We all need to eat at least five servings of vegetables every day – the bigger the range of white, green and orange vegetables the better! Particularly all those with a bright colour (eg broccoli, tomatoes, beets, bell peppers) are a rich source of antioxidants, which are so beneficial for the human body.
Raw vegetables are delicious and healthy, but new research suggests that steaming might even be slightly better for one. Studies show that during digestion of steamed vegetables, more bile acids are secreted than during digestion of the same amount of raw vegetables. Bile acids are synthesized in the liver from the breakdown of cholesterol, and is the body’s way of eliminating cholesterol from the body. Hence steaming some of your beets, carrots, green beans, egg plant, asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower daily might well help with control of blood cholesterol levels, besides all the other valuable nutrition provided by such plant material.
HEALTH INSIGHT
MARCH 2017