Author丨Gu Chuanling, Deputy Secretary-General of the Capital Health Nutrition and Gastronomy Society, Registered Dietitian
As one of the essential foods in people's daily diet, vegetables can provide the human body with a variety of vitamins and minerals and other nutrients, and the nutrients contained in different vegetables are very different.
So what are the top vegetables for each nutrient? Let's take a look.
Spinach: β-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin "champion"
β-carotene is not only antioxidant, but also turns into vitamin A in the body, making our skin delicate, and it is indispensable for normal immune and visual functions.
Lutein is the intimate protector of the eyes, which can not only resist oxidation, but also inhibit the damage of free radicals to the optic nerve.
Zeaxanthin can also antioxidant, and can also increase the level of macular pigment in the eye, which has a positive effect on slowing macular degeneration.
In addition, spinach can also supplement a certain amount of vitamin C and calcium, and it is recommended to blanch it cold, stir-fry or make soup.
Purple cabbage: the "champion" of anthocyanins
Anthocyanins are natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory stars, and they are absolutely handy in defeating oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, the two enemies of aging.
However, anthocyanins are afraid of heat, blanching, steaming, and microwave will increase the loss of anthocyanins, so the best way to eat purple cabbage is cold dressing.
Tomatoes: Lycopene "Champions"
Lycopene has a high antioxidant capacity, and if you want to have a high utilization rate of lycopene, it is best to eat tomatoes cooked.
Classic dishes like scrambled eggs with tomatoes, egg soup with tomatoes, eggplant with tomatoes, and stir-fried green peppers with tomatoes are all recommended for you to eat.
Green Bell Peppers: VC "Champions"
Although the VC content of millet pepper is higher than it, the millet pepper is too spicy, and it is only a few grams to eat one or two at a meal, so it is reasonable to give the title of VC "champion" to the green bell pepper.
Eating 1 green bell pepper can meet an adult's need for VC throughout the day, which is a super assistant in collagen and antibody synthesis, and can also improve the utilization of calcium, iron and folic acid, and also help lower serum cholesterol.
Red amaranth: the "champion" of folic acid
The folic acid content is as high as 419.8 micrograms per 100 grams, and our ordinary people's daily folic acid needs are only 400 micrograms.
Straw mushrooms: vitamin B2 "champions"
Vitamin B2 not only contributes to the health of the skin and mucous membranes, but is also an indispensable component of energy metabolism.
The vitamin B2 content of straw mushrooms is as high as 0.34 mg/100 grams, and eating 200 grams can make up for this difference, so it is recommended to eat more straw mushrooms in common mushrooms.
Fresh peas: the "champion" of dietary fiber
The dietary fiber content of peas is as high as 5.7 grams per 100 grams, and eating 100 grams can meet about 1/5 of the daily diet, and it is directly simmered with rice into rice.
Kelp: Calcium, potassium, magnesium "champion"
100 grams of calcium (348 mg) is equivalent to 43.5% of the daily calcium requirement (800 mg), in addition to drinking more milk, it is recommended to eat more kelp.
100 grams of potassium (761 mg) is equivalent to 38% of the daily potassium requirement. Adequate potassium intake is very helpful in controlling blood pressure, so friends with high blood pressure eat more kelp.
100 grams of magnesium content (129 mg) is equivalent to 39% of the daily magnesium requirement, magnesium is not only involved in energy metabolism, but also an important component of bone development, but also involved in maintaining neuromuscular excitability, the per capita magnesium intake of Chinese people has not reached the recommended intake, kelp can help in this point.
Green amaranth: iron "champion"
The iron content per 100 grams is 5.4 mg, which is 1/4 of a woman's daily iron requirement.
Therefore, it is recommended that women who are deficient in iron can eat some green amaranth in addition to eating animal liver, animal blood, shellfish and lean meat.