Powerhouse Vegetables You Should Be Eating

We don’t always cherish the idea of munching on a bowl filled with vegetables, but one look at their extraordinary nutritional value is all it takes to convince of their rich goodness. If you pick out all the right vegetables from your local grocery store, you can give yourself and your family a long, healthy and wholesome life.
Research reveals that there are countless vegetables that pack up more nutrients than any other food item. And you can sneak them into your daily meals with aromatic herbs, low-fat cheese, garden salads and other scrumptious recipes. We’ve picked out 12 powerhouse vegetables that pack up an extraordinarily high concentration of essential nutrients.

1. Spinach

This leafy green vegetable is packed with an incredibly high concentration of several nutrients, primarily manganese, iron and vitamins A, C and K. Research reveals that devouring 1 ½ cup of spinach is all one needs to cut down the risk factors of developing type 2 diabetes considerably. This creamy and tender leafy green can be added to any and every recipe, be it eggs, casseroles, salads, juices, baked recipes, grilled meat or smoothies.

2. Asparagus

The succulent sweetness of asparagus makes it a scrumptious treat for a hearty meal that will provide your body powerful amounts of folate. Researchers state that folate provides the body a strong defence to combat the triggers of hypertension. You can add it to your main dishes, stews, grilled recipes or better yet, shave some raw asparagus using a vegetable peeler, so you can toss long spaghetti-like ribbons to your pasta, salads and casseroles.

3. Baby Kale

Baby kale is a powerful superfood that you simply must add to your daily diet for it is loaded with a wide host of nutrients, including bone-strengthening vitamin K, beta-carotene and vitamin C. You may not warm up to its strong taste, but you can always enhance the flavour with herbs, seasonings and spices.
Baby kale leaves have a scrumptiously tender flavour, so you don’t have to worry about chopping them up. Toss them to your salads, sandwiches, pasta, soups, wraps and burritos.
Be sure to pick out baby kale varieties that come in plastic containers, you are likely to spot them near baby spinach at the vegetable section in your local grocery store.

4. Beet Greens

The leafy tops of beets roots are loaded with high amounts of vitamin K, which has been directly associated with a marked reduction in the risk factors that contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. One cup of raw beet greens is all you need to brim up your body with twice your recommended dosage requirement of this essential antioxidant.
You can make an indulgent and nutritious side dish by seasoning some tender beet greens with garlic, herbs and olive oil. You can even toss some chopped beet greens to your salads, soups, pasta, casseroles and frittatas.

5. Collard Greens

Collard greens are one of the star ingredients of Southern cuisine, and they are nature’s superheroes for their powerful nutritional density. They pack up incredibly high amounts of beta-carotene, folate, and vitamins C and K. All you need is 2 cups of these dark leafy greens to pack up your body with a wide host of essential nutrients and antioxidants each day.
Two cups of raw collard greens are equivalent to 1 cup of vegetables, and in order to adopt a 2000-calorie-a-day diet, you need at least 2 ½ cups of collard greens each day. You can add them to your salads, stews, soups and even main dishes.
Here’s an easy tip: just blanch the leaves of collard greens in boiling hot water for a quick minute, and then chop them up so you can toss them into a whole-grain sandwich, casserole or lentil salad.

6. Frozen Peas

Peas are the most inexpensive and versatile of vegetables that can provide you with a powerful concentration of energizing and satiating nutrients. They are loaded with fibre, which promotes feelings of satiety by filling you up, which curbs your appetite and ensures you eat less. Moreover, fibre is also highly beneficial for easing digestion and cutting down cholesterol levels.
It’s always a good idea to keep a bag of green peas in the freezer so you can toss them into your salads, soups, pasta, and casseroles.

7. Broccoli

Broccoli is a true powerhouse of nutrients, and one of the richest sources of naturally-occurring plant-based chemicals that aid in cutting down the risk factors that contribute to the development of several types of cancer.
One cup of broccoli is all you need to load up your body with powerful amounts of vitamins C and K. It’s best to lightly steam the florets in order to enjoy their flavour with their nutritional value intact. You can also enjoy it with stir-fry vegetables, burritos, garden salads, frittatas, juices and even appetizing smoothies with berries and other fruits.

8. Beets

Research reveals that ruby red beets are one of the richest sources of nitrates, which are incredibly beneficial for regulating and normalizing blood pressure levels. Moreover, beets also pack up a powerful density of fibre and other essential nutrients. You can toss these into your taco salads, soups, stews and even cheesy casseroles for a healthy nutrient fix.
Here’s an amazing cooking tip to enhance their natural sweetness: roast them instead of cooking with oil. You have to wrap every single beet individually with foil and let them bake in the oven at 350F until you can feel them turning tender.
If you want to put together an effortless and healthy snack, just grate some raw beets for a delicious sandwich topping, which can also be added to slaws and dips.

9. Swiss Chard

You can shop two varieties of Swiss chard from your local grocery stores, one is rainbow chard that comes with multi-coloured veins and stems, and the other has white veins and stems. Both these varieties are loaded with a powerful antioxidant duo: lutein and zeaxanthin, which is incredibly beneficial for the health of the eyes.
All you need is one-cup to load your body with a wide host of waist-slimming nutrients, at the cost of no more than 7 calories.
The best cooking trick to preserve all the nutritional value of Swiss chard is by steaming it very lighting, and seasoning with vinaigrette. For a healthy and tender taco recipe, use chard leaves instead of fattening tortillas.

10. Microgreens

These tiny varieties or kale, cabbages, broccoli and radishes simply cannot be undermined by their small size for they are loaded with an incredibly rich assortment of essential nutrients. These baby versions pack up twice the amount of vitamins C and E as compared to mature and full-grown plant.
You can pick them out in several flavours, such as tangy, citric and peppery. They make the perfect ingredients for garden salads, seasoned toppings, sandwiches, burritos and even soups.

11. Red Bell Pepper

Most people believe that this juicy and flavourful pepper is a vegetable, but the truth is, it is actually a fruit. One medium-sized red bell pepper can provide your body a rich concentration of beta-carotene, vitamins B and nearly twice your daily recommended dosage of vitamin C.
You can add these citric peppers to your salads, sandwiches, Mexican dishes, baked delights and even your stews. If you want to create a hearty main course with red bell peppers, just cut off the tops, take out the white membranes and seeds inside and then roast them until they turn tender and soft.
You can always fill them with a filling of your choices, such as minced meat, cheese, whole grain salad, or stir-fried veggies.

12. Watercress

A delicious and peppery green vegetable that usually gets knocked out of the limelight by arugula and other leafy greens, watercress actually packs up an extraordinary nutritional value. It is one of the richest sources of a wide range of antioxidants, primarily vitamins A, C and K. It is the best ingredient for effortless and instant meal preparation.
You can toss it to your sandwiches, garden salads, stews and even your casseroles. For a fresh-tasting and refreshing pureed soup, blend watercress and sauté it with herbs.