Vegetables You Can Enjoy Raw
By Sara Butler
Eating enough vegetables each day ensures that you're getting enough important nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, and potassium. The USDA recommends you eat at least five to 13 servings of vegetables each day -- or about 2 1/2 cups of vegetables, minimum, each day. Are you getting that much? If you need a quick way to fit vegetables into your daily diet, then consider munching down on some raw veggies. Here are a few that are great to enjoy in the raw!
Red Vegetables
Red vegetables are good for you because they're normally full of an antioxidant called lycopene. Tomatoes may technically be a fruit, but feel free to enjoy them as a vegetable when it comes to getting your daily serving. Tomatoes and other vegetables with a red hue can help protect your body against certain types of cancers such a mouth and lung cancer. If tomatoes aren't your thing, then opt for red cabbage, red peppers, or radishes -- they fit the bill.
Yellow and Orange Vegetables
Yellow and orange vegetables are colored by a pigment found in plants called carotenoids. Carrots are probably the most famous purveyor of carotenoids, which are converted by your body into Vitamin A. This helps you to maintain a healthy immune system and helps your mucous membranes stay healthy. Find it in yellow squash, yellows peppers, and yellow tomatoes.
Dark Green Vegetables
Chlorophyll is what gives dark green vegetables their color. Vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and beet greens are rich in potassium and folic acid. You can also eat some avocados or leafy lettuces to get the same benefits.
White Vegetables
Garlic and onions can be eaten raw. While this may produce some unsavory breath, it is good for your body. That's because these vegetables contain a plant compound called allicin, which can help to control your blood cholesterol levels and lower high blood pressure. It may also help to reduce your chances of developing stomach cancer and heart disease. So, vampires beware -- these white vegetables are really healthy!
Eating enough vegetables each day is very important for your health. Do what you can to make it convenient and consider bagging up cut-up veggies to go the night before work or school. That way, you can grab them on your way out the door and be well on your way to enough veggies in your day.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Mission Viejo, Calif.