Garden Fresh Super Foods

Vegetable Nutrition: This high vegetable list is like a doctor making house calls

Mar 26, 2006

Read about "superfood" and vegetable nutrition. A high vegetable list rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to promote good health, heal and prevent disease.

A vegetable garden isn't just a fun pastime. Vegetable nutrition improves the quality of life. This high vegetable list proves a vegetable garden is like a doctor/clinic/medicine cabinet all wrapped into one. Why? Because expanding your fresh fruit vegetable intake increases disease prevention, improves quality of life, and cures illness.

For example, during World War II, garlic was commonly referred to as the "Russian antibiotic." An antiviral, people have long used garlic for colds and flu. When supplies were low on manufactured antibiotic, garlic was used. Recent studies show garlic may contain chemicals that destroy cancer cells. It also helps expel parasites. Another powerful food product is vinegar. Hot peppers pickled in vinegar--now, that's something Grandmas and Grandpas swore by. Vinegar also kills almost all germs and bacteria - you can clean with it.

There are many healthy foods which have *extreme* healing properties. Most of you have heard about these super foods. A superfood is considered a high vegetable, or one which contains vitamins, minerals and/or nutrients that promote overall good health, but act as medicine as well.

Plant these super foods in your vegetable garden:

Broccoli - Contains vitamins C, A, Beta Carotene and Fiber. (Two spears is a serving size.) Broccoli is very good for your heart. It helps fight cancer, and more. A cruciferous vegetable, broccoli makes the high vegetable list in spades.

Carrots (Two carrots is a serving.) - Carrots are full of Beta Carotene. What does Beta Carotene do? Well, for starters, it may prevent stroke. Studies have shown eating two carrots every other day reduced stroke risk by half for men with symptoms of heart disease.

Chili Peppers - Capsaicin (the stuff that makes peppers HOT) is an antioxidant. It contains blood thinning properties to prevent stroke, lower cholesterol, and protect against carcinogens. Carcinogens have been shown to be a factor in many cancers. Capsaicin is also believed to stimulate the release of endorphins into the body. Your body releases endorphins when you laugh too. Endorphins are natural "feel good" chemicals that go all over your body like little soldiers shouting, "All's well." Have you ever read the Bible proverb, A merry heart doeth good LIKE A MEDICINE. Now you know the literal interpretation. Not only do you feel good when endorphins are released, but studies show it helps your body heal faster. Laughter and chili peppers are GOOD MEDICINE.

Spinach - One cup of uncooked spinach contains vitamins A and C, folic acid and magnesium. These help control cancer and block "free radicals." Studies show it reduces heart disease and stroke risk. It may even help prevent osteoporosis. Popeye knew what he was doing when he ate spinach all the time.

Tomatoes - They have lycopenes, a powerful antioxident. Lycopenes are more powerful than Vitamin C. They stimulate immune function and may slow degenerative diseases.

Also on the list of super foods are:

Increase the fresh fruit vegetable intake in your diet by adding the superfoods on this high vegetable list and you just might live a lot longer and stay healthier.

The copyright of the article Garden Fresh Super Foods in Vegetable Gardens is owned by Sally Odum. Permission to republish Garden Fresh Super Foods in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.