10 of the Healthiest Vegetables You Can Eat
Onion
You'll
get the most out of this veggie's cancer-fighting antioxidants by eating it
raw; cooking onions at a high heat significantly reduces the benefits of
phytochemicals that protect against lung and prostate cancer. Try combining
chopped raw onions with tomatoes, avocado, and jalapeño peppers for a blood
sugar–friendly chip dip. Finish with a splash of lime juice.
Corn
On the cob or off, just make sure you eat
your corn cooked! A study in the Journal
of Agricultural Food and Chemistry found that the longer corn
was cooked, the higher the levels of antioxidants like lutein, which combats
blindness in older adults. Try this recipe for coconut grilled corn.
Peas
Tiny but mighty, one study in the International Journal of Cancer found
that daily consumption of green peas along with other legumes lowered the risk
of stomach cancer. Try a brown rice risotto with lemon and
green peas.
Kale
This veggie's curly green leaves are chock
full of vitamin C, an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of heart disease by
lowering levels of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol.
Broccoli
Broccoli is full of cancer-fighting
antioxidants. One study found men who ate 5 servings or more per week of
cruciferous veggies (broccoli's one of them!) were half as likely to develop
bladder cancers over a 10-year period as men who rarely ate them. Enjoy with
some broccoli cheddar soup.
Red bell pepper
One medium pepper is light on calories (only
32!) but heavy on vitamin C, providing 150 percent of your recommended daily
value and warding off atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart disease.
Try one of these recipes for
stuffed peppers.
Spinach
Spinach is packed with
carotenoids—antioxidants that promote healthy eyes and help prevent macular
degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Cooking the green
helps make lutein (a carotenoid) more absorbable by your body. Try this spinach and goat cheese
omelet.
Alfalfa sprouts
This tiny powerhouse is rich in
beta-carotene, an antioxidant that protects against lung cancer and helps
maintain healthy skin, hair, nails, gums, glands, bones, and teeth. It's also a
good source of vitamin E, which may help prevent heart attacks, stokes, and
lower the risk of death from bladder cancer. Try this chicken, avocado, and alfalfa sprouts
sandwich.
Brussels sprouts
These balls of antioxidants can help detoxify
cancer-causing free radicals, and with 80 percent of your daily vitamin C in
just 1/2 cup, also help fight heart disease and ward off cataracts. Try
sautéing them with a little bacon or olive oil and mustard for a smoky kick.
Beets
Roasted or pickled, this root vegetable
contains high levels of antioxidants that fight cancer, as well as lutein,
which protects the eyes. Don't throw out those leaves! Beet greens are the most
nutritious part of the vegetable and can be cooked like any other dark leafy
green. Try one of these recipes where
beets are the star.
Source: Readers Digest http://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/healthiest-vegetables/
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