Importance of Eating the Right Vegetables

By Taylor Pineda

Although we might not be the biggest fans of fruits and vegetables, it is evident they are important for a healthy body and mind.

The nutrition habits we set for our children are even more important than ever. With obesity and diabetes on the rise, the website Saludify has compiled this list of the top 5 tastiest vegetables you need to include in your diet as well as that of your child’s.

Kale: Kale is often used as a garnish in fancy restaurants, but this leafy vegetable is one of the top vegetables you need to have in your diet, according to Live Science. Kale is not only inexpensive, it has 206 percent of the recommended daily supply of Vitamin A, and 134 percent of Vitamin C.

Green Cabbage: Cabbage isn’t usually on top of the list when people think about tasty vegetables to include in a meal, but green cabbage–when left uncooked–is incredibly healthy. Just one cup of raw green cabbage contains almost a full days worth of Vitamin K.

Carrots: Carrots are very versatile. Even when cooked, these vegetables are very nutritious. Carrots contain more than 70 percent of your daily required Vitamin A, and are also considered a part of a healthy fertility diet.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are an important vegetable to include in your diet because they get their beautiful color from a substance called lycopene. Alternative Health Atlanta indicates lycopene is a carotenoid known to help reduce the risk of heart disease, cataracts, and cancer.

Eggplant: Eggplant can be cooked and served in a variety of ways making it a great vegetable to incorporate into your favorite dishes. The best part about eating eggplant is that it contains a flavonoid called nasunin, which has been linked to protection of the central nervous system.

Although these vegetables point out to great health factors, it is important to remember the all fruits and vegetables can be beneficial to one’s health.

“What is ultimately most important in maintaining good health is a dietary pattern that includes all of these foods along with a wide variety of other nutritious foods and regular physical activity,” Tufts University researcher Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, told WebMD.