You are not alone when you were told by your parents during your childhood to eat lots of vegetables to make you stronger and healthier. Probably, all kids go through that. And now that you are a senior, you may be hearing the same.
Indeed, vegetables are packed with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fibers, enzymes, and so on. But all vegetables are not created equal. Some may be richer in this kind of nutrient, and the other with different essential components. Or some may have none at all. For a senior, they may need some kinds of nutrients that are more important to take.
Choosing the right vegetables can ensure that you get the necessary nourishment that you need. Here are some vegetables that you should incorporate into your daily diet for a stronger and healthier you:
Spinach
In your younger days, you may have been a fan watching Popeye. It should have thrilled you to see his muscle grow when he eats spinach. Although eating spinach is good for the health, it is not actually to grow muscles. Spinach does other wonderful things to the body.
Spinach is packed with essential nutrients such as vitamins A and K and a whole lot of antioxidants that include lutein and beta-carotene. These antioxidants have powerful anti-cancer properties. Besides that, spinach is also excellent for heart health with its ability to lower blood pressure.
Carrots
Carrots are rich sources of essential vitamins such as vitamins A, K, and C. They also have the antioxidant beta-carotene. According to studies, the risks of getting prostate cancer can be decreased by 5% with each serving per week. It is also highly effective in decreasing the risk of smokers to lung cancer.
Broccoli
With the susceptibility of seniors to cancer and heart disease, broccoli should be one that is always present in their meals. With its active ingredient, sulforaphane, broccoli can provide a protective layer against cancer. It was also shown in studies that it can protect the heart by lowering levels of oxidants. Broccoli is also rich in vitamins K and C, as well as manganese, folate, and potassium.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts have an active ingredient called kaempferol, an antioxidant that can help prevent cell damage. When there is cell damage, chronic diseases may develop. This green vegetable can stimulate detoxification and has also been found to protect you from colorectal cancer. Brussel sprouts are packed with vitamins A, C, and K with lots of potassium, manganese, and folate.
Kale
Kale is a leafy vegetable that is rich in vitamins B, A, and C, potassium, calcium, copper, and high amounts of antioxidants. This makes this vegetable excellent for heart health by improving cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Asparagus
Asparagus is a spring vegetable that is liked by many. Having this vegetable in your diet will ensure you your daily dosage of folate, selenium, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin K. These nutrients can help fight diseases. Moreover, the liver can have extra protection against toxicity and metabolic malfunction.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are root crops with many health benefits. With their sweet taste, sweet potatoes are more commonly made into snacks. With sweet potatoes, you can be ensured of your needs of protein, vitamins C, B6, and A, manganese, potassium, and beta-carotene. This makes sweet potatoes helpful against breast and lung cancer. They also have anti-diabetic properties.
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is widely known for its ability to prevent damage caused by diabetes mellitus. Its protective property against the negative effects of diabetes on the liver and kidney makes it important to have this vegetable in meals for seniors who are prone to organ failure diabetes. Swiss chard is packed with manganese, magnesium, protein, and vitamins A, C, and K.
Kohlrabi
This vegetable is also known as German turnip or turnip cabbage. It is high in fiber and loaded with vitamins, especially that of vitamin C. It has lots of antioxidants too, making it an excellent addition to your diet in order to fight diabetes, inflammations, and other health conditions.
There are many more vegetables that you should also consider including in your meals. Red cabbages, collard greens, and green peas also contain essential nutrients that can give you more health benefits. Try using more spices like garlic, ginger, and turmeric and you may be able to get all the essential nutrients that you need. They can also make your dishes more delicious.
Indeed, with these odd times, seniors should always find ways to keep themselves healthy. One way to ensure this is to incorporate these vegetables into your everyday meals. But aside from that, it is best that you also do your routine exercises and try as much as possible to get out of stressful activities so you may be able to have quality sleep. All these will surely make you stronger and healthier.