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Home » Exercise Programs » All about the five vegetable subgroups | News, Sports, Jobs – Evening Observer

One of the greatest things about eating your daily serving of vegetables is the wide range of nutrients they provide. The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on your age, gender, and level of physical activity; but in general, you should consume half of your plate from fruits and vegetables each time you eat with about 2 to 2 and 1/2 cups of vegetables daily.

So what vegetables are good for you? Well, this goes back to getting all the nutrients your body needs. Ultimately, your vegetables are organized into five groups based on their nutrient content: dark green vegetables, red-orange vegetables, beans and legumes, starchy vegetables, and the others group. Therefore, you should be consuming vegetables from all five groups, if not every day then at a minimum every week.

The red orange vegetable group includes bell peppers, carrots, sweet potato, squash, and tomatoes. Foods in this vegetable subgroup provide nutrients such as Vitamin A for vision, Vitamin C for immune health, potassium for heart health and healthy blood pressure, and Vitamin K for blood clotting.

The dark green vegetable group includes arugula, broccoli, collard greens, endive, escarole, kale, mixed greens, mustard greens, romaine, spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens, and watercress. Foods in this vegetable subgroup provide nutrients such as fiber for digestive and heart health, folate for cell division and blood health, carotenoids for antioxidant functions, Vitamin C for immune health, and Vitamin K for blood clotting.

The beans and legumes are a unique group that contain excellent sources of plant-based proteins, iron, zinc, folate, potassium, and fiber. Vegetables found in this group include black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and soy beans. These plant-based proteins are generally low cost, healthy protein sources and provide satiety with meals.

The starchy vegetables group include corn, green bananas, green lima beans, green peas, parsnips, white potato, water chestnuts, and yams (sweet potato). While this group provides various nutrients such as potassium, antioxidants, folate, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, these vegetables are also higher in calories than vegetables in other food groups. Theyre particularly high in carbohydrate calories and therefore must be consumed in moderate amounts with portion control.

The other vegetable group includes artichoke, asparagus, avocado, bean sprouts, beets, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, green peppers, iceberg lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, radicchio, radishes, snow peas, tomatillos, turnips, wax beans, yellow squash, and zucchini. Foods in this vegetable subgroup provide important nutrients such as magnesium and manganese which play a role in bone health, copper for blood health, selenium for its role as an antioxidant, as well as fiber, folate, and Vitamin K.

So when shopping, choose vegetables rich in color from the entire rainbow to ensure that you are getting a wide range of nutrients. Stock up on frozen vegetables or no salt added canned vegetables that are quickly cooked in the microwave. Create soups from pureed cooked vegetables such as tomato, butternut squash, and garden vegetable to add variety in your diet. Add vegetables to your sauces, casseroles, as well as rice side dishes such as a mushroom risotto. Savor the flavor of the season by choosing a new vegetable you have never tried before and experiment with a new recipe.

Adding all five subgroups of vegetables not only keeps you meals from getting boring, it reduces your risk of chronic disease by giving your body a wide variety of nutrients. Bon appetit!

Please remember to contribute toward your OFA nutrition services if you can. These programs are not sustainable at current levels without the support of participant contributions. Be aware that Food Stamps can be used toward your contribution. Thank you for your support.

Chautauqua County Office for the Aging Senior Nutrition Program provides nutritious noon meals at several Congregate Dining Sites throughout the county along with a Restaurant Dining Out Program. Our Dietitians, Cheryl Wahlstrom RD and Carey Skelton RD are available for nutrition counseling in your home or by phone. We also sponsor several exercise programs. Call the office for more details and information. CALL NY CONNECTS at 753-4582.

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All about the five vegetable subgroups | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer

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Home » Exercise Programs » All about the five vegetable subgroups | News, Sports, Jobs – Evening Observer