health benefits of vegetables

Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy diet, 

and variety is as important as quantity.

 

  People who eat fruit and vegetables as part of their daily diet have a reduced risk of many chronic diseases.Vegetables can be eaten either raw or cooked and play an important role in human nutrition, being mostly low in fat and carbohydrates, but high in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Many nutritionists encourage people to consume plenty of fruit and vegetables, five or more portions a day often being recommended.

Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. 
The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, leaves, roots, and seeds. The alternate definition of the term vegetable is applied somewhat arbitrarily, often by culinary and cultural tradition. 
It may exclude foods derived from some plants that are fruits, nuts, and cereal grains, but include fruits from others such as tomatoes and courgettes and seeds such as pulses. 

Nutrition and health

Vegetables play an important role in human nutrition. Most are low in fat and calories but are bulky and filling.They supply dietary fiber and are important sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Particularly important are the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E. When vegetables are included in the diet, there is found to be a reduction in the incidence of cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic ailments. 

Research has shown that, compared with individuals who eat less than three servings of fruits and vegetables each day, those that eat more than five servings have an approximately twenty percent lower risk of developing coronary heart disease or stroke. 
 
The nutritional content of vegetables varies considerably; some contain useful amounts of protein though generally they contain little fat, and varying proportions of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin B6; provitamins; dietary minerals; and carbohydrates.
However, vegetables often also contain toxins and antinutrients which interfere with the absorption of nutrients.

eating fruits and vegetables can also keep your eyes healthy, and may help prevent two common aging-related eye diseases—cataracts and macular degeneration—which afflict millions of Americans over age 65. Lutein and zeaxanthin, in particular, seem protective against cataracts.

Fruit and vegetables, particularly leafy vegetables, have been implicated in nearly half the gastrointestinal infections caused by norovirus in the United States. These foods are commonly eaten raw and may become contaminated during their preparation by an infected food handler. Hygiene is important when handling foods to be eaten raw, and such products need to be properly cleaned, handled, and stored to limit contamination.

 

Health Benefits of Beetroot

 The beetroot is the taproot portion of the beet plant, usually known in North America as the beet and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, or golden beet. It is one of several of the cultivated varieties of Beta vulgaris grown for their edible taproots and their leaves (called beet greens).
Other than as a food, beets have used as a food coloring and as a medicinal plant. Many beet products are made from other Beta vulgaris varieties, particularly sugar beet.

Boosts Weight Loss

Boosts Strength

Improves Digestion

Improves Sexual Health

Lowers Blood Pressure

Prevents Cancer

Boosts Brain Health


Usually, the deep purple roots of beetroot are eaten boiled, roasted, or raw, and either alone or combined with any salad vegetable. A large proportion of the commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilized beets or into pickles. In Eastern Europe, beet soup, such as borscht, is a popular dish. In Indian cuisine, chopped, cooked, spiced beet is a common side dish. Yellow-colored beetroots are grown on a very small scale for home consumption.
The green, leafy portion of the beet is also edible. The young leaves can be added raw to salads, whilst the mature leaves are most commonly served boiled or steamed, in which case they have a taste and texture similar to spinach. Those greens selected should be from bulbs that are unmarked, instead of those with overly limp leaves or wrinkled skins, both of which are signs of dehydration.
The domestication of beets can be traced to the emergence of an allele which enables biennial harvesting of leaves and taproot.
Beetroot can be boiled or steamed, peeled, and then eaten warm with or without butter as a delicacy; cooked, pickled, and then eaten cold as a condiment; or peeled, shredded raw, and then eaten as a salad. Pickled beets are a traditional food in many countries.
When beet juice is used, it is most stable in foods with a low water content, such as frozen novelties and fruit fillings. Betanins, obtained from the roots, are used industrially as red food colorants, e.g. to intensify the color of tomato paste, sauces, desserts, jams and jellies, ice cream, sweets, and breakfast cereals.
Beetroot can also be used to make wine.
Beets are one of those foods you love, hate, or forget they even existed. The nutrient-dense superfood is getting a second look as more research reveals the beet's health-boosting effects on the mind and body. Adding more beets to your diet can help boost longevity, from aiding weight loss to preventing chronic diseases, like cancer.
Beets have a rich nutritional profile that provides a plethora of health benefits. Also known as blood turnips, beets are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and folate. The underrated vegetable is an acquired taste, but the nutritional powerhouse can add years to your lifespan if consumed on a regular basis.

precautions

Your urine and stools may turn red or pinkish after eating beets. This condition, known as beeturia, is harmless. But it may be startling if you don’t expect it.
If you have low blood pressure, drinking beetroot juice regularly may increase the risk of your pressure dropping too low. Monitor your blood pressure carefully.
If you’re prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones, don’t drink beetroot juice. Beets are high in oxalates, which are naturally occurring substances that form crystals in your urine. They may lead to stones.

Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Tomatoes health benefits includes preserving heart health, reducing cancer risk, helping manage symptoms of an enlarged prostate, supporting skin health, improving bone health, reducing risk of experiencing thromboembolic episodes, reducing extent of lipid per-oxidation and supporting eye health. Other benefits includes preventing progression of neurological conditions, supporting weight loss and improving immune function.

1. Tomatoes Preserve Heart Health

2. Consumption of Tomatoes Reduces Cancer Risk

3. Help Manage Symptoms Of An Enlarged Prostate

4. Tomatoes Are Good For Your Skin

5. Tomatoes Improve Bone Health

6. Reduce The Risk Of Experiencing Thromboembolic Episodes

7. Tomatoes Reduce Extent Of Lipid Peroxidation

8. Tomatoes Are Good For Your Eyes

9. May Prevent or Slow Progression Of Neurological Conditions

10. Tomatoes Offer Excellent Weight Loss Support

11. Tomatoes Improve Immune Function

 

Tomatoes contain lycopene, a red carotenoid pigment and phytonutrient that is also found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, pink guava, and papaya.
Lycopene is responsible for the red color of tomatoes. In the tomato plant, lycopene helps in the process of photosynthesis and protects the plant from excessive light damage. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant, one of the estimated 600 naturally occurring carotenoids.
Although lycopene is not an essential nutrient for humans, it can accumulate in certain tissues and high intakes of lycopene may protect against some cancers and cardiovascular disease¹. There are many mechanisms by which lycopene may protect against cancer. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant and can eliminate damaging free radicals in the body’s tissues, in addition to increasing production of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes².
Lycopene has received the most attention for its possible protection against prostate cancer in men². Many studies have found that men with higher intakes of tomatoes and tomato products have a lower risk of prostate cancer. Based on these studies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a qualified health claim regarding the relationship between tomatoes and prostate cancer, stating “very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests that eating one-half to one cup of tomatoes and/or tomato sauce a week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer”.
Several studies have examined the relationship between lycopene levels in the body and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Lower levels of lycopene in the body tend to be associated with early atherosclerosis and a higher risk of heart attack.

Nutrition Info (per 100g serving)

Calories-18
Total Carbohydrate 4g
Dietary Fiber -1.5g 5% RDA
Sugars -2.5g
Vitamin A -840IU 17% RDA
Vitamin C -13mg 21% RDA
Vitamin E 0.5mg 3% RDA
Vitamin K 8mcg 10% RDA
Niacin – 0.6mg 3% RDA
Vitamin B6 -0.1mg 4% RDA
Folate – 15.0mcg 4% RDA
Calcium -10mg 1% RDA
Magnesium – 11mg 3% RDA
Phosphorus – 24mg 2% RDA
Potassium – 240 mg 7% RDA
Copper – 0.1mg 3% RDA
Manganese – 0.1mg 6% RDA

Conclusion

Tomatoes are truly a superfood, whereas the word has been thrown around loosely for hundreds of fruits and vegetables- tomatoes stand tall. Their easy of consumption (whether raw or lightly cooked) makes them extremely versatile and easy to be incorporated into a variety of meals, or even as salads. They offer up important benefits for your health, making their place in diets of all types irreplaceable. What are you waiting for- pick up a juicy red tomato and bite right in!