Vegetables Health Proprieties

The legumes and vegetables, foods so common in our day to day, belong to the same food group. This group comprises all the plants grown in the garden, whose parts are edible: stems, roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. The vegetables are essential in the diet, which must be from 4 to 5 servings of vegetables a day, so that the body can work well and remain healthy. After discovering their main benefits, we can not make that ugly face every time we see them in the plate.

So start loving them:

Artichoke - Cauliflower

Asparagus - Lettuce

Broccolis - Head cabbage

Cabbage - Spinach

Carrot - Watercress

Artichoke - (Cynara scolymus L.)

The Artichoke has excellent nutritional properties. It’s rich in vitamins of the complex 13 in vitamin A and minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus. Moreover, the Artichoke also has tannin, an efficient anti-diarrheic, is excellent for the liver. Because it has few calories, it’s recommended in lose weight schemes.

Medicinal Properties: anti-sclerotic, anti-toxic, depurative, digestive, diuretic, liver, hypertensive, laxative, anti-rheumatic, hypoglycaemic, anti-ureic.

Asparagus - (Asparagus officinalis L.)

The asparagus has little nutritional value, containing only vitamins A and C and some minerals, such as iron and calcium. How is low in calories and carbohydrates, it is recommended its use for people who need to maintain or lose weight.

Medicinal Properties: stringent, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, stimulant, laxative, re-mineralising, sedative.

Side effects: You can precipitate a crisis of gout, the stems, if eaten raw, can trigger allergic reactions in sensitized individuals.

Broccolis - (Brassica oleracea var. Plenck Italica)

The broccoli has few calories, but is a vegetable rich in minerals, especially calcium and iron. They also contain vitamins A and C, but vitamin C is lost almost completely during cooking. The broccoli is a food recommended in slimming schemes and during convalescence periods. Medicinal properties: anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, calcifying, diuretic, laxative, rich in vitamins. Side effects: when cooked (elevates the sulphur content) may cause irritation in people with sensitive stomachs and formation of intestinal gas and flatulence.

Cabbage - (Brassica oleracea L.)

The cabbage is rich in vitamin A (essential for the eyes and to the skin), vitamin C, K and some of the complex B. It is also rich in calcium (offers as much calcium as the milk), phosphorus and iron, minerals very important for the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth. It also contains some cellulose, a substance for the optimal functioning of the intestine.

Medicinal properties: calm colic (seeds), arthritis, bronchitis (help), asthma, heal gastric and duodenal ulcer, decreases the desire for alcohol, inflammatory diseases of the skin, pain (sciatica, rheumatic), stimulate the appetite, fever, fortifies children in the growing phase, gout, rheumatism, seborrhoea, cough, worms.

Carrot - (Daucus carota L.)

Carrots are great sources of dietary fibber, antioxidants, minerals, and β-carotene responsible for the orange staining characteristic of the plant, is a pro-vitamin A (substance that leads to vitamin A in a living organism), helps the performance of receptors in the retina, improving vision. It also helps to maintain the good condition of the skin and mucous membranes. In humans, only one hundred grams of carrot are sufficient to supply the daily needs of vitamin A.Medicinal properties: anti-septic, antimicrobial, diuretic, stimulates the nervous and lymphatic systems, re-mineralising, helps in the tan.

Cauliflower - (Brassica oleraceae var. Botrytis L.)

The cauliflower has an appreciable quantity of minerals that have an important acting in the formation of bones, teeth and blood, among them, are the calcium, phosphorus and iron. In addition, have present vitamins B complex (B2, B5), which help treat skin problems, the good work of the digestive system, are essential to growth and prevent the hair fall. Very rich in vitamin A, cauliflower is recommended in cases of malnutrition, general weakness and convalescence. Its green leaves are very effective in combating anaemia. Medicinal Properties: fortifying, mineralizing, stomach acidity neutralization.

Lettuce - (Lactuca sativa L.)

The lettuce has reasonable quantities of vitamin A, niacin, C and the minerals calcium, phosphorus and iron. Vitamin A is an important element for the proper functioning of eye, preserves the health of the skin and mucous membranes, the vitamin niacin avoids problems of skin, the digestive tract and nervous system, and the vitamin C provides resistance to blood vessels, avoids the fragility of the bones and bad formation of teeth, acts against infection and helps heal the wounds.
Medicinal Properties: Leaves - Arteriosclerosis, nephritis, urethritis, haemorrhoids, bronchitis, arthritis, gout, acidosis, eczemas, and diabetes. For internal use, salads can be consumed daily, or in the form of tea in the proportion of 100 g of leaves to 1 litre of water and drink up to 3 cups daily. Stems - Insomnia, palpitation, flu, rheumatism, irritability, Cough - Taking juice, 1 to 3 times daily. Asthma - Cooking 50g of stems to 1 litre of water and 1 cup taken shortly before bedtime. Leaves and stems - bronchitis with cough and secretion - For internal use, add 2 heads of lettuce with the stems in 1 litre of boiling water until the water evaporate by half of its original volume, and sugar or honey. Take 1 cup 4 times daily.

Head cabbage – (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata L.)

The Head cabbage is one of the plants that has fewer calories making it very indicated in the lose weight schemes. It is also rich in minerals (calcium, iron and sulphur), important for the proper formation of bones, teeth and the skin. It also contains vitamins A and the complex 13. It is also a great source of vitamin C, but this is only when the plant is eaten raw. Medicinal Properties: anti-anaemic, intestinal disorders, anti-rheumatic, pain relive, the hair growth stimulant, anti-acid.Side effects: eaten in excess, leads to formation of intestinal gases.

Spinach - (Spinacia oleracea L.)

The spinach is a food very rich in iron, sodium, potassium and vitamin A. While also has vitamin C, can not be considered a good source of vitamin because it disappears during cooking. It has few calories and therefore is recommended for weight loss schemes.
Medicinal Properties: diuretic, laxative, tonic, anti-anaemic.

Contra-indication: since it stimulates laxative and gastric secretion, it’s not advised for people with stomach ulcer or gastritis.

Watercress - (Nasturtium officinale)

The watercress is considered a major source of vitamin A, essential for the eyes and for the skin. It also has a high potential for minerals such as iodine, sulphur, calcium, and phosphorus, but mainly iron. As the watercress is low in calories, and virtually has no fat, is an excellent food for people on a diet. It also has tonic and stimulant properties, which make an optimum food to stimulate the appetite –this is why it’s recommended to serve it as a first plate, in the form of salad, especially on hot summer days, Watercress is very refreshing.

Medicinal Properties: Baldness, Skin Clarifier, Scurvy, Bronchial Disorders, Infertility, Tuberculosis Infection, Blood Purifier, Kidney Problems, Cancer Relief, Cures Kidney Stones, Rheumatism, Gum Strengthening, Hair Growth Skin Potions, Acne, Asthma, Hunger and Focus.

Planting Your Vegetable Garden

Making your own garden is one of the most rewarding things you can make to improve your home. You’ll get big benefits from eating fresh, more nutrient-rich vegetables. You will save money, comparing to what you buy in the supermarket that simply doesn’t compare to a home-grown flavor. And you still save lots of refrigerator space as there is no need to fill it with fresh vegetables, you will have then in your garden, 100% natural fresh.
Vegetable gardens are it’s not any other garden. A vegetable garden can be as attractive as a flower garden, you can have many different types of plants, annuals or perennials, warm-season or cool-season plants. Try different types of varieties of vegetables, chose the best for you and your garden.