Vegetables are the
edible portions of plants.
Main nutrients delivered in Vegetables:
1)
Vitamins
and Minerals.
Green-Yellow-Orange – high in
Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Beta-carotene, Vitamin B-Complex, Vitamin
C, Vitamin A and Vitamin K.
Folate (birth defects) – black
eyed peas, cooked spinach, great northern beans, asparagus.
Potassium (blood pressure) – sweet
potatoes, tomato paste, tomato puree, beet greens, white potatoes, white beans,
lima beans, cooked greens, carrot juice.
Vitamin A (skin, eyes, infection)
– sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens,
kale, collard greens, winter squash, cantaloupe, red peppers, Chinese cabbage.
Vitamin C (skin healing, gums and
teeth) – red and green peppers, sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli, Brussel
sprouts, tomato juice, cauliflower.
2)
Phytochemicals.
Antioxidants – These help
protect the body from oxidative stress, diseases and cancers. These also boost
immunity.
Flavonoids – Provide benefits
by acting on the cell-signaling pathways in the body. Include red, purple, blue or orange in color
vegetables (i.e. Eggplant, red cabbage, onions, broccoli, kale, celery and hot
peppers).
Catechins – is a natural
phenol antioxidant plant secondary metabolite.
Rich sources of these are found in cacao beans and was first called kakaool.
Carotenoids – beta-carotene,
beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and alpha-carotene. Found in orange, yellow and red vegetables
(i.e. carrots, squash, corn, tomatoes).
Phytosterols – plant-derived
compounds that are similar in structure and function to cholesterol. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated
that daily consumption of foods enriched with at least 0.8 g of plant sterols
or stanols lowers serum LDL cholesterol.
Foods rich in phytosterols include unrefined vegetable oils, whole
grains, nuts, and legumes.
There are thousands more of these compounds still unknown in fresh fruits & vegetables.
Studies show that steaming for around 10 minutes retains more of the
activated beneficial compounds than either consuming raw or over cooking.
3)
Dietary
Fiber.
Fiber is a diverse group of compounds, including lignin and complex
carbohydrates that cannot be digested by human enzymes in the small intestine.
Vegetables contain both soluble and insoluble fibers. We strive to obtain both from as natural
sources as possible in order to maintain health and manage weight.
Insoluble: Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) like cellulose, gums,
mucilage, pectin, etc…
Adequate fiber intake has been associated with reduction in hemorrhoids,
constipation, rectal fissures, overweight/obesity, rectal and breast cancers,
etc…
Soluble or Viscous fibers, such as those found in oats and legumes, can
lower serum LDL cholesterol levels and normalize blood glucose and insulin
responses. This is also found in smaller
amounts in most vegetables.
Some
examples of fibers found in vegetables include:
- Lignin: Lignin is a polyphenolic compound with a complex three-dimensional structure that is found in the cell walls of woody plants and seeds.
- Cellulose: Cellulose is a glucose polymer found in all plant cell walls.
- Hemicelluloses: Hemicelluloses are a diverse group of polysaccharides (sugar polymers). Like cellulose, hemicelluloses are found in plant cell walls.
- Gums: Gums are viscous polysaccharides often found in seeds.
- Inulin and oligofructose: Inulin is a mixture of fructose chains that vary in length and often terminate with a glucose molecule. Inulin and oligofructose occur naturally in plants, such as onions and Jerusalem artichokes.
- Resistant starch: Naturally occurring resistant starch is sequestered in plant cell walls and is therefore inaccessible to human digestive enzymes. Legumes are sources of naturally occurring resistant starch. Resistant starch may also be formed by food processing or by cooling and reheating.
4)
Low/No
Calorie high satiety foods.
Contain carbohydrates; however, these carbohydrates are not
readily available to the body (i.e. difficult to digest).
The high fiber and water content make these high satiety
foods via delaying emptying of the stomach into the small intestine.
Satiety = time from when you’ve last eaten until you’re
hungry once again.
Five things you
can do tonight to get more Vegetables into your daily diet
1)
Fill your plate at lunch and supper as above
with Vegetables. If you are trying to
manage weight, eat these first with your healthy protein to maximize your
satiety.
2)
Keep pre-cut and pre-washed vegetables in your
fridge as snacks. You can pair with
healthy dips (i.e. hummus, peanut butter, etc…).
3)
Steam vegetables for 5-10 mins (maximum) when
preparing.
4)
Use vegetables in smoothies with fruit and water
in order to get more in your diet.
5)
Aim for 5 or more servings of vegetables as part
of your 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Remember to focus on the non-starchy
vegetables which are fibrous and very low calorie.
Citations:
http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/phytochemicals
http://articles.elitefts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/hunger.jpg
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