The (mostly) Not Green Vegetables

As this blog series on carbohydrates continues, I am going to take up the rest of the veggies, all the non-green ones, since I covered those last week. Actually today is about mostly not green vegetables — zucchini snuck in here as well as the greens attached to root vegetables. But it’s mostly not green. The veggies we have left for this week are:

• Root Vegetables

• Marrow Veggies

• Seeds/Legumes

• The Allium family of vegetables - Yep, that was a new one for me, too when I was researching how to approach the veggie posts! Stay tuned (or skip ahead)

Root Vegetables

What’s a root vegetable? These are vegetables that grow in the ground or very close to the ground (except for those in the Allium family, those are a different animal… or vegetable rather). These include all kinds of potatoes, beets, carrots, radishes, and rutabaga. Fennel also counts in this group, even those its bulb kind of sits on top of the ground. Many root vegetables have edible greens that are also delicious like beets and fennel. But I am going to focus on the root part.

What’s in root vegetables? There are a variety of nutrients in root vegetables, but I am just going to hit some of the highlights:

• Starch - most root vegetables are considered starchy vegetables. Starch is a type of carbohydrate that your body can break down into glucose easily and be absorbed into your bloodstream quickly, spiking blood sugar. Root vegetables have varying amounts, for example, a baked russet potato has 37 grams of carbohydrates compared to a sweet potato of the same size. (1). Don’t let the starch be a deal breaker for you. It is just something to be mindful of. There is lots of good stuff in root vegetables that you do not want to miss out on.

• Anthocyanins - these are polyphenols that are responsible for the dark color in things like purple carrots and beets (also cherries, red grapes, and black beans — not root vegetables, obviously). This is a powerful antioxidant that may reduce inflammation and may offer protection from diseases like type 2 diabetes (2-3).

• Beta-Carotene - this is another great antioxidant found in many root vegetables. It’s a red-orange pigment and contributes to the color of carrots and sweet potatoes. It’s a precursor to vitamin A and is really important for eye health and immunity. (4)

• Potassium - lots of root vegetables are full of potassium, like potatoes, fennel, and rutabaga. A medium potato can have up to 20% of your recommended daily potassium — more than a banana (the quintessential high-potassium food). Runners are familiar with potassium as a key electrolyte. But everyone needs it regardless of activity level for your heart and kidneys to work properly and for normal muscle contraction. It may also guard against high blood pressure. (5-6).

Marrow Vegetables

What’s a marrow vegetable? Ok, technically, these are cucurbits . But who is going to remember that? Some people call all pumpkins, winter squashes, and summer squashes marrow vegetables, and that seems to make sense. These are the vegetables where the deliciousness is in the “marrow". These are in the same family as melons and you can see the similarity. Spaghetti squash and honeydew have that same seedy middle.

What’s in marrow veggies (aka cucurbits)?

• Vitamin B6 - Squashes are full of vitamin B6. This vitamin is key to a lot of metabolic processes. It is also important in red blood cell formation and helps your immune system function properly (7)

• Beta-Carotene - Colorful squash and pumpkins are full of that red-orange beta-carotene that your body needs for eye health and proper immune function.

• Vitamin C - Vitamin C almost needs no introduction. It plays an important role in immunity and is powerful antioxidant. It also helps build collagen that your body needs to repair itself. (8)

• Fiber - Squash are a good source of fiber. You already know many of the benefits of fiber, like improving gut health and lowering cholesterol.

• Starch - Like root vegetables, winter squashes contain a lot of starch (see above). Note that the summer squashes like zucchini are not considered starchy vegetables.

Seeds/Legumes

What’s a seed vegetable or legume? Here we are talking about the plants in which you eat the seeds. Like peas, beans, lentils, and edamame. Peanuts, despite their name, are also legumes (not nuts). Corn also fits here because to grow corn, you plant the kernels that you eat — those are its seeds. Corn is also a grain, btw.

What’s in seed vegetables or legumes?

• Protein - These are one of the best sources of proteins from plants. In fact, vegan protein powder is often made from pea powder. There are a number of amino acids (components of protein) that we need for things like tissue repair, nutrient absorption, and protein synthesis.

• Fiber - Beans are a notoriously high-fiber food, but other legumes also have strong fiber content.

• Iron - You need iron for your red blood cells to be able to carry oxygen throughout your body. Iron also contributes to hormone synthesis. (9).

Allium Vegetables

What’s an allium vegetable? The word “allium” is from the Latin word for garlic. So naturally, it includes garlic. It also includes shallots, onions, chives, and leeks. Think of these as the vegetables we use to flavor other vegetables (and other things).

What’s in Allium vegetables?

• Organosulfur compounds - These are organic molecules (meaning they are molecules that have carbon, not that they were grown organically) that contain sulfur. These reduce inflammation and there are many studies that suggest that these compounds may protect against certain types of cancer. (10 -13).

• Manganese - this is another mineral that is important for metabolism. It also plays a role in immune function and regulation of blood sugar. (14).

Eating the Rainbow

I think I covered all the vegetables, but let me know if I missed any categories! There are a lot of different vegetables out there and they offer a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other components that can help your body function optimally. You don’t need to eat all the vegetables every day to get the benefits. You can simply aim to increase the number of colorful vegetables that you already love in a few meals each week. If you’d like some help fitting more vegetables into your current routine, that is exactly the sort of thing I address in my Basecamp program. I’d love the opportunity to work with you on that and other goals!

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 References:

1.            The pros and cons of root vegetables. Harvard Health. Published August 1, 2018.

2.            Hurst RD, Lyall KA, Wells RW, et al. Daily Consumption of an Anthocyanin-Rich Extract Made From New Zealand Blackcurrants for 5 Weeks Supports Exercise Recovery Through the Management of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Pilot Study. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2020;7.

3.            Xiao JB, Högger P. Dietary polyphenols and type 2 diabetes: current insights and future perspectives. Curr Med Chem. 2015;22(1):23-38. doi:10.2174/0929867321666140706130807

4.            Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin A and Carotenoids.

5.            Office of Dietary Supplements - Potassium.

6.            How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure. www.heart.org.

7.            Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin B6.

8.            Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin C.

9.            Office of Dietary Supplements - Iron.

10.          Historical Perspective on Garlic and Cancer | The Journal of Nutrition | Oxford Academic.

11.          Ruhee RT, Roberts LA, Ma S, Suzuki K. Organosulfur Compounds: A Review of Their Anti-inflammatory Effects in Human Health. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2020;7.

12.          Bianchini F, Vainio H. Allium vegetables and organosulfur compounds: do they help prevent cancer? Environ Health Perspect. 2001;109(9):893-902.

13.          Frontiers | Organosulfur Compounds: A Review of Their Anti-inflammatory Effects in Human Health.

14.          Office of Dietary Supplements - Manganese.