Balanced nutrition contributes to strengthening health and increasing longevity. The diet should include foods rich in essential nutrients. In an interview with a well-known publication, a nutrition specialist shared recommendations on which vegetables are necessary for maintaining the immune system and preventing cancer.
According to Svarajit Sarkar, a senior lecturer at the Department of Nutrition at the University of London, a complete diet cannot be imagined without eight key foods that contain an optimal set of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial nutrients. These foods will help strengthen the heart, blood vessels, and immune system, as well as serve as a prevention against oncological diseases. The list of healthy foods includes:
cabbage;
spinach;
watercress;
arugula;
chard;
lettuce;
bok choy;
leafy greens.
All of the listed vegetables are rich in antioxidants that protect cells and blood vessels from damage. They contain many important nutrients.
Cabbage, for example, is a champion in vitamin C content. Additionally, it contains vitamins A, B1, B6, P, K, U, as well as minerals: sulfur, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and a large amount of fiber.
Spinach is considered one of the main sources of vitamin B9, also known as folic acid. Interestingly, it was from these green leaves that scientists first isolated vitamin B9. Spinach is also rich in other valuable substances: vitamins A, C, E, as well as minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium.
Arugula is recognized as an excellent source of fiber. It contains vitamins A, C, K, B5, and B9, as well as minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and others.
If at least some of these vegetables become part of your diet, one can hope for protection of the heart and immune system. Plant-based foods are an effective prevention against oncological diseases. However, to achieve maximum benefits, they should be consumed raw, as cooking destroys beneficial substances.
Another advantage of these vegetables is their low calorie content. Combined with fiber, which saturates the body and promotes metabolism, this property becomes especially valuable.
With the help of the magnificent eight, one can learn to control their weight. Sarkar recommends making salads, smoothies from the vegetables, adding them to soups (after they are cooked), and using them as a side dish for fish or meat, as the dietitian told The Conversation portal.
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