It is true that all veggies are good for you. However, there are some that stand out exceptionally over others – and these are the ones you shouldn’t be missing out.
Here are the 3 healthiest vegetables followed by tips on how to add them into a balanced diet.
1. Spinach
A leafy green that is pumped with antioxidants, calcium, vitamins and iron, spinach is a great addition to a meat or dairy free diet.
A cup of raw spinach is pumped with high water content and has only 7 calories.
Here is a breakdown of the nutrients in a cup of spinach:
- An adult’s daily requirement of Vitamin K
- 0.86g of protein
- 30mg of calcium
- 0.81g of iron
- 24mg of magnesium
- 167mg of potassium
- 2,813 units of Vitamin A
- 58mg of folate
According to the USDA, 100 grams of spinach contains 28.1 mg of Vitamin C.
By adding spinach into your diet, you will improve the way your body absorbs calcium thanks to the Vitamin K content. The iron will provide your with a good amount of energy and healthy blood while the magnesium aids in muscle and nerve functions.
Enjoy your spinach raw in salads, smoothies, and sandwiches or cook it as an addition to pasta and soups.
2. Kale
A popular leafy green especially in salads, pasta dishes, chips and juice, kale has a lot of health benefits.
One cup of raw kale contains:
- 8 calories
- 0.6g of fibre
- 0.68g of protein
- Alpha-lipoic acid antioxidant
- 79mg of potassium
- 24mg of calcium
- 0.24mg of iron
- 8mg of magnesium
- 15mg of phosphorus
- 6mg of sodium
- 19.2mg of Vitamin C
- 2mcg of folate
- 11.2 mcg of Vitamin K
- 80mcg of Vitamin A
Kale may benefit those with high cholesterol and help to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
3. Broccoli
One of the healthiest veggies you should be eating, broccoli belongs to the cruciferous family together with kale, cabbage and cauliflower.
A single cup of raw broccoli has:
- 31 calories
- Zero fat
- 2g of sugar
- 2g of fibre
- 3g of protein
- 43mg of calcium
- Over 100% of an adult’s daily requirement of Vitamin C (81mg) and Vitamin K (92 micrograms)
- Folate
- Sulforaphane known to help fight against cancer
It’s easy to consume broccoli in a pasta bake, as an addition to rice, tossed into a salad, blended in soup, among many other methods of cooking.
Keeping your veggies fresher for longer
Eating fresh and crisp vegetables not only tastes better, but also helps retain the nutritional value associated with the veg.
Instead of throwing out your old veggies or eating wilted ones that have lost their freshness, take precautionary measures to help keep your veggies fresher for longer in the crisper.
Simply get your hands on some Fresh and Crisp vegetable bags designed to create an airtight seal, keeping moisture and excess air out while maintaining the freshness of your veggies.
Eating healthy vegetables has never been easier with the ability to store them freshly in your fridge for up to three weeks using fresh and crisp veggie bags.