Writtenby Chelsea Goodsell
Part of the National Nutrition Month initiative
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about eating right with color is the color green. I try to eat something green with just about every meal, and not just because it is one of my favorite colors. Green vegetables are rich in many nutrients that can have a huge impact your health. My favorite green food is broccoli. Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable and it is packed full with phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber that are important to your health. Broccoli is called a cruciferous (which means cross bearing) vegetable because during growth, four petals in the shape of a cross surround it. This vegetable is loaded with vitamins A, C and K and minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium. Many people don’t think of broccoli as an antioxidant, but it is rich in sulforaphane, an antioxidant that has been shown to prevent heart disease. Sulforaphane may also prevent macular degeneration, an eye disease that can affect vision. Broccoli has also shown the ability to prevent cancer. A study from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, revealed that eating broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables at least 3 times per month may reduced the risk of bladder cancer by 37 percent! So next time you need to add a little bit of color to your plate, consider adding broccoli and reaping all of the health benefits that will come with this cruciferous veggie.
References
CRUNCHY CANCER FIGHTERS. (2008). Good Housekeeping, 247(1), 36. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
Deas, G. W. (2007). Eat broccoli … a cross that you can bear. New York Amsterdam News, 98(49), 32. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Mennonite Central Committee. Untitled [Photograph]. Retrieved March 24, 2011 from: http://worldcommunitycookbook.org/
Like this post? Read more Eat Right With Color posts!
No comments:
Post a Comment