Happy National Eat Your Vegetables Day!!!!

June 17th is National Eat Your Vegetables Day!!  Today is dedicated to getting people eating their veggies and to spread awareness of how necessary they are for a healthy diet.

Veggies are loaded with beneficial nutrients, including: vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals. They help with skin, improve regularity, improve eyesight and help decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The potassium they provide may help prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Eat the Rainbow

The more variety you eat, the better.  Choose different colors of vegetables to get an even greater mix of nutrients.

Orange - veggies contain beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A, which is great for eyesight and eliminating free radicals. The beta-carotene gives the vegetable its orange color.  Some of the healthiest orange vegetables are sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin and carrots.

Red – Veggies like tomatoes and red peppers contain lycopene, a phytochemical that has been linked to protecting the body against breast and prostate cancer.    They are also a  great source of vitamin A and C.

Green –Are rich in phytochemicals that improve your overall health and are rich in fiber. Cruciferous vegetables specifically, have sulfurous compounds that help your liver detoxify harmful cancer-causing substances, prevent macular degeneration and protect women from ovarian cancer.  Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, and collard greens

Dark Green – include spinach, romaine, green leaf, arugula and butterhead. These nutrient-dense leaves are crisp and slightly bitter, and make great raw salads. Dark lettuces are rich in vitamins A, C and K.  They also contain folate that aids in cell reproduction and lutein which helps eyesight. 

Purple -  Many purple foods are rich in anthocyanin, a type of flavonoid that is great for fighting the damage that daily living does to your cells. Purple veggies: Purple cabbage, purple asparagus and purple Belgian endive.

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