Vegetables For A Healthy Diet

People who eat vegetables as part of a healthy diet improve their chances of preventing chronic disease and becoming overweight. Nutrient-rich vegetables reduce the risk for developing cardiovascular disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Vegetables can also protect against cancers of the mouth, stomach and colon. Fiber-rich vegetables, such as artichokes, peas, broccoli and sweet corn, reduce your risk for developing heart disease. Vegetables high in potassium, including black-eyed peas, Brussels sprouts, spinach and squash can prevent kidney stones and decrease bone loss, which is a characteristic of osteoporosis. When you add vegetables to your diet, you have a better chance of lowering your calorie intake and can prevent weight gain.

The amount of vegetables you need to consume each day is determined by your physical activity level, age and gender. Healthy children need 1 to 1 ? cups a day. Children and adolescents need 2 to 2 ? cups daily. Women need 2 to 2 ? cups a day and men need 2 ? to 3 cups of vegetables a day. The U.S. Department of Agriculture separates vegetables into five categories: dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, starches, and other. It is recommended to consume vegetables from each group every week.

Dark green vegetables include bok choy, broccoli, mesclun, kale and spinach. Acorn squash, butternut squash, carrots and sweet potatoes are in the orange vegetable group. Dry beans and peas include black beans, kidney beans, lentils, split peas, tofu and white beans. Corn, green peas, lima beans and potatoes are starches. Artichokes, asparagus, bean spouts, beets, cabbage, celery, eggplant, mushrooms and more are categorized as "other vegetables."

Determining the best vegetables to eat has to do with your unique health concerns. People on a low-carb diet should sway toward bean or alfalfa sprouts, lettuces, bok choy, celery, radishes and mushrooms and avoid starchy vegetables like peas, beets, carrots and all forms of potatoes. People fighting high cholesterol levels should aim for 4 ? cups of vegetables daily.

Green, leafy vegetables like lettuce; cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cabbage and kale; tomatoes and root vegetables such as carrots, yams and beets contain cholesterol lowering chemicals and eatinghealthy.org/eating-healthy-solution heart-healthy soluble fiber. Individuals with digestive problem should up their intake of indigestible fiber. Beans, broccoli and carrots can pass through your digestive system and soak up water, which can help ease gastrointestinal pain associated with digestive conditions. Vegetables can also improve eye eatinghealthy.org health. Dark green leafy vegetables including kale and spinach contain pigments that eliminate free radicals that can harm eye tissues.