If you’ve ever been told to eat your vegetables you were actually getting solid advice. Vegetables are excellent for your health and contain a rich variety of nutrients that keep you healthy, happy and strong. Nonetheless, not all vegetables are created equal. Here are eight of the best vegetables out there that will take your health and vitality to new levels of awesomeness.
1. Beet Greens
Beet greens are incredibly good for your health. They’re full of Vitamin K and all sorts of healthy ingredients and they taste quite delicious as well with some diced garlic and olive oil that’s been fried in a pan. You can also put beet greens into your soup, into some mouth-watering penne or linguine or just blend it into a smoothie and drink it down.¹
2. Spinach
Spinach isn’t just for Popeye, it’s for everyone who wants to be healthy and strong. This wonder vegetable is full of Vitamins A and K and chock full of iron and antioxidants that boost your immune system and can help reduce the risks of awful long-term diseases including cancer. In addition to its excellent nutritional properties, spinach can even lower your blood pressure.² Eat up.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the best vegetables on the planet and is full of a healthy ingredient called glucosinolate which helps prevent cancer.³ It is also packed with Vitamin K, Vitamin C, folate, and potassium. As if that weren’t enough, broccoli can also stop you from getting all sorts of other sicknesses like cardiac disease. Broccoli is always a good choice, raw or sautéed.⁴
4. Ginger
Ginger is amazing and it is also tasty and good for you. Ginger can be used in stir fries, sweet desserts, many different cultures’ foods and everything in between. It has been found to help settle the stomach and be good for digestion,⁵ and in addition, ginger is very good at reducing inflammation in the body so can help with rheumatoid arthritis, gout and other similar conditions. It can even help with reducing the symptoms of diabetes.⁶
5. Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is from the cabbage family and it tastes amazing. It is full of healthy fiber and Vitamin C and acts as a detoxifier for your body, fighting back against diseases like diabetes and arthritis.⁷ Kolhrabi has also been found to help bring down blood pressure. It’s worth noting that red kohlrabi is even healthier than regular kohlrabi, so if you can get a hold of it then by all means do so.⁸
6. Cucumbers
Cucumbers are soaking with water and are a natural detoxifier for your body, providing an immune system and overall health boost. Whether you are blending them in a smoothie or slicing them up to eat on a plate, cucumbers have barely any calories and are an excellent idea any time of the day.⁹
7. Garlic
Garlic has been used throughout history as a natural remedy for many different things including keeping blood sugar stable and cardiac wellness. The primary ingredient that makes garlic excellent for your health is called allicin, and this ingredient helps bring down blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and—long-term—garlic can even reduce cancer risk.¹⁰
8. Peas
Even though peas are not “low carb” they are very good for you in moderate amounts. They are full of fiber, protein and a rainbow of vitamins and minerals including Vitamins C and K and thiamin and riboflavin. They are also good for your digestion and gut health which are both extremely important for long term health and wellness. In short, they are very nutritionally dense and a worthwhile staple to include in your diet.¹¹
[1] https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-powerhouse-vegetables
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4525132/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20388854
[4] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/broccoli/
[5] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nausea-remedies/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16117603
[7] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-101/
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287320/
[9] https://food.ndtv.com/health/7-healing-benefits-of-cucumber-to-beat-the-heat-this-summer-1399476
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22860996
[11] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/green-peas-are-healthy
