Adding variety to your diet is essential not only to reduce monotony in your diet, but also to provide a unique array of nutrients in each vegetable that is important for supporting whole body health, but especially for improving intestinal health. “When we look at the intestinal microbiome, it is thought that it is helpful to have a variety of plant foods in our diet because if we eat the same things all the time, when we check the boxes in terms of fiber, etc., we may be missing other essential nutrients,” Cording said. Explained.
The ferries further explain that vegetable varieties provide a phytochemical advantage because, “each plant boasts a unique signature of phytonutrients,” he said. “Think of it like a fingerprint. A carrot will provide a unique fingerprint of nutritional compounds, properties and health benefits, while beets, broccoli, kale, seaweed (a sea veggie), and my personal favorite – okra – will provide you nutrition. A completely different set of energy, “Ferreira shares, warns that” Okra is technically a fruit because of its seeds, but we use it as a veggie in the culinary world. ” Okay, we’ll let it slide (but not from Okra Slim).
Eating a variety of vegetables, including different preparation methods, will also affect the nutritional value of your food. “I always tell people that the way you prepare food is not only for their nutritional value but also for their taste,” explains Amy Kimberlyn, RDN, CDCES, Academy Media spokeswoman. Tomatoes, for example, contain more lycopene when cooked than raw. Lycopene is a carotenoid, one of the most powerful phytonutrients mentioned by Ferrara.
“Try to keep cooking time, temperature and amount of liquid to a minimum. Steaming is one of the best ways to cook most vegetables – boiling water adds soluble vitamins (such as vitamin C, thiamine and folate) to the water, “added Kimberlyn.
All vegetables ultimately have some benefits for your body, but at the top of the list are vegetables that provide a significant effect on longevity. In fact, one study found that eating a leafy green leafy vegetable such as kale, spinach and collard every day supports cognitive functioning and is important for longevity of our brain health.
(PhD philosophy for a nutritionist and examine how to eat for longevity nutrition and health).