WHY IS IT VITAL TO EAT VEGETABLES?

It is important that one should consume a good amount of vegetables each day. At least when taking in breakfast, lunch, or supper, one should add a good amount of vegetables to the diet to give a number of nutrients to the body.

It is obvious that people eat vegetables for only nutrition sake, but rather they forget it offers protection against various diseases such as diabetes, digestive problems, obesity, heart disease and common cancers like colorectal, breast and prostate cancer. Nutrients like folate, potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin A and C, etcetera are gained when one takes in raw vegetables or savory veggies.

There are different types of vegetables in our Ghanaian market, but time will permit me to mention the usual ones Ghanaian's use when cooking or use in preparing salad.

The vegetables commonly grown in Ghana include tomato, onion, shallots, lettuce, cucumber, okra, eggplant (garden-eggs), sweet pepper, carrots, cabbage, garlic, chili pepper, and hot pepper. These vegetables find a ready market, in all areas of the country. 

Vegetables are part of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The term vegetable refers to the fresh edible portions of certain herbaceous plants (they are plants that do not have much wood and its stems are green and soft)– roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit, or seeds.

These plant parts are either eaten fresh or prepared in a number of ways, usually as savory, rather than a sweet, dish.  There are many people who find it difficult to eat vegetables, hence they can blend the vegetables and add them to the stew, soup, or anything they prepare.

Some Ghanaian foods that can be eaten with vegetables include, waakye, bread, egg, rice and stew, fried rice, Jollof, kenkey or banku with fried fish, etc. 

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, all vegetables are rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants. Vegetables that are loaded with antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds help fight free radicals that damage cells. Diets rich in antioxidants are often linked to slower aging and a lower risk of diseases.

They are good sources of minerals, specifically calcium and iron, and vitamins, mainly A and C. Fresh vegetables have fewer calories and have a water content in excess of 70 percent, with only about 3.5 percent protein and less than 1 percent fat.
Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health, maintenance of the human body, and nutrients vital for the human skin. The nutrient one gains from the intake of vegetables helps in the reduction of contradicting some chronic diseases.

NUTRIENTS IN VEGETABLES

• Most vegetables are naturally low in fat, calories, and cholesterol. Diets that contain calories and cholesterol are sauces and seasonings.
• Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, like potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamin A, and C.
• Foods that are rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Vegetable sources of potassium include sweet potatoes, tomato products (paste, sauce, and juice), soybeans, spinach, white potatoes, and kidney beans
• Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart diseases
• Fiber is important for proper bowel function and helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fibre- containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
• Folic acid helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods and in addition 400mcg of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This prevents neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
• Vitamin A keeps the eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections
• Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption.

HEALTH BENEFITS

• Adding vegetables to food helps increase the intake of fiber and potassium, which are important nutrients to the body.
• Eating diets rich in some veggies may protect the body against certain types of cancers.
• Eating a healthy diet rich in vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease, including heart attack and stroke. 
• Eating foods such as vegetables that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.