by the body. Consuming small amounts of the vegetable ensures that your daily requirement of folate has been met
- It also acts as an antitoxin and is highly preferred in the case of childbirth. It has a tremendous cleansing effect on your body
- You shall get adequate amounts of fiber as well as the daily requirements of vitamin A and Vitamin C when you make it a habit to consume the vegetable on a daily basis
- Vitamin K, riboflavin, as well as thiamine, are also present in abundant quantities in this vegetable
There is more than just one way of including asparagus in your daily diet.
12. Red Cabbage
Like the Kale and the other cruciferous vegetables mentioned above, the red cabbage offers a number of health benefits to the individuals who consume it on a regular basis. Some of the nutritional facts about red cabbage include the following:
- A cup of the leafy vegetable comprises of enough fiber that is needed on a daily basis by the body
- Most of the Vitamin C that the body requires on a daily basis is also said to be covered by the regular consumption of the red cabbage
- The anthocyanins present in red cabbage helps a great deal in providing a number of health benefits such as reduction of heart-related conditions, reduction of contracting liver diseases, and the risks of several inflammatory conditions
Red cabbage can be eaten as part of salads or can even be cooked in the form of delicious curry.
13. Cauliflower
Another vegetable that can easily be found in an Indian household makes it to the list of the healthiest vegetables on the planet.
- The vegetable helps to protect against a number of diseases and also helps in stabilizing the high blood pressure levels of the body
- Your heart health will also stay protected if you consume the vegetable regularly
Cauliflower can be used in a number of versatile ways. You can make various varieties of Indian curries and dishes out of cauliflower.
14. Kohlrabi
Next on the list is the lesser-known Kohlrabi which has a tremendous amount of nutritional value and offers a lot of health benefits if you consume it on a regular basis.
- The vegetable has an abundance of vitamin C
- If you eat the vegetable in all its raw form, you are sure to get adequate amounts of fiber that the body requires
- The antioxidants present in the vegetable ensures that your body is protected against a lot of diseases such as diabetes and other chronic illnesses
- The vegetable also has anti-inflammatory properties
- The most important antioxidant present in the vegetable is the phenolic antioxidants
- Amongst various varieties of the vegetable that are today available in the market, the red kohlrabi is considered to be the healthiest
- Blood sugar levels are also controlled to a great extent when you eat the vegetable regularly
You can eat it in both its raw as well as cooked form.
15. Celery
Last but definitely not least. One of the healthiest and amazing vegetables present on the planet is the green leafy celery.
- The nutrition present herein is known to have anti-inflammatory properties
- Almost no calories present in the vegetable ensures that you can include it in your diet when you are trying to lose weight
- The high water content of the leafy vegetable ensures that its regular consumption keeps you hydrated at all times
You can eat the celery as part of your salad or can even make a soup out of it. Besides, smoothies made from celery sticks also turn out to be really good.
Thus, the above are just a few of the many vegetables that help you maintain a healthy life. You should definitely try including these in your daily routine!