Powerhouse Fruits and Veggies

Remember your parents telling you to eat your veggies so you could grow up to be big and strong.  Turns out they were right!  The Centers for Disease Control and Protection Journaljust completed and published a study about the top fruits and veggies that are “most strongly associated with reduced chronic disease risk.” The authors developed a nutrient density score to rank the quantities of 17 essential nutrients. To get on the list the produce contained 17 essential nutrients in quantities that constitute 10 percent or more of a person’s ideal daily intake: potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and vitamins A, B₆, B₁₂, C, D, E, and K₃.

Top Fruits and Veggies on the list include: The number one scoring veggie waswatercress, which scored a perfect 100 on the authors’ “nutrient density” scale. Rounding out the top five include Chinese cabbage, chard,  beet greens, and spinach!  Also on the list are:

• leafy green kale
• pumpkin
• brussels sprouts
• strawberries
• broccoli
• Arugula
• Red Peppers
• Dandelion greens
• chives
• mustard greens
• turnip greens
• collard greens
• Romaine lettuce
• Parsley
• Leaf Lettuce
• Chicory

To view the entire list and review the nutrient density score read more at Centers for Disease Control Journal. 

Categorized in: Produce News