Try grilling these fruits and vegetables to add color and nutrients to your plate. Meat is traditionally the star of barbecue season, but who’s to say it has to stay that way? By enjoying summer fruits and vegetables, you can brighten up your plate, cut fat, and enrich your meals with the vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive.
A study published in May 2019 in The Lancet notes that one in five deaths worldwide was associated with diets that lacked fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts. The majority of those deaths were due to cardiovascular disease, the researchers found. Grilled fruits and vegetables often make an appearance as a side dish, but making them the main event is especially easy during grilling season. Ultimately, the goal is to add more fruits and vegetables to your plate, one way or another. Whether it’s a tasty side dish or a healthy starter, here are seven fruits and vegetables that dietitians recommend grilling this summer, and why they’re good for you.
1 Zucchini is water-dense and a good source of vitamin A.
Zucchini are famous for their abundance in summer. Try grilling this summer squash in a veggie skewer, hearty salad, or layered sandwich. Zucchini aren’t the most nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables out there, but since they’re mostly made up of water. A cup of boiled zucchini offers 101 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A, or about 11% of the daily value (DV), making it a good source of this nutrient. Zucchini is also good for hydration, very easy to find and inexpensive”
Trick: make grilled zucchini fries. if you cook for children.
2 Bell peppers provide more vitamin C than oranges
Bell peppers are among the most versatile summer vegetables (although they are technically a fruit), thanks to the diversity of their varieties. Bell peppers of different colors provide similar nutrients but are subtly different in flavor. Peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, and research published in June 2015 in Antioxidants showed that the amount of vitamin C increased as peppers ripened from green to red. Still, keep in mind that cooking reduces the amount of vitamin C your body can absorb because vitamin C is heat sensitive. Red peppers tend to be the sweetest and contain more vitamin C than orange peppers. All peppers provide more than twice the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and are also a good source of beta-carotene, potassium, folic acid and fiber. The versatility of peppers makes the recipe possibilities virtually endless, but two places to start are roasted pepper salad and quinoa stuffed peppers.
3 Tomatoes provide lycopene to fight disease
Tomatoes, another fruit that is often put in the same basket as vegetables, are tastier during the summer months. Additionally, roasting or grilling can bring out entirely new flavors in tomatoes and improve absorption of lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes. A review published online in May 2018 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology concluded that the anti-inflammatory properties of lycopene reduced the risk of heart disease in both men and women, and that lycopene was particularly important for those at risk. high in cardiovascular disease.
4 Mushrooms give you the flavor of meat, as well as fiber.
Although wild mushrooms are in season in the spring and fall, farmed mushrooms are available year-round and perfect for grilling. Research published in 2015 in the International Journal of Microbiology showed that fungi are low-fat foods that are packed with dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, whichever edible variety you favor. Three most commonly eaten mushrooms could provide up to 100% of the recommended daily dose of vitamin D, making mushrooms one of the very few non-animal dietary sources of vitamin D.
Mushrooms, especially portabellos, can be a good substitute for meat, while other varieties of mushrooms can help you reduce the amount of meat you eat, which can lower your bill and improve your health. You can mix mushrooms with meat, especially ground meat for burgers, by mixing 50 percent meat and 50 percent mushrooms. Mushrooms add fiber and moisture to burgers which can.
5 Corn Is A BBQ And Summer Staple
Corn is a good source of dietary fibre, which is crucial for digestion and energy-boosting carbs, and it contains two antioxidants – lutein and zeaxanthin – which are linked to eye health. An ear of corn provides 4.93 g of fiber, for 18% of the DV, according to the USDA. Like other summer vegetables, corn tastes best when ripe. Roll a grilled cob in herb butter or, for healthier options, pesto.
6 Red onions provide sweetness and antioxidants
All onions are great on the grill, but especially red onions, which get really sweet on the grill. onions are a good source of antioxidants, which fight free radical imbalances that contribute to the development of chronic diseases. Research has shown that although antioxidants are present in many types of onions, the amount you get depends on what part of the onion you eat. The outermost layers of an onion bulb had the highest concentrations of antioxidants, which decreased in the innermost layers.
A study published in September 2017 in the Journal of Hypertension found that people who ate the most onions and other alliums were 65% less likely to have heart disease than people who ate the least. In addition, they reduced their risk of high blood pressure by more than 25%.
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