Everyone now knows that the vegetables that we eat every day – if all goes well – are very important for our health. We get all kinds of essential nutrients from it for our body. Eating a lot of vegetables is healthy and, on balance, rarely high in calories. There are some small differences in calories and one vegetable contains slightly more nutrients than the other. But if you eat a varied diet, you will get all those important nutrients anyway.
Awareness about nutrition
We are increasingly concerned with our health and that is a good thing. The bad things about fast food, the horrors of factory farming, but also fair trade, are all discussed. We increasingly want to consume good food in a responsible manner and eat a varied diet. Awareness is increasing, as is the empowerment of people. This makes the food industry alert, there are entrepreneurs who communicate openly and honestly about food and organic cultivation is increasing.
Good food!
Besides the fact that these are all beautiful developments, there is also such a thing as enjoyment. We sometimes seem to overachieve our goal when we focus on healthy food, but no longer really enjoy our food. It is important that you eat very consciously and enjoy what you eat. In practice, this means that you consciously think about which vegetables you are going to consume, possibly in combination with your piece of meat or fish, and thus make a choice.Subsequently, the process of food preparation is more fun for some people than for others. That does not alter the fact that it is not wrong to be actively involved in food preparation, even if your role is modest. Moreover, when you cook together, it is often very enjoyable. Then take the time for your meal. Enjoy it!
Vegetables: tasty and healthy
It depends on how you look at something, because we are talking about nutritional value and low-calorie or high-calorie. In terms of vegetables, you have to look hard to find really high-calorie vegetables. It is therefore not without reason that vegetables are always a useful part of our diet. There is some difference in nutritional value and calories. These are explained using some examples.Source: Oldiefan, Pixabay
Nutritional value
Green leafy vegetables
The nutritional value of green leafy vegetables is very high. The vegetables contain vitamins B, C, E and K. We also find potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium. When considering green leafy vegetables, consider:
- Kale
- spinach
- lettuce (the different types)
- parsley
Cruciferous
In line with the green leafy vegetables are the cruciferous vegetables. These mainly contain vitamins B, C and K, but also iron and potassium. By cruciferous we mean, among other things:
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- green and red cabbage
- brussels sprouts
Carrots
Not popular with everyone, but carrots are still very healthy. They are great to eat raw, boiled or steamed. Carrots contain vitamins A, B, C and K and the minerals magnesium, folic acid and potassium. The carrot is also a great choice for snacking.Source: Hansbenn, PixabayTomatoes and legumes The tomato, the many varieties available for sale, is of a different order and contains an extremely high amount of vitamin C and carotenoids. In terms of health, there are legumes, which are actually not vegetables but seeds. Yet they are colloquially called vegetables. They contain a lot of fiber. Fibers are extremely good for the intestines. In addition, there is a lot of iron, calcium, potassium, folic acid and magnesium in legumes. The best known are:
- peas
- kidney beans
- kidney beans
- chickpeas
- lentils
Asparagus and allium vegetables
Asparagus (white and green) and allium vegetables close the list of vegetables that are very rich in nutrients. Asparagus contains vitamins A, C and K. They also contain zinc, folic acid, potassium and fiber. Allium vegetables are:
- onions
- garlic
- shallots
- chives
- leek
You can eat the allium vegetables raw, but briefly stir-frying them often makes them a little tastier. They are particularly known for their antibacterial effect.
Calories
Source: Strecosa, PixabayMushrooms The leader is the mushroom, where we can immediately comment that we classify them as vegetables, but they are in fact fungi. The calories in the mushroom are negligible and the mushroom also contains vitamin B2, folic acid, potassium and fiber. The mushroom is ideal for eating with all kinds of dishes. You can eat them raw or grilled. In particular, do not fry the mushrooms, because then they will absorb the fat. Mushrooms should not be rinsed clean, otherwise the mushroom becomes like a sponge and absorbs all the water. Be sure to brush the mushroom clean.
Cauliflower and parsnip
Furthermore, in terms of calories, the versatile (previously mentioned) and healthy cauliflower without sauce is of course also ideal for a low-calorie diet. And almost at the same height is the vegetable that we sometimes seem to forget, the parsnip. Extremely few calories, but very healthy. If you need sugar (for example, if you feel a bit rickety during your diet), parsnips can also provide a solution. The parsnip tastes sweet and therefore fits well in a low-calorie diet. Parsnips contain vitamins B and K, but also folic acid, copper, magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium.
Cucumber and zucchini
The row is closed by the well-known cucumber and its brother the zucchini. The cucumber contains vitamins A, B, C and silica and hardly any calories. The cucumber can be combined in many ways and is also eaten as a snack. Furthermore, eating a lot of cucumber can help if you are not a sun drinker. The cucumber consists of 90% water. Zucchini is also becoming increasingly popular. It also contains vitamins A, B and C. In addition to raw, you can also prepare the zucchini in the steam or stew oven. You can also fry it, but then the zucchini becomes like a sponge and absorbs all the fat. That makes it unsuitable for a low-calorie diet.
Finally
Eat healthy, in moderation, varied and, above all, tasty. There is plenty for sale, organic or otherwise. Take the initiative and try something out. Let it be a conscious process and surprise yourself by eating a different vegetable than you already have in your personal vegetable palette.