Powerhouse Fruits and Veggies

Ashley Simpson: Powerhouse: A person or thing of great energy and strength. Or in this case, a vegetable. That’s right! One vegetable stands alone on top of a new list of 41 powerhouse fruits and vegetables. They’re ranked by the amounts of important nutrients they contain, including fiber, potassium, protein, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals. So what super veggie fought its way to the top? Watercress! This dark green, leafy vegetable tastes kind of peppery and it was considered one of the first fast foods. In the 19th century people used to buy a bunch of these stuff and eat it on the go like an ice cream cone. This little veggie is full of Vitamins A, C, and K which will strengthen your bones and your brain. Now that is a fast food we can recommend! Use it instead of lettuce on sandwiches or get creative and put it in a fruit smoothie. You’ll barely taste the difference. Next on the list: More Greens. Chinese cabbage, beet greens, spinach and chard. You can sauté them in just a bit of oil. But don’t boil them! That gets rid of the good stuff. Instead of grabbing the tried and true iceberg standard, try making your salads with one of these options. You will still get a great salad while squeezing in more nutrition.

Ashley Simpson (Continued): Now the first fruit came in at number 17 and it’s the red bell pepper! Wait, what? the red pepper is a fruit? Well, yeah. In fact it is and it is the sweetest of bell peppers! FYI, it is considered a fruit because it comes from a flowering plant and contains seeds. Not only does it have powerhouse benefits, but it contains loads of Vitamin B and it will help power you up! Stuff them with turkey sausage and bake them up for a healthy dinner. Other top fruits were pumpkin, tomato and lemon. Probably not the fruit you had in mind. But pumpkin isn’t just for carving anymore. You can puree it and make pasta sauce and even roast those seeds. It is great for your digestive system and even disease prevention! Not on the list? The usual suspects like raspberries, tangerines, cranberries, and blueberries. Onions and garlic didn’t quiet make it either. But that doesn’t mean they are not healthy, so don’t give up on them! Next time you are at grocery store keep the top five in mind. Make a little room in that cart for some powerhouse options!