Many of us love summer because it's the season when vegetables are in abundance. Fresh vegetables have almost all of the nutrients that our body requires.
Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural vitamin C. It also contains an adequate number of minerals. Sweet carrot is notably rich in antioxidants (抗氧化物)， vitamins and dietary fiber. Onion is a rich source of chromium (铬)， a mineral that helps cells respond appropriately to insulin (胰岛素) levels in the blood. As for me, tomato, juicy and delicious, is a wonderful gift to the world. Besides, it contains very good levels of vitamin A and vitamin C, and antioxidants, which are scientifically found to be protective against cancers.
Eat at least 5-7 servings of fresh vegetables every day. Seasonal vegetables should be encouraged. Whenever possible, go for organic farm vegetables to get maximum health benefits. Organic ones tend to be smaller but have rich flavour, possess some good concentration of vitamins and minerals and are loaded with numerous health benefiting antioxidants.
After shopping your choice of vegetables, the first thing you need to do is to wash them thoroughly, especially leafy green vegetables. Soak in salt water for a few minutes, and gently wash in cool water until you are satisfied with the cleanliness. This way you insure they are free from dirt sand and any chemical sprays. If you need to store them, then place inside plastic wrappings in order to preserve their nutrition for short periods until you use them. However, the best way is to use them early while fresh because, firstly, certain vegetables have a very short period of life and secondly, the health benefiting qualities of vegetables declines with time.
