10 Most Nutritious Vegetables You Should Be Eating Daily

Vegetables are an essential part of our diets; they’re high in fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients that are great for our health and can help prevent serious illnesses down the road. But how do you choose which vegetables to eat? All veggies aren’t created equal, so it’s important to pick out the ones with the highest nutritional value. Learn more about 10 of the most nutritious vegetables that you should add to your diet today!

Carrot

Many benefits of carrots are there, that everyone should know about:

- Carrots are high in fiber, which helps keep your digestive system healthy. Fiber also helps you feel full longer and reduces your risk for diabetes. - The beta carotene content in carrots will help prevent cancer and lower your risk for age-related macular degeneration.

- Carrots contain vitamin A, which is great for improving vision, skin health and immune function.

- Vitamin C is another key nutrient found in carrots that's important for fighting infection and boosting immunity. - Sweet potato: Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables out there. They're a good source of dietary fiber, potassium and iron. They're also an excellent source of vitamins A, C and B6 as well as manganese, copper, thiamine and niacin. - Plus they've been shown to reduce blood pressure levels as well as regulate blood sugar levels -- making them a perfect addition to any diet!

Spinach:

1. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy skin, cell growth and reproduction. It also helps you maintain a healthy immune system and aids in vision health.

2. A diet high in vitamin A may reduce the risk of eye disease such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and blindness due to poor vision.

3. One cup of raw spinach has over eight times the daily recommended intake of vitamin A (1,230 IU) per serving!

4. Spinach also offers folate which is important for a healthy baby's development during pregnancy-- this nutrient can help prevent birth defects that occur from deficiencies in folic acid like neural tube defects or spina bifida.

Broccoli:

When it comes to the healthiest vegetables, broccoli is king. This cruciferous veggie is a nutritional powerhouse, with more than 90% of its calories coming from vitamin C and dietary fiber. One cup of raw broccoli contains just 31 calories, but delivers over 400% of your recommended daily intake for vitamin A as well as significant amounts of bone-building calcium and brain-boosting B vitamins such as folate and thiamin. 

There are many varieties of this healthy vegetable so you can enjoy them year round: try broccolini or calabrese in summer and savoy or purple sprouting in winter.  Kale: Another green leafy vegetable on our list, kale is rich in antioxidants that are believed to fight cancer cells, cardiovascular disease and even aging by slowing down oxidative damage throughout the body. It's also packed with iron, lutein (which promotes eye health), carotenoids (that protect against cancer) and potassium (which regulates blood pressure).

Garlic:

1. Garlic is rich in antioxidants and an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean diet.

 2. Garlic is a natural antibiotic and can help fight against bacteria, fungi, and viruses that cause colds and flu.

3. Garlic contains allicin, which can reduce cholesterol levels.

4. It also has high levels of alliin, which may help prevent cancer .

5. Garlic helps to lower blood pressure

6. It reduces inflammation

7. And it's packed with nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, folate and selenium

8. All of these benefits come from a single clove!

Brussels Sprouts:

If you want to stay healthy, it's important to eat a wide range of vegetables. Brussels sprouts are one of the most nutrient-rich vegetables available. They're high in fiber and low in calories; one cup only contains 46 calories. Plus, they're loaded with vitamin C and folate, which can help strengthen your immune system and lower your risk of heart disease.

One cup also has more than 100% of your daily recommended allowance for vitamin K, which is good for bone health. Steaming them will make them taste better, but if you prefer boiled or roasted, that will work too! Just be sure not to overcook them so they don't become mushy. Try slicing the brussels sprouts into thin strips for a colorful side dish that pairs well with meat.

Cauliflower:

One of the most nutritious vegetables is cauliflower. It contains more vitamin C than an orange, and more potassium than a banana. It also has folate, which is important for pregnant women because it helps to prevent birth defects in their children. Cauliflower also provides high levels of fiber, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6 and omega-3 fatty acids. These all help with digestive health and immune function.

Asparagus:

One serving of asparagus provides more than 100% of your daily requirement for vitamin K. This vitamin is important in blood clotting, which can help prevent heart disease or strokes.

You get not only vitamins from asparagus but also minerals like copper and potassium, both important for healthy nerve functioning and muscle control. Other great sources of vitamin K are spinach, kale, broccoli and leafy greens. . It's also high in iron and calcium to promote healthy red blood cells and teeth respectively. The same number would be 8 cups if you're going by raw volume, which means that a single cup has nearly twice the nutrients as 8 cups raw.

One bunch has enough calories to provide 20% of your daily needs. Spinach: One cup of spinach provides 127% RDA for manganese  and even omega-3 fatty acids into one nutritious green leaf.

Mushrooms:

 -Simple Mushroom Soup

This soup is perfect for a light dinner or as an appetizer for an Italian meal. The recipe calls for canned tomatoes, onions, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, white wine vinegar and olive oil. Let simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes then add the mushrooms and cook until tender.

Sweet Potatoes:

One of the most popular and nutritious vegetables is the sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a staple in many cultures, in part because they grow so well on small farms. One of the most common misconceptions about sweet potatoes is that they're related to yams, which are related to taro root and not really a vegetable at all. 

The orange flesh of this vegetable makes it a favorite for people who don't like eating their vegetables raw. And if you're looking for more protein in your diet, adding some sweet potatoes to your diet will help with that too!

Tomatoes:

1. Tomatoes are high in vitamin A, and antioxidants which helps you fight cancer, lowers your risk of heart disease and reduces the severity of asthma attacks.

2. Tomatoes help to lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

3. They are also a great source of lycopene, which is an antioxidant that may help prevent prostate cancer in men as well as certain types of breast cancer in women.

4. The high amount of vitamin C found in tomatoes can help strengthen your immune system to fight off infections and colds during the winter months when they're most common.