Most of us already know that eating a variety of vegetables is good for you. To help you choose from the array of produce available at the grocery store, we’re giving you our top 10 veggies jam-packed with nutrients as well as good flavor. That said, by all means, feel free to expand out and try other veggies, especially when they’re at their peak.
Kale
Kale has maintained a good reputation for a reason. 1 cup of kale packs 206% of the daily value of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C and more than three times the daily value of vitamin K.
You can:
- Sauté kale
- Bake them to make kale chips
- Add kale to a marinated salad (marinating tenderizes the kale)
Broccoli
One serving of broccoli has 220% of the daily value of vitamin C as well as a ton of fiber. It’s also a good source of potassium, vitamin B-6 and vitamin A.
You can eat broccoli:
- Steamed (plain and simple broccoli goodness) or
- as a broccoli salad. Raw broccoli doesn’t sound appealing? It should. This simple recipe is super tasty and raw broccoli has more detoxifying effects than cooked broccoli.
Brussels Sprouts
If you haven’t jumped on the Brussels sprouts bandwagon in the past few years, there’s still time. Trust me, these are not the cruciferous veggies you remember loathing as a child. These mini-cabbages are not only delicious but they’re a good source of vitamin C, folate, fiber, and antioxidants.
A couple of ways to cook Brussels sprouts:
- Sautéed with lemon and pecan
- Balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts — just toss up five ingredients and pop them in the oven.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are chock full of nutrients, especially the colored ones. They’re great sources of vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid and fiber. All peppers start out green and are picked at different levels of maturity; this is how you get different colors of peppers.
Try bell peppers:
Mushrooms
Look for Asian mushrooms like shiitake, cordyceps, enoki and maitake. These mushrooms are known to have anti-cancer or immune-boosting effects. And you can get selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin and even a bit of vitamin D when eating these earthy vegetables.
A few mushroom recipes:
Carrots
Carrots are incredibly simple to incorporate and they give a boost of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Carrots also contain fiber, vitamins K and E, folate, potassium, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium and zinc.
Try carrots:
- sliced (plain or dipped in hummus) and
- in a shredded carrot salad
Beets
If you haven’t had beets since those canned ones you were served as a kid, you’re missing out. These sweet gems come in a variety of colors and flavors. And they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, fiber as well as vitamins A, B and C, and folic acid.
Try these beet recipes on for size:
Onion
Onions are a great way to add flavor to dishes without adding significant calories or sodium. Onions are also “prebiotics,” meaning they help feed your healthy gut bacteria (probiotics). And they’re a great source of vitamin C, flavonoids and phytochemicals.
Try onions:
- added raw to salads
- chopped and tossed in any stir-fry
Sweet Potato
For a starchy vegetable, sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index so they won’t cause undesired spikes in blood sugar. They’re also a great source of vitamin A, supplying 120% of the daily value, as well as vitamin C, at 30% of the daily value. You’ll also get a good dose of calcium and potassium when you eat these sweet, starchy roots.
Check out these sweet potato recipes:
Artichokes
Artichokes are low in calories and high in nutrients like folate, vitamins C and K, and fiber. When picking an artichoke, go for one that has a tight leaf formation and dark green color.
You can prepare artichokes a few ways:
