Stick To The Roots! 5 Healthy Reasons To Include Root Vegetables In Meals

benefits of Root Vegetables

Popularly described as nutritional storehouses, examples of root vegetables include cassava, onions, yucca, potatoes, carrots, radishes, turnips, beets, ginger, taro, turmeric, taro, and yams. Root vegetables are plant roots that are typically classified as vegetables. While most root vegetables grow underground, some don’t. Root veggies are mainly classified into tubers (potatoes, carrots, beets, yams, cassava, radishes), rhizomes (ginger and tumeric) and bulbs (onion, garlic).

“Root vegetables are some of the most overlooked and under appreciated foodstuffs around. But these nutritional storehouses are hidden treasures worthy of your notice,” says Andrew Weil, MD.

Delicious and easy to cook, here are 5 good reasons to make sure root veggies are incorporated in your meals:

Low in calories. If you are looking for a diet that is rich in nutrients and low in calories, root vegetables are for you.  Because they typically grow underneath the ground where they are able to absorb high levels of nutrients and minerals from the soil, these foods are rich in complex carbohydrates which break down in the body to form sugar that provides good long-lasting energy. This nutritional aspect of root vegetables is especially important to those on a diet because while these foods are filling, they do not contain bad calories and are low in fat.

Cleansing properties. Roots are rich in fiber which is vital for healthy digestion and cleansing of the body. Root vegetables also contain high levels of antioxidants which help in removing toxins and harmful free radicals from the body.

Care2.com expands on the cleansing powers of root vegetables as such: “their phytonutrients are proven to have extraordinary health benefits. The phytonutrients include antioxidants which fight free radicals in our bodies. The phytonutrients are associated with the color of the vegetable, and the more intense a vegetable’s color is, the more phytonutrients it contains.”

Disease fighting properties. Onions and garlic prevent blood from clotting, hence are good for the heart and in the prevention of other diseases including cancers. Health awareness website elements4health.com elaborates, “People often picture dark green leafy vegetables when they think of folate, but beets and parsnips are equally good sources of this B vitamin – an important player in helping to protect DNA and lower cancer risk. In addition, radishes , rutabagas and turnips are classified as cruciferous vegetables along with broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. This family of vegetables provides an important compound that seems to offer cancer protection by stimulating enzymes that deactivate carcinogens.”

Available all year round. Because of their nature, root veggies can be stored for long periods of time and hence are available during winter months when most vegetables are hard to come by.

High in Vitamin C. Roots such as sweet potatoes, carrots, swede and turnips contain high amounts of vitamin C and beta-carotene, known for their powerful blood cleansing abilities, which help in preventing high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Beta-carotene converts into vitamin C which is good for the eyes.

The next time you go grocery shopping, do not shy away from root vegetables. Stock up on them and enjoy the health benefits they come with everyday!

(Image by Silencefoto)

Facebook Comments

Related Posts

Comments

Do not miss