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Why spring veggies are the best for every sustainable mind

Hi, guys, Happy Tuesday! In case this is your last day of the national Easter and St George holidays for this year, sorry :) Same for us. And in case you didn`t get six long, beautiful, sunny, worth-to-live-for days off, again, sorry :) You must be then looking forward to the big summer holiday, which is getting closer and closer, as absurd as this sounded just a month or so ago. But now is May, then June… until you know it the seasons will turn around once again. So, while still bathing in the warm spring sun, let`s see how to make the best out of each season by enjoying nature`s gifts for us. Sustainable development at its best, ha! So here is a quick guide on what veggies are best for you in the spring:

Broccoli The funny green cauliflower-like is packed with antioxidants and phyto-nutrients such as thiocyanates, indoles, sulforaphane, isothiocyanates and flavonoids like beta-carotene cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zea-xanthin, which help reduce the risk of prostate, colon, urinary bladder, pancreatic, and breast cancers. Works miracles for the immune system also by containing tons of folates, one of the important co-factors for DNA synthesis inside the cell; Vitamin C and beta-caroten.

Asparagus An excellent source of anti-oxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin, carotenes, and crypto-xanthins. By helping remove harmful free radicals they protect the human body from possible cancer, neuro-degenerative diseases, and viral infections. Also is rich in folates, B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), and pantothenic acid – essential for best metabolic function. Getting sufficient quantities of Vitamin C, A, E, and K is yet another benefit of eating fresh asparagus.

Kohlrabi Both the white and purple varieties are rich in dietary fiber, with means are excellent for your digestive system. Eating kohlrabi helps stay healthy by scavenging free radicals as it provides tons of Vitamin C; protects against colon and prostate cancer by providing the body with precious phytochemicals such as isothiocyanates, sulforaphane, and indole-3-carbinol. Helps the body`s metabolism by containing many B-complex vitamins.

Carrots We all know what`s in carrots: beta-carotene. But maybe not of us know why it is so good for your health to eat them: Beta carotene is one of the powerful natural anti-oxidant helps protect body from harmful oxygen-free radical injury.  In addition, it also has all the functions of vitamin A such as vision, reproduction (sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development. They are also good in Vitamins A, C, protecting your cardiovascular system from damage, and B-complex groups of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid.

Bell Peppers Red, orange or yellow, they contain capsaicin, a compound that shows has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties.  Peppers are also packed with dozens of heart-healthy nutrients like lycopene and folic acid; Vitamin C, E, A and anti-oxidant flavonoids such as α and ß carotenes, lutein, zea-xanthin, and cryptoxanthin, fighting the effects of stress and decease conditions.

Now, as packed with the good stuff as they are, just eating fresh veggies simply doesn`t do it those days. The best you can do is eat plenty of organic grown vegetables. Of course, if by some reason you have no access to such, it`s still better to buy from conventionally farmed sources, yes, better than eating no fresh vegetables at all. But honestly it`s hard to imagine a modern urban creature like yourself cannot find a way to get some quality produce – it`s full of small, local farms, not necessarily certified but operating without pesticides,  synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms (GMO) and ionizing radiation. A curious fact is that besides of their undoubtfully better nutritional value, clean veggies also contain the highest amounts of biophotons. These are the smallest physical units of light, which are stored in and used by all biological organisms. At least in part, in your body it originates from the foods you eat; biophotons are assimilated into the cells of your body, transmitting nutritional information, used in vital processes. So the higher level of light energy a cell emits, the greater the vitality to the body – if you eat food that stores more light, you get better nutritional value of it.