Which Vegetables Are Superfoods?

The concept behind superfoods is that certain ingredients are so healthy that you should eat them as frequently as possible to reap the benefits. While this claim may sometimes be hype, some foods are in fact extremely healthy. Certain vegetables offer maximum benefits, and you should include them in your diet as often as possible.

Broccoli

A cruciferous vegetable, broccoli packs fiber, vitamin C and folate, as well as the antioxidant lutein, which helps prevent age-related macular degeneration. Additionally, broccoli has calcium and a phytochemical known as sulphoraphane with anti-cancer properties. It doesn't even take much to get a full serving, which is just 1/2 cup -- between two and five florets depending the size.

Avocados

Avocados are rich, creamy and full of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. These good fats can lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and raise good high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Avocados are also a good source of fiber, potassium, magnesium and folate. One of the best benefits is that avocados can improve the body's ability to absorb nutrients from other foods.

Spinach

Spinach provides more nutrients than any other food, according to SuperfoodsRX.com. The American Institute for Cancer Research names dark green leafy vegetables, including spinach, as foods that prevent and fight cancers of the mouth, larynx and pharynx due to the amount of carotenoids in them. Nutrients in spinach include vitamins K, B, C and E, iron, carotenoids, polyphenols, coenzyme Q10 and lutein.

Tomatoes

Although used as vegetables, tomatoes are actually a fruit. It doesn't matter if you eat them raw or cooked, tomatoes are the most concentrated source of lycopene, according to the American Cancer Society. Lycopene is a carotenoid that makes the tomatoes red and is a powerful antioxidant. Lycopene is most widely available in cooked tomato products such as ketchup, tomato juice, and pizza and pasta sauces. Tomatoes are high in fiber and potassium and a source of beta carotene and polyphenols.

Pumpkins

Don't just carve your pumpkin, eat it. Pumpkins are very high in fiber and are a good source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamins C and E. It is also one of the best sources of bioavailable carotenoids, as 1/2-cup serving provides more than two times the recommended daily amount.