Top 5 Spring Vegetables
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is beneficial for lots of reasons, and new research suggests more servings of these foods may help you live longer, too.
In a new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, eating seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day was linked to a 42 percent lower risk of death from all causes. The study also found that these veggie lovers had a 31 percent lower risk of dying from stroke and heart disease and a 25 percent lower risk of dying from cancer.
Researchers at University College London examined data from more than 65,000 adults who participated in the Healthy Surveys for England study between 2001 and 2008. The study sought out to determine if there was a relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality rate. The data revealed that participants ate an average of 3.8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Participants who ate a diet high in fruits and vegetables were found to have a lower risk of death from heart disease, cancer and other causes of death. Eating seven servings of fruits and vegetables was found to be ideal, but each additional serving was associated with a lower risk of death.
[See: U.S. News' Best Plant-Based Diets .]
What better time to up your veggie intake? With spring comes an abundance of fresh vegetables, which are both delicious and good for your health. Be sure to pick up these five vegetables on your next trip to the market.
Asparagus: You've probably seen green asparagus, but this member of the lily family also comes in white and purple. White asparagus has a lighter color because it grows underground and isn't exposed to sunlight. Its flavor is milder than the green variety. One cup of asparagus has 27 calories, and it's an excellent source of vitamins A and K. It's also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, iron, copper and manganese. And that funky urine odor some folks get after eating this green veggie? It's due to the plant chemical asparagine.
Shopping and storage: Look for asparagus bunches in which the feathery tips are tightly closed. The stalks should be brightly colored and firm. Store fresh asparagus in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and use within two to three days.
Carrots
These babies will start appearing in early May and are available through fall in some parts of the country. Although orange is the most popular color, carrots also come in purple, yellow, white and red. One cup of fresh carrots has about 55 calories. It's an excellent source of beta-carotene -- a powerful antioxidant that helps maintain eyesight and protect against heart disease and certain forms of cancer. Carrots are also chock-full of fiber, potassium and vitamins K and C.
Shopping and storage: Look for carrots that are brightly colored and firm. Store fresh carrots (sans the green tops) in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to two weeks.
[Read: 13 Foods That Do Your Eyes Good .]
Radishes
This member of the mustard family can be found in red, purple and black. They also come in a variety of shapes from round to oval to oblong. Red-skinned radishes are the most popular (and my favorite), but you can also find daikon radishes which have a milder flavor than the red-skinned. One cup of radishes has 20 calories and is an excellent source of vitamin C. It's also brimming with folate, calcium and potassium.
Shopping and storage: Look for brightly colored radishes that are firm with the greens attached. To store, remove the leaves and keep the veggies in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Spinach
Spring and fall are the peak seasons for this popular leafy green. Depending on the variety, spinach leaves can be smooth or curly. One cup of raw spinach has only seven calories and close to twice the recommended daily amount of vitamin K. It's also packed with vitamin A and provides plenty of vitamin C, folate and manganese, too.
Shopping and storage: Look for spinach with bright green leaves. Avoid greens with wilted or yellow-patched leaves. Store fresh spinach in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
Vidalia Onions
Vidalia onions are the official state vegetable of Georgia and are only in season from late April to August. These sweet onions are grown in low-sulfur soil, which prevents the onion from developing a pungent taste and results in fewer tears when you slice them. One medium Vidalia onion has 60 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber lots of vitamin C.
Storage: Individually wrap Vidalia onions in paper towels and store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Don't store onions with potatoes, which will cause the onions to spoil more quickly.
[Read: Fresh Fish Shouldn't Stink, and Other Rules of Thumb .]
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is the owner of Toby Amidor Nutrition and author of the forthcoming cookbook "The Greek Yogurt Kitchen" (Grand Central Publishing 2014). She consults and blogs for various organizations, including FoodNetwork.com's Healthy Eats Blog and Sears' FitStudio.
