The Many Wonders of Grilling Vegetables and Their Nutrients
Health Benefits of Grilling Vegetables
Vegetables are a very important part of a healthy, balanced diet. Vegetables not only taste better when they are fresh but they maintain more of their nutritional values this way too. Grilled vegetables can accompany a main dish or they can be served as a main meal.
If you want to grill vegetables, you need to pick the ones with lower water content. Cabbage, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and asparagus are examples of vegetables that grill well. You can grill them directly on the grill or wrap them in tinfoil first. If you use the foil, you won’t have to add any fats or oils. Boiling vegetables isn’t so good for you because a lot of the nutritional benefit is lost in the cooking water. Fried vegetables can be fatty. Grilled vegetables tend to be healthier than other preparation methods.
The Many Benefits of Vegetables
Eating a diet, which is rich in vegetables and fruits, can reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Eating vegetables can also protect against certain types of cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. Orange and dark green vegetables are higher in cancer-preventing antioxidants and nutrients than other types. Vegetables are also low in calories and fat but high in fiber, so they can help you to lose weight by making you feel full.
Vegetable Nutrients
There are a variety of nutrients found in vegetables. These include potassium, folate (folic acid), dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. Folate encourages the production of red blood cells. Dietary fiber assists the reduction of cholesterol levels in the blood. It also helps with good bowel function. Potassium is important to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. Vitamin A is good for the skin and eyes. Vitamin C keeps the teeth and gums healthy, heals wounds and helps with iron absorption. Vitamin E protects Vitamin A and essential acids from cell oxidization.
A Delicious Grilled Vegetable Recipe
This is a quick and easy grilled vegetable recipe, which is high in vegetable nutrients and flavor. Clean and trim a selection of vegetables that grill well. Cut each into thick slices or halves. You can choose from eggplant, button mushrooms, tomatoes, corn on the cob, summer squash, peppers and more.
Parboil some small, waxy potatoes until they are tender. Soak the corn on the cob for an hour, having removed the silks but leaving the husks on. Brush the vegetables lightly with oil, if you do not plan to use foil, so they will not stick to the grill. Alternatively, brush them with a marinade.
Prepare a medium hot grill. Place the vegetables on the grill on skewers, in a foil pouch or directly on to the grill. Denser vegetables such as potatoes and carrots take longer to cook, so add those first. Turn the vegetables as needed, brushing on more oil or marinade. When they can be easily pierced with a fork, they are ready to serve.
You can make a basic marinade by combining 1 part lemon juice with 2 parts olive oil and 1 peeled, crushed clove of garlic. You can make this a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator.
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August 09 2008 08:28 am | Gourmet