5 Things to Consider in Your Vegetable Selection and Consumption

There are some important guidelines to consider in your vegetable selection and consumption, as not all vegetables are created equal.

Here are 5 factors to consider;

#01

Vegetables rich in colour generally indicate that they are higher in vital nutrients than their pale counterparts.
For instance, dark green romaine lettuce, spinach, or kale is much higher in nutrients than nearly white iceberg lettuce, which has virtually no nutritional value.
Red onions are much higher in flavonoids and antioxidants than white or yellow onions.
The same is true for red grapes versus green grapes, and red, yellow, and purple bell peppers are higher in nutrients than green peppers and well worth the additional cost.
There are some exceptions to this rule such as cauliflower, which is white but which is still a nutrient-dense vegetable.

For purposes of your health, pretend that potatoes are not a vegetable but a grain.
That is because they are high in simple carbs and they act upon your body similar to grains and sugars, promoting weight gain and disease.
This is true whether they are baked, mashed, boiled, or fried.
Fried potatoes such as French fries are double trouble and you should avoid them like the plague.
French fries are high in dangerous trans-fats, which are fats damaged by the heating process that contain a molecular conformation that causes heart disease and cancer.
In addition, fried potatoes contain the carcinogenic substance acrylamide.

Limit your consumption of other root vegetables, such as beets and carrots, as they are higher in carbohydrates than above-ground vegetables.
If you do eat them, eat them raw as cooking increases their glycaemic index.

Organic produce is usually much higher in nutrients and you’ll also find organic produce tastes better.
Moreover, organic farmers don’t use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, all of which can harm your health.
If you can’t buy organic produce, don’t let that stop you from buying produce at all,
Of course, just make sure you remove some of the chemicals by soaking them for 10 minutes in a sink with water, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide, or a vegetable wash found at most health food stores.

Focus on eating your vegetables raw.
Some people find raw vegetables difficult to digest and will have to incorporate them slowly and in small amounts.
The reason for eating raw vegetables is there are valuable and highly perishable micronutrients that are damaged when you heat them.