10 Most Nutritious Vegetables
Vegetables are some of nature’s most nutritious foods. Here are some of the top most nutritious ones.
“Eat your vegetables!”
Growing up as a picky eater, I can still vividly remember that line during meal time. My mom would not let me leave the dining table until the vegetables she put on my plate will ‘disappear’.
I can’t remember when exactly I started to like eating vegetables. All I know is that I have become a huge fan of them today.
Yes, mom had every right to be strict in teaching me to love veggies because they are some of nature’s top most nutritious foods.
Carrots
A cup of raw carrots contains a whopping 34317 IU of vitamin A, making it the richest vegetable source of pro-vitamin A carotenes, a phytonutrient which has shown to help protect vision and is associated with reduced risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers. This orange root crop is also a very good source of vitamins C and K, dietary fiber and potassium and a good source of B complex, manganese, molebdenum, phosphorus, magnesium and folate.
Sweet Potatoes
A cup of baked sweet potatoes with skin is an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene as it contains 13107 IU of this powerful antioxidant. It is also a very good source of manganese and vitamin C and a good source of vitamin B6 and the minerals copper, fiber, potassium and iron. Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in anthocyanins and have the highest antioxidant activity among sweet potato varieties.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are bursting with more than 20 vitamins and minerals. A cup of ripe red tomatoes supplies an excellent amount of vitamins A, C and K. It is a very good source of molebdenum , potassium, manganese, chromium and vitamins B1 and B6. It is also a good source of folate, copper, iron, B complex and other essential nutrients. Tomatoes are well known for their lycopene content, a phytonutrient with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.
Soybeans
Soybeans are one of the most well researched health-promoting foods in the world today. A cup of cooked soybeans can supply the body with excellent amount of molebdenum and tryptophan, a very good amount of manganese and protein and a good amount of more than 10 other essential nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and potassium. One cup of soybean provides more than 50% of the needed daily value for protein.
Asparagus
This almost leafless member of the lily family with fleshy green spears has been considered a delicacy since ancient times. A cup of boiled asparagus is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K and folate. It is a very good source of more than 10 vitamins and minerals including B complex, potassium and fiber. Asparagus has been described by second century physician, Galen, as “cleansing and healing.”
Bell Pepper
With their beautifully shaped glossy exterior that comes in a wide variety of vivid colors ranging from green to black, bell peppers are known as the Christmas ornaments of the vegetables world. A cup of sliced, red, raw bell pepper provides 5244 mg of vitamin A which is more than 100% of the needed daily value. It is also an excellent source of vitamins C and B6 and a very good source of fiber, molebdenum, manganese and folate.
Spinach
Spinach is a treasure-trove of nutrients as it boasts more than 35 essential vitamins and minerals. A cup of boiled spinach is an excellent source of over a dozen nutrients. It can provide the body with three times the needed daily value of vitamin A and over 1000% of the recommended daily value of vitamin K as it contains 1023 mcg of the nutrient. More than a dozen flavonoids has also been identified with this leafy green.
Brussels Sprouts
A cup of boiled Brussels sprouts is an excellent source of vitamins C and K and a very good source of B complex, folate, fiber, potassium and vitamin A, one of the most important antioxidant found in nature. This miniature cabbage look-alike is also rich in vitamin E, calcium and copper. Studies have shown that diets high in cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are linked to lower incidence of certain cancers, including lung, colon, breast and ovarian cancer.
Broccoli
Broccoli has been considered a uniquely valuable food among Italians since the Roman Empire. A cup of boiled broccoli supplies an excellent amount of vitamins A, C and K, folate and fiber. It contains 505 mg of potassium and 102 mg of phosphorus. It is also rich in iron, zinc, vitamin E, B complex and over 20 other essential nutrients. Broccoli may be eaten raw, boiled or steamed, but steaming, microwaving and stir-frying are recommended so as not to reduce the presence of its suspected anticancer compounds.
Kale
Kale, also known as borecole, is a highly nutritious and blushing with antioxidants vegetable. A cup of cooked, boiled and drained without salt contains a massive 1062 mcg of vitamin K and 9620 IU of vitamin A –almost double the needed daily value. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese and a very good source of fiber, copper, calcium and potassium. Its phytonutrients include glucosinolates and flavonoids and is well known for its carotenoid content, especially lutein and zeanthin.
Related articles:
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- Five Fruits Which Help Lower Blood Pressure
- Six Fruits and Vegetables Which Fight Arthritis
- 10 Fruits and Veggies Which Help Promote Fertility
Liked it
papaleng | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
JK, you have again came out with a very interesting post that is very helpful..
mzmax100 | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
hehe, mum always tells us to eat our veges. Me and dad usually put a bit of tar tar sauce and we can accept that into our diet =)
Thanks for sharing the article, well done on the research, you presented it well!
Papa Sparks | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
All my favorite veggies in one article!
Yovita Siswati | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
I love eating all of the veggies in your article. Wish my daughter is old enough to read by herself that veggies are very beneficial so that I don’t have to perssuade her everyday to eat her veggies
Westbrook | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
I was not the typical kid grwing up. I have always loved just about every kind of vegetable there is. Besides the delicious vegetables you mention here, there are also many wild kinds of vgetables that I used to pick and have my mom cook.
valli | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
Good read and beautiful images.
Lily River | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
I should eat more vegetables, but I don’t like asparagus. Could someone message me about ways to make it taste good. It seems like they would be good for me.
fedjdc | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
thanks for sharing this info
deep blue | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
Very well written JK. My seal of excellence goes with this article.
Anne McNew | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
I love the Broccoli when it’s fried with starch and egg….
deklin42 | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
I’m hungry for veggies!
athena goodlight | Sep 23, 2009 | Reply
Very helpful article. What I like most about sweet potatoes are they’re dirt cheap yet nutritious. Thanks for sharing!
sunshine926 | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
Very well -researched. I like your introduction paragraph. I love carrots and tomatoes. Nice visuals especially the bell peppers.
Joshua Miguel | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
good thing i eat all these vegetables mentioned in your article. tnx for the share
nobert soloria bermosa | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
my favorites….thanks
Payge | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
I like 4 out of your list,vegtables are good for you but admits I dont eat as much as I should of them.But that can be changed
after reading your article.
kamlesh786 | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
really healthy
carlief69 | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
Hi,
Asparagus can be good cooked with onions or garlic. You can also season it with Lawry’s Garlic Salt, black pepper, complete seasoning salt, or onion powder to name a few. When cooking it, you can add butter with the above seasonings or butter by itself with a pinch of salt (to wake up the taste). You can also sautee them in olive oil with black pepper or pesto. Add fresh basil leaves or cilentro when baking or sautee-ing Asparagus. You can also pair them with your favorite vegetables. I often do that and it comes out very good. For example, as side dish, I’ll sautee them in olive oil (this oil is natural and healthy, so I life using it) with tomatoes (one of my favorite vegetables) and tomatoes. Then I would sprinkle Badia’s Complete Seasoning to give a spark of taste. I hope these ideas help. Have a great day! Best wishes, Carline
Sourav | Sep 24, 2009 | Reply
This is truly useful! I liked the detailed info! Thanks!
Ruby Hawk | Sep 25, 2009 | Reply
I am vegetarian so I love all veggies. They are so good for you and they don’t make you fat.I have had to give up some of my favorites and it’s awful but I live with it.
Literati | Sep 26, 2009 | Reply
H! Ms. JK
I just want to share something I’ve learned from a botany class.
our Prof said that there are no such thing as a vegetable because the definition of fruit is anything that is the product of the mature ovum of the flower of the plant. He says, therefore, that tomatoes, eggplants, etc. are all fruits.
but anyway, that is the botanical perspective. Hehe. Nice write!
JK Kristie | Sep 26, 2009 | Reply
Thanks, everyone! =)
beauley | Sep 26, 2009 | Reply
Very well researched and a great article. I study and write about food nutrition and I must insert here that much of our food in general is “irradiated” to prevent spoilage and in the process some nutritional content is removed. It is not the case for organically grown. I started growing my own organically indoors under CFL lamps.
shelly | Sep 26, 2009 | Reply
luv luv uv veggies mmmmm mmm grew up on a mini…farm!!!!! would\’nt of change it for the world!!!!that\’s why i look so dang good!!!!!!!
Mark | Sep 27, 2009 | Reply
I’m surprised to see tomatoes on the list. I thought that something that tasted so good would have to be lower
Rex Harris | Sep 30, 2009 | Reply
Great info! Really liked the video as well. Time to get my blender back out I think.
CutestPrincess | Oct 13, 2009 | Reply
You are providing a valuable information for all of us! I can tell this is your passion. thanks for sharing.
Starpisces | Nov 2, 2009 | Reply
Good information and nice pictures.
Netty net | Nov 17, 2009 | Reply
Some of them I like to make a nice salad. dinner.
thestickman | Nov 22, 2009 | Reply
Favorite veggies and amazing images used! Thanks!