It’s true, all vegetables have health benefits. However some are over-achievers in the nutrient department and many of those are ridiculously easy to grow. Since vegetables start losing nutrients as soon as they are picked, having a garden in your backyard or on your deck is a great step toward improving the quality of food on your table. So if you’re looking for ways to get some fresh air and sunshine as well as an excuse to eat healthier, start planning a vegetable garden with these 6 vegetables and let the meal planning begin.
You didn’t think carrots were a mere sweet treat, did you? It’s the beta-carotene in carrots that gives them their orange color. Once absorbed into your system, this antioxident can be turned into vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision, as well as other antioxidents that have been shown to reduce your risk of certain cancers. Carrots are also a source of other vitamins, minerals and even fiber.
There’s a huge variety of carrots to grow. You can succession plant short rows of carrots for a longer season of harvest, grow some of the longer varieties that can be stored and used all winter or try some of the fast-growing, “baby” varieties that can easily be grown in containers.