The World Health Organization reports that, "Worldwide, low intake of fruits and vegetables is estimated to cause about 19 percent of gastrointestinal cancer, about 31 percent of ischaemic heart disease and 11 percent of stroke." It's clear that vegetable intake is important for health. However, the Health Behavior News Service reports that more than 75 of American men and women fail to meet their vegetable intake targets. If you have a hectic schedule, you may not have time to boil water, steam a cup of broccoli, and sit down and eat it. Luckily, there are many on-the-go raw veggies that are both easy and healthy.
Baby Carrots
"World's Healthiest Foods" reports that baby carrots are not young carrots, but are actually normal carrots that have been processed to look like a young carrot. Either way, baby carrots are a very easy way to get a serving or two of vegetables into your diet. Because they don't require any work -- not even washing -- baby carrots are perfect for the road. Along with unparalleled convenience, baby carrots also pack a nutritional punch. "Calorie Gallery" estimates that a single cup of baby carrots contains four grams of fiber and 45 mg of iron.
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes don't need to be cooked and can be eaten by the handful in raw form. Cherry tomatoes, like all tomatoes, contain a special antioxidant known as lycopene. The Mayo Clinic reports that eating lycopene may reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and some eye problems.
Bell Peppers
The only thing bell peppers need to be ready to eat is a bit of chopping. Brightly colored yellow, orange, and red bell peppers are rich in antioxidants. The Produce for Better Health Foundation claims that colorful veggies like bell peppers contain more nutrition variety than pale vegetables like celery because of the high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that they contain.
Snap Peas
According to "World's Healthiest Foods," snap peas were created about 40 years ago by breeding together standard peas and snow peas. The result is a portable, nutrient-rich vegetable that's simple and easy to eat. One cup of green peas contains 50 percent of the daily value for vitamin K and 35 percent of the daily value for dietary fiber.
Cucumbers
Try slicing a raw cucumber for a raw veggie snack. "World's Healthiest Foods" estimates that a cup of raw cucumber contains 10 percent of the daily value of vitamin C.
Washing
Except in the case of baby carrots, all of these portable veggies require washing. Washing vegetables can remove potentially harmful pesticides, according to the "Hong Kong Center for Food Safety."
References
- World Health Organization: Fruit, vegetables and NCD prevention
- Calorie Gallery: Baby Carrots
- Mayo Clinic: Lycopene
- Fruits & Veggies---More Matters: About The Buzz - Pale Vegetables Are Not As Nutritious As Colorful Ones
- World's Healthiest Foods: Green Peas
- "Health Behavior News Service": Low Fruit, Vegetable Intake Is a Worldwide Problem
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