[S-A] Summer Vegetables For Good Health

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" Misty L. Trepke "

Tue, 29 Jun 2004 15:29:13 -0000

[s-A] Summer Vegetables For Good Health

 

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Misty L. Trepke

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Summer Harvest: Vegetable Varieties for Good Health

 

Vegetables are one of the tried and true recommendations for a

healthy diet. And for good reason. Vegetables are rich in essential

vitamins and minerals, fiber, carbohydrates, and phytochemicals.

They've also been linked to many health benefits, including lowered

risk for certain cancers, stroke, heart disease, and high blood

pressure.

 

1. Apsaragus - Asparagus is spring's most luxurious vegetable. It was

once cultivated for medicinal purposes as a natural remedy for blood

cleansing and diuretic properties. Asparagus is rich in immunity-

enhancing antioxidants and vitamins. Asparagus can be processed into

juice and other products to increase total utilization and increase

net value. Asparagus juice contains antioxidants, such as rutin,

ferulic acid and ascorbic acid. When buying asparagus look for

compact tips and smooth green stems that are uniform in color down

the length of the stem. Check the cut stem end for drying and avoid

withered spears. Asparagus is low in calories and provides

substantial amounts of antioxidants - Vitamins A and C. It truly

shines as a source of folate and has a goodly amount of fiber.

 

2. Beans - People who pay attention to the colors of the foods they

cook and serve are enhancing not only visual and gustatory pleasure,

but nutritional punch as well. These foods contain colored pigments

with nutritious cancer- and heart-disease-fighting compounds called

flavonoids. Agricultural Research Service food quality geneticist and

plant breeder George L. Hosfield has found these flavonoids in bean

seed coats, which is where bean colors are also found. Certainly

beans come in a mosaic of colors that can rival those of fruits and

vegetables—from the plain white great northern and navy beans, to the

mottled brownish pink pintos, to the cranberry bean's cream color

with red streaks and flecks, the light and dark reds of kidney beans,

the maroon-red adzuki, delicious green beans all the way to the black

bean. The seed coat, which is 10 percent of the bean, is not only

high in antioxidants for some beans, but is also where the high fiber

content of beans comes into play.

 

3. Broccoli - Broccoli is known as the " Crown Jewel of Nutrition " for

its vitamin-rich, high in fiber, and low in calorie properties. Not

only does broccoli give you the best vegetable nutrition available,

it also gives you many ways to lead a healthier, longer life. Heart

disease is the number one cause of death in the United States with

cancer as the second, and broccoli gives you many ways to help fight

and prevent these and other diseases. Broccoli has multiple cancer-

fighting properties including vitamin C, beta carotene, and fiber. It

is also rich of phytochemicals which appear to offer us protection

against certain cancers and heart disease. Indole carbinol and

sulforaphane are two different phytochemicals that are found in

broccoli.

 

4. Cabbage, Cauliflower - Nutritionally and medicinally, the

cauliflower is similar to the cabbage. Of course, the lower sulphur

content is obvious. Cabbage and cauliflower are rich in antioxidants,

which help prevent cancer, and prevent heart disease caused by

oxidative damage to blood vessels. It is especially rich in Vitamin

C - one cup of chopped flowerets or laces of cabbage meets a whole

day's requirement of this vitamin. A deficiency of Vitamin C causes

scurvy because it interferes with collagen synthesis. Collagen is one

of the structural frameworks of normal tissues. Other anti-cancer

molecules present in significant amounts included the phytochemicals

sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol.

 

5. Leafy Greens, Spinach- Leaf lettuce, beet greens, and spinach are

just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these salad vegetables.

Greens actually come in a wide variety of colors, textures, shapes,

and flavors. They may be green to yellow-white, or red to purple,

soft to crisp, curly to flat, and peppery to bitter to mild. Mix and

match them and you've created an exciting salad! Greens are an

excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C. For a

bigger boost of vitamin A, buy greens that are medium to dark green

(the darker the leaves, the more vitamin A). Many greens, such as

spinach, kale, and collards are known for their mineral content,

especially iron, calcium, magnesium-as well as the vitamins folate,

riboflavin (B2) and vitamin K. Leaves are very rich in antioxidants--

the carotenoids and beta-carotene, the tocopherols (vitamin E) and of

course, vitamin C.

 

6. Black and Green Tea - For years, studies have indicated that the

antioxidants in green tea offer protection against diseases,

including cancer, and even fight dental cavities. One of the most

beneficial of these antioxidants is called epigallocatechin gallate

(EGCG). According to the University of California Wellness Letter,

Mar 2002, regular black tea is turning out to be just as healthful as

green tea. The evidence for tea's health effects comes mainly from

lab studies, though some human studies point to possible benefits in

preventing heart disease and cancer. EGCG, inhibited an enzyme that

cancer cells need in order to grow. The cancer cells that couldn't

grow big enough to divide self-destructed. It would take about 4-10

cups of green tea a day to get the blood levels of EGCG that

inhibited cancer in the study. Black tea also contains EGCG, but at

lower concentrations.

 

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