Everyone knows about the benefits of vegetables. There is not a single concept of nutrition that would prohibit their use. Keto-diet, Ducan’s diet, the Minus 60 system and other popular weight loss programs practically do not limit the consumption of vegetables. It is a valuable source of fiber, vitamins and trace elements. What else are raw vegetables good for, and how best to eat them?
The whole world in one plate
There are so many vegetables in the world: what we may never have heard about, somewhere in Sri Lanka is an everyday dish. Today in supermarkets you can find products from all over the world, but are they all useful?
Any plant food certainly contains an incredible amount of nutrients. The main problem is that in order to get to the supermarket around the corner somewhere in Voronezh, they make an incredible journey through half the world. And so that overseas delicacies do not deteriorate on the road, producers process vegetables and fruits with a lot of chemicals.
In addition, most plant products are taken unripe from plantations. On the way, they keep up, but they can’t get the taste and vitamins. This, first of all, explains the strange pattern that mangoes in Thailand are tastier than in Magnet.
His shirt is closer to the body
Despite the abundance of theoretically useful raw vegetables from different countries, scientists say that it is best to eat foods grown in your region: they have less nitrates and additives, they are processed less often, since transportation does not take much time.
The ideal option is vegetables from your own vegetable garden or farm that you trust.
How to cook?
Depending on the method of cooking vegetables, they retain more or less useful substances. They can be cooked in almost any way: fry, cook, stew, steam. The longer the heat exposure, the faster the vitamins are destroyed.
The most useful are raw vegetable dishes. They have a lot of fiber, which improves digestion. Preference should be given to green vegetables and various greens: such products are food for the lactobacilli that inhabit our intestines. By increasing the use of such plant products, you can solve the problems with gas formation and forget about constipation forever.
From juice to salad
Many people think: what vegetables are eaten raw? You can eat any kind of vegetables without food. True, if almost everyone agrees to crunch carrots or cucumbers, then chewing raw beets or turnips is a rather dubious pleasure.
Here, the processing of raw vegetables comes to the fore. From beets, celery or pumpkin, you can squeeze juice, zucchini and zucchini - cut into thin strips with a knife for peeling vegetables. Raw foodists even came up with raw eggplant: you need to twist it with seaweed and garlic, add salt and olive oil. The result is a dish that is somewhat reminiscent of caviar.
When you have a lot of raw vegetables at hand and you don’t know where to apply them, you can safely cut everything into a salad and season with olive oil and lemon juice. A plate of such a dish a day will replace you with many expensive vitamin supplements and dietary supplements.
Where and how to store?
Raw vegetables are perfectly stored both in a regular vegetable shelf and in the refrigerator. There you should use a special box allocated for the storage of vegetables and fruits. In such a compartment, the temperature is not too low and there is no danger that plant products will freeze or deteriorate.
Shelf life of raw vegetables - from 2 days to 2 weeks. Usually it depends on their qualities, variety, freshness and storage method. Outside the refrigerator, Drosophila - fruit flies - can start on them. To prevent this from happening, vegetables should be periodically sorted out and timely discarded damaged and spoiled fruits.
The shelf life of vegetables can be significantly extended if they are frozen. Such products can be stored for 10-12 months without compromising on taste and quality. Frozen vegetables retain all vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin charge
What vitamins and minerals are found in raw vegetables?
| Vitamin Name | Vegetables | Action on the body |
| Vitamin A | Pumpkin, asparagus, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, fennel, parsley, bell pepper. | It plays an important role in the functioning of the immune system, and is useful for vision, skin, hair, bones and teeth. Participates in tissue regeneration processes. |
| Vitamin D | Carrots, white cabbage, dill, parsley, corn. | It helps to absorb calcium and phosphorus, improves immunity and muscle tone, and prevents the development of cancer cells. |
| Vitamin E | Tomatoes, avocados, lettuce, broccoli, spinach. | A powerful antioxidant that slows down the aging process, participates in cell regeneration processes, is necessary for the reproductive system to function properly. |
| Vitamin K | Asparagus, white cabbage, cucumbers, broccoli, salad, spinach. | It is necessary for blood coagulation, participates in metabolic processes. Helps the work of the liver, kidneys and gall bladder, normalizes metabolism in the connective and bone tissues. |
| Vitamin C | Bell pepper, lettuce, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, parsley, onions, dill, carrots. | It plays a crucial role in the processes of growth and restoration of body cells, is an essential element in maintaining the immune system. |
| Thiamine (Vitamin B1) | Broccoli, beets, white cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus. | Participates in metabolic processes, |
| Niacin (Vitamin B3) | Peas, artichoke, white cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, asparagus, carrots. | Favorably affects digestion, participates in cell regeneration processes, improves memory and cognitive functions. |
| Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) | Mushrooms, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli. | The vitamin necessary for maintaining and building cells is involved in the process of building energy and the synthesis of hormones. |
| Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) | Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peas, carrots. | It is necessary for the normal functioning of the immune system and the regulation of metabolic processes in the body. |
| Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) | Peas, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, artichoke, broccoli, asparagus, carrots, green bell pepper. | Participates in the processes of hematopoiesis, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and cognitive abilities. |
How many vegetables are there?
Despite the fact that the upper and lower limits of the norm of eating vegetables and fruits do not exist, nutritionists recommend eating at least 3 servings of vegetables per day and not more than five. In terms of the weight of the products, this is from 300 to 500 grams.
There is a general recommendation that a person should eat at least 30 different foods per day. Nutritionists advise a third of them to allocate for vegetables. At first glance it may seem that this is an almost impossible recommendation, however, everything is not so scary. A regular vegetable salad of cucumber, tomato, pepper, lettuce, dill, parsley, green onions, radishes and corn compensates your body's need for nutrients. And carrots and onions are anyway present in our daily menu as a part of goulash, overcooking, various gravy and other complex dishes.
The best time for vegetables
Most vegetables can be eaten at any time of the day. In the evening, green vegetables are preferable, since they practically do not contain sugar. Beets, carrots, bell peppers, corn are best left in the morning or lunch.
A salad of raw vegetables should be seasoned with vegetable oil: this way the body can absorb all the fat-soluble vitamins. Olive oil should be preferred, it contains a maximum of saturated fats and is completely absorbed by humans.