World's healthiest vegetable revealed – It's not avocado
Photo: What is the healthiest vegetable in the world (freepik.com)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the US Department of Health and Human Services have identified the most nutritious vegetables in the world, according to the CDC.
What you need to know
The top 26 products on the list are vegetables, primarily cruciferous or leafy greens. The first fruit in the ranking is tomatoes, which have a nutrient density score of 20.37. Remember, fruits are anything that contains seeds.
The rating was calculated based on the bioavailability of 17 key nutrients.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a raw tomato contains:
- 17 grams of vitamin C (19% of the daily value, or DV, recommended for adults)
- 10 micrograms of vitamin K (8% DV)
- 296 milligrams of potassium (6% DV)
- 19 micrograms of folic acid (5% DV)
Moreover, tomatoes contain two important antioxidants: lycopene and beta-carotene. Lycopene gives tomatoes their rich color and helps remove free radicals from the body, which can damage DNA. Studies have shown that lycopene may reduce the risk of prostate cancer as well as the risk of stroke.
A 2021 overview of tomatoes and lycopene showed that tomato consumption was inversely related to mortality from all causes, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, prostate cancer, and stomach cancer.
Lycopene consumption through food or serum levels was associated with various outcomes, including mortality, prostate cancer, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and male infertility.
Honorary Professor of Dietetics and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois, Dr. Erdman, reported that tomatoes contain over 80% lycopene.
These products retain this antioxidant whether eaten raw, cooked, or dried. However, note that the redder the tomato, the higher the lycopene content (green tomatoes do not contain this antioxidant).
Additionally, beta-carotene is converted in the body to vitamin A, which is essential for eye and skin health.
Tomatoes are 95% water, making them an excellent choice for hydration. Besides nutrients, tomatoes contain only 23 calories, less than one gram of fat, and 5 grams of carbohydrates.
Other top nutritious products include:
- Lemon: 18.72
- Strawberry: 17.59
- Orange: 12.91
- Lime: 12.23
- Grapefruit (pink and red): 11.64
- Blackberry: 11.39
- Grapefruit (white): 10.47
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
