Ok this one should really go without saying but having a look around at most people's diets it seems like there are plenty of people who didn't listen to their mum. Vegetables really are the number one thing you can eat for your health. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that one ‘super' vegetable is going to save you, there is no such thing.
Sure there are plenty of vegetables that are great for you and have fantastic health benefits but no vegetable is all things to all people. You need a good variety of as many different vegetables as possible to make sure that you get all the nutrients you need.
So why are vegetables so darned good?
Well they are chock full of vitamins including A, B, C and K) and minerals and they are the best source of dietary fibre. They are also full of anti-oxidants, in fact what many people don't realise when they reach for the latest marketed, hyped anti-oxidant super food that you can get all the antioxidants you ever need from your veggies.
As a result veggies vegetable intake has been linked to decreased risk of heart disease, cancers, strokes and diabetes as well as much more. In fact research from the International Journal of cancer has shown that men can lower their risk of prostate cancer by simply eating their veggies. Men who consumed most of their fibre from vegetables were 18 per cent less likely to develop prostate cancer, whereas those who received their fibre from fruits or grains didn't show a decrease in prostate cancer risks.
Don't forget that the more you cook your vegetables the more nutrients they lose. So don't boil them til they are a pale yellow like Grandma used to. A light steam is the best way to cook them and still retain their value.
So although you already know you should eat your veggies now it is time to act. Eat a broad range of vegetables (the less cooked the better) with every meal. Your body will thank you for it and you will feel great.
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