What Vegetables Should You Eat Every Day?

Medically Reviewed on11/3/2021
health vegetables
Eating healthy requires consuming more deeply colored veggies to obtain the maximum amount of health benefits. Here are the veggies you should eat every day.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend people to have about two and a half cups of vegetables per day.

Vegetables are high infiberand nutrients while low infats,糖,总热量dcholesterol. Vary your veggie intake according to your dietary needs to keep meals and snacks interesting and beneficial.

Deeply colored vegetables have the highest concentrations of:

These include all plant foods that are dark green, deep red, purple, or bright orange or yellow.

Healthy eating means consuming more dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and other dark leafy greens. Include more red or orange vegetables, such as carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and legumes, in yourdiet(dry beans and peas).

Table. The recommended veggie amounts with examples
Vegetables Recommended Examples
Dark green vegetables 1 ½ cups/week
  • Bok choy
  • Broccoli
  • Collard greens
  • Dark green leafy lettuce
  • Kale
  • Collards
  • Mustard greens
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Spinach
  • Turnip greens
  • Green herbs
Red and orange vegetables 5 ½ cups/week
  • Tomato
  • Carrots
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Red peppers
  • Winter squash
  • Pumpkin
Dry beans and peas 1 ½ cups/week
  • Kidney and black beans
  • Lentils
  • Chickpeas
  • Lima beans
  • Split peas
  • Edamame
Starchy vegetables 5 cups/week
  • Corn
  • Plantains
  • Green peas
  • Lima beans (green)
  • Potatoes
Others 4 cups/week
  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Bean sprouts
  • Beets
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant
  • Green beans
  • Green or red peppers Iceberg (head) lettuce Mushrooms
  • Okra
  • Onions
  • Parsnips
  • Turnips
  • Wax beans
  • Zucchini

Why are vegetables important?

Vegetables are a rich source of dietary fiber, micronutrients, and phytonutrients (nutrients found naturally in plants) that help your body stay healthy.

Different vegetables can help the body in different ways, so eat a variety of colors, as shown in the table above.

The following are some of the most common health benefits of eating vegetables daily:

  • Vitamin A:
    • Keeps the eyes and skin healthy and aids in the prevention of infections
    • Examples include bright orange vegetables
  • Vitamin C:
    • Vitamin C aids in the healing ofcutsand wounds, maintenance of healthyteethand gums, and absorption of iron
    • Examples of Vitamin C include dark green vegetables
  • Vitamin E:
    • 艾滋病的吸收维生素A和必不可少的fatty acids because of cell oxidation
    • Examples include bright orange vegetables and dark green vegetables
  • Potassium:
    • May aid in the maintenance of healthyblood pressure
    • Examples may include dry beans and peas
  • Folate (folic acid):
    • Aids in the formation of红细胞and is essential duringpregnancyto lower a woman's risk of having a baby with a spinal cord or brain defect
    • Examples include dry beans and peas and bright orange vegetables
  • Dietary fiber:
    • Aids in the reduction of bloodcholesterol levels
    • May reduce the risk ofheart disease
    • Aids in the reduction ofconstipation
    • Aids in providing a feeling of fullness while consuming fewer calories
    • Helps build gut immunity
  • Phytochemicals:
    • Antioxidants, detoxifiers, immune boosters, and anti-inflammatories all help protect against illnesses
    • May have a role in cellular repair and regeneration
  • Beta carotene:
    • A powerhouse nutrient that improves eyesight and promotes immune system health
    • Examples include red peppers, carrots, and tomatoes

The food guide of the U.S. Department of Agriculture demonstrates that healthy eating requires adhering to all the food groups. Raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, canned, and dried veggies fall in this category. They can be eaten whole, chopped up, mashed, or juiced to make 100 percent vegetable juice.

QUESTION

According to the USDA, there is no difference between a “portion” and a “serving.”See Answer

What are the pros and cons of consuming vegetarian and vegan diets?

Extensive research on the nutritional sufficiency ofvegetariandiets has revealed that a well-planned vegetarian orvegan dietcan include all nutrients required for optimum health; however, little is known about vegetarian and vegan health in the long run.

Health benefits

  • Help youlose weight
  • Provide cardiovascular benefits, such as lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and a low risk ofstroke
  • Reduce your risk ofdiabetes
  • Enhance your ability to manage type IIdiabetes
  • Lower the risk ofcancer
  • Improve your bowel function

Vegetarians and vegans had 12 percent fewer deaths over six years, according to the findings.

Side effects

  • Anydietthat excludes specific foods runs the risk of leaving you deficient in essential nutrients. These diets may deplete vitamin B12 andomega-3 fatty acids, necessitating supplementation.

What can vegans eat for protein?

If vegans plan carefully, they can meet their protein intake needs entirely from plant-based sources. A well-balanced vegan diet rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds will provide plenty of protein for an average person.

Protein consumption should be limited to 0.8 g/kg of body weight. Some experts, however, suggest a slightly higher amount for plant-based eaters (up to 1 gram/kg body weight).

The following are the most effective combinations for producing complete vegetable proteins:

  • Edamame, tempeh, tofu, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and quinoa
  • Grains and legumes
  • Legumes containing nuts and/or seeds
  • Combination of animal dairy products (eggs, milk, and other products) and any vegetable protein

Well-planned vegan and/or vegetarian diets are safe for people of all ages, including newborns, children, teenagers, andpregnantwomen.

Medically Reviewed on11/3/2021
References
Image Source: Brothers91 / Getty Images

12 Powerhouse Vegetables You Should Be Eating: https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-powerhouse-vegetables

Vegetables and Fruits: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/

Vegetables: https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/vegetables