From the nutritional perspective diets which are rich in vegetables, especially the dark green ones are considered to be amongst the best for mankind’s health. And this is because, since they possess vital vitamins and magical minerals they do not only prevent many medical conditions but treat some of them.
Indeed, they have been found to lower blood pressure, prevent heart diseases and stroke, assist in boosting digestive disorders and prevent some forms of cancer.
Several researches have revealed that vegetables are beneficial in keeping the muscles strong, helping good eyesight and assist the skin to keep it smooth and silky.
With regards to the popular Nigerian diets, the popular vegetables include bitter leaf, efo riro, ewedu, igwu, cassava leaves amongst many others. Those that are consumed more outside our shores include broccoli, spinach and kale.
While the presence of potassium and fibre play great role to make the digestive system work well, that of iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium assist to boost the creation of red blood cells, and strengthen the bones to be active.
It is however, advisable to limit the consumption of fried, fatty red meat especially the popular ‘suya’ in Nigeria to lower the risk of cancer.
For those who want to watch their weight, or stay healthy a diet rich in vegetables is recommended because it possesses fibre, has no cholesterol and makes one feel fuller without increasing the calories to keep the soaring appetite in check.
Though nutritionists advise that vegetables should be taken raw to maximize their health benefits what can be done is to steam them to keep their nutrients and flavour fresh.
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Other good methods involve the use of microwave, stir-frying and poaching.
One mistake that many home makes and cooks make here is to squeeze and throw away the vegetable fluid with the water, especially after washing off the dirt. Doing so means throwing away the essential minerals and other nutrients.
One is also well advised to avoid cooking the vegetables along with butter and cream instead of using lemon juice, herbs and black pepper.
The wise choice of vegetables:
These are the issues and factors to consider when buying vegetables.
Choose the ones that are fresh, brightly coloured without blemishes or cuts.
Those with cuts allow the growth of mold that could spoil a whole bunch.
Avoid those that have shown signs of wilting as well as those that have been stored as they are likely to have lost their nutrients.
Frozen vegetables such as spinach, peas and sweetcorn retain most of their nutritional values.
Scanned vegetables could be still have their nutritional benefits available to the consumers so far they are not stored with added salt or sugar.
According to a popular Nigerian-born traditional doctor Peter Ibrahim, some locally available vegetables could be useful in treating common ailments.
For instance, bitter leaf and scent leaf squeezed in warm water with a little potash added is effective against diabetes.
Similarly, while ogbolo has been proved efficacious with the treatment of impotence,bitter leaf is good for the detoxification of the liver, frequent consumption of a variety of vegetables have proved to boost beauty.
On a general note therefore, diets rich in vegetables are well recommended for people either to prevent diseases such as stroke, high blood pressure, colon cancer, pains affecting the muscles, skin and eyes or to treat digestive issues.
As it is with other group of foods, variety is the spice of nutrition when it comes to the choice of vegetables.
