Vegetables, more than just a side dish

For some, vegetables are just a side dish on their other meals to add nutrition. Most people eat just a little bit of vegetables or even none at all; however they are a very vital part of your everyday meal.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

For some, vegetables are just a side dish on their other meals to add nutrition. Most people eat just a little bit of vegetables or even none at all; however they are a very vital part of your everyday meal.According to healthyeating.org, people who eat vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet generally have a reduced risk of chronic diseases.Chronic diseases include diabetes, hypertension, asthma, epilepsy and heart related diseases among others.Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, fiber, folate (folic acid) and vitamins A, E and C. Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, tomatoes and garlic are also a source of nutrients.Potassium helps maintain healthy blood pressure while dietary fiber from vegetables helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower the risk of heart disease, according to healthyeating.org.The nutrients in vegetables are vital for health and maintenance of your body. Eating a diet rich in vegetables may reduce risk for stroke, cancer, heart diseases and type-2 diabetes.It’s important to wash the vegetables especially the green leafy vegetables and then rinse them in salty water for a few minutes before cooking. This way they will be free from dust and residual chemical sprays. According to Gerald Ruzindana, a Nutritionist with Amazon Nutrition Centre said that vegetables may also help prevent one from digestive system-related diseases such as colon cancer. With vegetables, one can hardly suffer from constipation.  "Vegetables provide plenty of nutrients to the body and it’s advisable to have them for every meal. It’s not harmful to have veggies everyday and they can be eaten with every meal or at least one of your daily meals,” he said.Ruzindana said that vegetables are good for the digestive system. Other than keeping one free from many diseases, they also keep the skin glowing especially if eaten with fruits.If you have just been cooking vegetables to keep your dining table decorated during meals then you need to style up and eat those vegetables, for a healthy body and skin.