Live A Healthier Life and Start With Your Vegetables

Just the other day I decided to take it upon myself to do some research. I was curious as to what exactly was deemed the "healthiest vegetable". Upon searching around, I ended up finding that everyone seemed to have a different answer to what they believed was the very healthiest vegetable. Some people said collard greens, some people said onions, others broccoli! It didn’t seem anyone could agree. I found this amusing, and ended up deciding, why choose just one when there are so many? We all can agree that they all have their benefits, and so for our article today here are ten amazing vegetables that you can eat to enhance your overall health and well being!

1. Collard Greens. Collard greens are a staple of every good southern diet, used in plenty of different recipes in a variety of ways. Tasty and pretty, this veggie has been researched extensively in relation to fighting cancer. – Three of it’s amazing nutrients, - sulforaphane, selenium, and diindolymethane - have all been shown to have cancer fighting properties. It is also bursting with vitamin E, calcium, and beta-carotene.

2. Onions. Onions have been shown to have great health-promoting benefits. Onions contain a flavanoid (Antioxidant) called "quercetin". Quercetin has been found to be the most active of the flavanoids. Containing not only antioxidants that fight free radical damage, it has also been shown to have incredible anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties.

3. Red peppers. (Bell Peppers) Whether they are being used as a colorful display on the dinner table or adding a perfect flavor to the food itself, these beautiful peppers are known for their ability to add a certain zest to a meal. What most people don’t know, however, is that they contain plenty of Vitamins C and A, and because they are loaded with vitamin B6 and folic acid, they can seriously reduce your risk of heart-related illnesses and stroke. But they don’t stop there – these sweet veggies have loads of antioxidants, which make them another vegetable that fight off the aging effects of free radicals.

4. Sweet Potatoes. Whether they’re put in a casserole, baked in a pie, or tossed into chowder, sweet potatoes aren’t just for the holidays! And that’s a good thing, because the nutrition in these bad boys is something you’ll definitely want to be getting year round! They’ve got a lot of vitamins A (beta-carotene) and C, and these two work wonders in your body as antioxidants! Add that to the calcium, protein, iron, and fiber they contain and you’ve got way more than just a sweet treat, you’ve got a very nutritious veggie!

5. Broccoli. Broccoli is very well known for being an incredible anti-cancer food. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, an anti-microbial and anti-cancer compound that helps your cells to create cancer-fighting enzymes. It is also rich in vitamins C and A.

6. Carrots. Unfortunately for all 10-year-old boys, carrots won’t actually give you binocular vision. They will, however, help improve your vision, and are great for your eyes. The source of this is their rich quantities of beta-carotene. Your body naturally converts this substance into Vitamin A, and without enough of this nutrient one’s eyesight suffers horribly. Healthy amounts of Vitamin K are also included as well as being a plentiful source of Fiber. So be like Bugs and toss them into your soups, stews, smoothies, or eat them fresh and raw!

7. Eggplants. Eggplants are not only good for you; they’re extremely low in calories, making them a great diet food. They’re a great source of fiber, copper, Vitamin B1, and potassium. The skin of the eggplant also contains plenty of antioxidants, and studies have shown it can help reduce risks of heart-related medical problems.

8. Spinach. Spinach is an incredible food, after all, where would Popeye have been without it? Unfortunately though, the whole "spinach will make you as strong as a super hero" line of thought is a complete myth. It originated from a false assumption about the iron content in spinach, and while it does have an above average amount of iron in it, it wont be able to give you super hero strength! Fortunately though, spinach has plenty of other amazing health benefits that definitely make it a great "super food"! It is very nutritionally dense, containing plenty of vitamins C, A and E, as well as magnesium! (And of course, plenty of iron!)

9. Celery. Celery often seems overlooked as far as "healthy vegetables" go. It’s used plenty as low-calorie snack substitutes but it’s often not the first veggie to come to mind when thinking health-wise. True, it’s great for weight-loss and dieters, as it’s extraordinarily low in calories, but it’s also a good source of calcium, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium, making it surprisingly more nutritious than most would think.

10. Asparagus. Asparagus is one of the few vegetables loaded in vitamin E, making it great for skin health, and it also contains a lot of potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber as well. Another really cool thing about asparagus is two antioxidants it has called "glutathione" and "rutin". Glutathione has been shown to have cancer-fighting qualities, while rutin is great for strengthening the walls of your capillaries.

We all want to live healthier, more fulfilling lives, and fortunately that can be as easy as tossing a few healthy veggies into your diet. Of course, while we’ll probably always have differing opinions on the "healthiest", there’s no question that every one of these vegetables is great for you!