Powerful Purple Vegetables
Back in the day our parents used to tell us to “eat our greens” – but what about the incredible benefits offered by purple veggies? These beautifully hued vegetables offer a host of nutrients, and should definitely be a part of a healthy diet. Purple veggies have a high concentration of anthocyanins and phenolics which have shown to help maintain a healthy urinary tract system, improve your memory, and even slow down the aging process. Additionally, recent studies have shown that purple veggies can also reduce your risk of cancers.
Purple Veggies to Try
Right now you are thinking about cabbage – and wondering just how much coleslaw you’d have to eat to reap the health benefits, before you tire of eating cabbage. Luckily there are lots of other tasty purple veggies out there, such as: - Purple cauliflower - Purple Heart potatoes - Beets - Eggplant - Kohlrabi (also known as German turnip) - Red Lettuce - Rhubarb - Turnips - Purple Belgian Endives If you aren't familiar with these vegetables, ask your grocer for some advice. They are usually very eager to introduce you to new vegetables and even give you tips on how to prepare them. If you are a gardener, there are many varieties of vegetables that come in a “purple” hue, consider planting some this spring and enjoy!
How to Eat Purple Vegetables
The preparation for purple vegetables is the same as any other, you can stir-fry, steam, bake, boil, roast, or enjoy raw to maximize the health benefits! Make a funky purple potato salad, fun soups, or add shredded fresh purple veggies on top of your meal. No matter how you do it, keeping a regular amount of purple veggies in your diet will provide nothing but fun, flavor, and some great health benefits. In case you need some help getting going, here is a simple and colorful recipe to enjoy:
Purple Potato Salad
1 lb baby purple potatoes, peeled and cooked until tender 1 tbsp. minced red onion 1 tsp. minced parsley A few tablespoons vegan mayonnaise, to taste Salt and pepper, as desired Mix all ingredients except potatoes, and then add mixture to potatoes. Tastes great hot or cold!
Explore Vegetables!
When you add a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables to your diet, you are ensuring that you are nourishing your body with a multitude of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. So make sure you start venturing into different aisles of the market and explore some veggies you haven't tried before. You'll get out of the same old routine and give your taste buds something new to discover!
