10 of the Healthiest (and Most Delicious) Vegetables You Can Eat
Updated: Oct. 04, 2018
No list of healthy vegetables would be complete without these nutritious (and delicious) powerhouses.
Onions
You’ll get the most out of this veggie’s cancer-fighting antioxidants by eating it raw; cooking onions at a high heat significantly reduces the benefits of phytochemicals that protect against health problems like lung and prostate cancer.
Get your fix of raw onions with this delicious Coriander Prawns and Mango Salad recipe.
Corn
On the cob or off, just make sure you eat your corn cooked! A study in the Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry found that the longer corn was cooked, the higher the level of antioxidants like lutein, which combats blindness in older adults.
Get your fix of corn with this mouthwatering Grilled Corn with BBQ Rub recipe.
Green Peas
Tiny but mighty, one study in the International Journal of Cancer found that daily consumption of green peas along with other legumes lowered the risk of stomach cancer.
Try this easy nutrient-rich Frozen Pea Soup.
Kale
This veggie’s curly green leaves are chock full of vitamin C, an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.
This hearty Kale and Chicken Soup is high in omega-3 fatty acids and has a wonderful nutty flavour!
Broccoli
Broccoli is full of cancer-fighting antioxidants. One study found men who ate five servings or more per week of cruciferous veggies (broccoli’s one of them!) were half as likely to develop bladder cancers over a 10-year period as men who rarely ate them.
Get your fix of broccoli with this Broccoli and Mushroom Pie recipe.
Red Bell Pepper
One medium pepper is light on calories (only 32!) but heavy on vitamin C, providing 150 per cent of your recommended daily value and warding off atherosclerosis, which can lead to heart disease.
Looking for something light? Try making this Green Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Salad!
Spinach
Spinach is packed with carotenoids—antioxidants that promote healthy eyes and help prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Cooking the green helps make lutein (a carotenoid) more absorbable by your body.
Whip up this Egg White Omelette with Spinach, Tomato and Cheddar!
Alfalfa Sprouts
This tiny powerhouse is rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that protects against lung cancer and helps maintain healthy skin, hair, nails, gums, glands, bones, and teeth. It’s also a good source of vitamin E, which may help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and lower the risk of death from bladder cancer.
This scrumptious Crisp Finger Sandwich is packed with alfalfa sprouts!
Brussels Sprouts
These balls of antioxidants can help detoxify cancer-causing free radicals, and with 80 per cent of your daily vitamin C in just 1/2 cup, also help fight heart disease and ward off cataracts.
Looking for something to pair bacon with? Try these Sautéed Brussels Sprouts.
Beets
Roasted or pickled, this root vegetable contains high levels of antioxidants that fight cancer, as well as lutein, which protects the eyes. Don’t throw out those leaves! Beet greens are the most nutritious part of the vegetable and can be cooked like any other dark leafy green.
Try Graham Elliot’s Arugula Salad with Asian Pear and Roasted Beets!
