1. Lycopene Protects Against Cancer
The substance that makes some vegetables red is lycopene, a carotene that helps protect against cervical, ovarian and prostate cancer as well as heart disease. Tomatoes are the best source of lycopene. Of course, tomatoes are really a fruit and not a vegetable, but we often think of them as a vegetable when planning our diets. A raw medium tomato actually has less lycopene than processed tomatoes in juice, sauce or paste. Lycopene is an oil-soluble nutrient, so if you eat tomatoes it's best to combine them with a little olive oil. This will allow your body to absorb 70% of the lycopene in the tomato.
2. Try This Super Food
Red bell peppers are a nutritious vegetable that classify as a super food. One medium red bell pepper contains 40 calories, 470% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C, 90% of the RDA for vitamin A, and lots of vitamin B6. You'll also get a healthy dose of fiber and vitamin E from these sweet peppers. Red bell peppers also contain phytochemicals such as beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, which protects against lung cancer, and lycopene. You can cut these peppers up in strips and put them in a salad or on a steak. They are also good to use for stuffed peppers and any other dishes that call for green peppers.
3. See Red in Your Salad
Beets are a red/purple vegetable sometimes forgotten. They contain beta-carotene, vitamin A, B vitamins and a number of important minerals like manganese and potassium. Radishes are another amazing red vegetable. One radish contains 10 calories and supplies almost 1/3rd the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C. Radishes are a great addition to garden salads. Radicchio, also known as red chicory, is a cabbage-like vegetable that is full of antioxidants and you can use it in salads. While you're making your salad, don't forget red onions, which contain fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, manganese and potassium, and are a good source of vitamin C.
4. Spice it Up
If you don't mind spicy foods, red chili peppers are a wonderful addition to any diet. One red chili pepper contains 40 calories and almost 2 1/2 times the RDA for vitamin C. These peppers also contain vitamin A, lots of B vitamins, and important minerals like iron and manganese.
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