Iamwonderingabout... Healthy Living With Nutritious Vegetables

Right now is a great time to prepare your garden for next spring and evaluate tools needed. During the winter, plan to order seeds.

Nutritious vegetables are essential to healthy living. Statistics show that on a daily basis, over half of America's population does not eat vegetables at all. It has been proven in research that healthy veggies can extend the length and overall quality of human life. By increasing intake of healthy veggies, especially those in the Category A list below, there is reduced risk for obesity, type two diabetes, heart disease, some types of cancer and other chronic illnesses. An even greater benefit from healthy vegetables is received when they are organically grown, not having chemical treatments. Additionally, eating homegrown vegetables can be assurance of peak freshness, maximizing nutritional value.

Growing a garden is not magic, nor is it hard. It is about applying growing techniques and methods for a successful crop of produce. Using a vegetable garden guide that provides planting, growing and harvesting guide steps, can be an invaluable tool to grow a healthy, productive garden. The list below puts healthy vegetables into three categories. Category A‘s vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. The B category is a good healthy choice and category C vegetables are highly glycemic, very starchy or high in calories. Some fruits, such as peppers, squash and tomatoes, which are not actually vegetables, are included on the list, since they are generally thought of as such, and they are indeed good for healthy living. In addition, though often thought of as a vegetable, corn is actually a grain; therefore, it is not included in the list.

Category A
Alfalfa sprouts Arugula Bean sprouts Beet Greens Beets Bell Peppers Bok choy Broccoli Broccoflower Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Chard (Swiss & red)	Chinese cabbage Chives Collard greens Garlic Green onions Green peas Greens Horseradish Kale Leeks Lettuce, red or green Mustard Greens Onions Parsley	Peppers Pumpkin Sauerkraut Shallot Snow Peas Soy beans Spinach Summer squash Sweet potato & yam Tomato Tomato, cherry Turnip greens Watercress Winter squash
Category B
Artichoke Artichoke Hearts Asparagus Avocado Celery Chickpeas Chile peppers Cucumber	Eggplant Endive Green beans Kidney beans Kohlrabi Lemon grass Lentil beans Navy Beans	Okra Split Peas Radishes Radicchio Rutabaga Turnips Zucchini
Category C
Bamboo shoots Corn Jicama	Lettuce (iceberg) Lima beans Mushrooms	Potato (white) Rhubarb Water chestnuts

 

Eating nutritious vegetables is essential to a healthy life. Incorporating them into a balanced diet and placing vegetables as a high priority food choice has been shown in studies to reduce many health risks. Growing or purchasing organic vegetables provides for the highest amount of nutritional value.

~ Deborah Ryan  11/10/11