5 fruits and vegetables for good health

5 fruits and vegetables for good health

Summer is here, with its fruits and vegetables in abundance! Why not take advantage of this summer to change your eating habits and (re) discover new flavors? Here are five foods good for your health to put on your plate.

1. Beet

This food, which grows easily in Quebec, is one of the vegetables with the highest antioxidant power. Antioxidants are compounds that protect body cells against damage caused by free radicals. Beetroot is also one of the few plants to contain betalains, a family of pigments that would consist of powerful antioxidants. It also contains flavonoids, compounds having similar effects.

In the kitchen

Intensely colored, beetroot certainly beautify your summer dishes!

You can bake (whole, diced or sliced), the simmer in a rich vegetable soup (like borscht - which can even be eaten cold), boil or steam until tender, or prepare the marinade. Be aware that, whatever the cooking method you use, it is best to cook with the skin to retain maximum nutrients. And, please, do not throw the leaves! They are delicious and are cooked in the same way as spinach.

2. Blueberries

Superstar antioxidants, consumption would prevent many diseases! The blueberry is indeed one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits. This berry contains, among others, flavonoids - anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins in particular - that help prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and various chronic diseases. It is also rich in vitamin C. Of note: wild blueberries have higher nutritional value compared to cultivated blueberries.

In the kitchen

During the summer, why not color your plates of this small fruit is good for health! At lunch, make your grains more nutritious - and certainly more delicious! - By filling the blueberries. Add it to your smoothies to give them a little bit of flavor. You can also use them in your French toast or pancakes. And why not think outside the box by adding blueberries to your salads and entrees? These berries also blend easily to the main dishes. Try them or chutney as an accompaniment to pork tenderloin or chicken breast!

3. Cauliflower

Too often neglected in favor of broccoli, cauliflower is a very healthy vegetable that you may wish to eat more! This can indeed bring you many health benefits. Like broccoli, cauliflower belongs to the cruciferous family, a family of plants specifically recognized for the protection they provide to cancer. This vegetable contains, inter alia, sulforaphane and indoles, phytochemicals having positive effects against various types of cancer - the lung and ovarian cancers among others. It is also rich in vitamin C, as well as several minerals and trace elements.

In the kitchen

Cauliflower has the advantage of being a very versatile food. There are indeed many ways of cooking: cooked, raw, in salads, as a side dish, gratin, soup or mashed. Also, did you know that today is green cauliflower, purple and even orange? Many various colors that will brighten your plates!

4. Zucchini

Better known as zucchini, zucchini is called a summer squash. It is part of the Cucurbitaceae family, like melon and cucumber. Full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help you stay healthy, it is also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds of the carotenoid family that could protect against certain diseases of the eye such as cataracts and macular degeneration. So many good reasons to include it on the menu!

In the kitchen

Zucchini can be eaten cooked or raw. Versatile, it lends itself wonderfully to soups, stir-fried or simmered dishes consisting of meat. Sliced ​​and coated with oil, it is perfectly BBQ grill and is a simple and delicious solution for impromptu dinners with friends or neighbors. You can also try crudity, simply accompanied by a dip hummus, tzatziki or tofu spread.

5. The muskmelon

Rich in water, refreshing fruit belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, like squash and pumpkins. It owes its name to its textured skin reminiscent of embroidery. It is the most nutritious of all melons, including through its colorful flesh that reveals rich in beta carotene. Recall that the beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A in the body, which is important for vision, cell growth and the immune system. Cantaloupe is also one of the fruits richest in vitamin C, vitamin essential to health. It also provides good amounts of potassium and folate. So feel free to add to your menu!

In the kitchen

Also called, erroneously, Quebec cantaloupe, muskmelon is delicious for breakfast, snack, dessert and even drink! Combine it with prosciutto and feta cheese. Guaranteed success!