Orange juice is the richest source of vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, thiamine and calcium. This nutrient content is considered to be a lot higher than what you can find in other juices. Even an orange as a whole also provides many health benefits, but here are some important health related facts of fresh orange juice:

1. Orange juice contains vitamin C, which prevents the human body from various types of cancers, especially breast cancer and cancers of colon. Out of all the essential vitamins, this vitamin has maximum benefits. It provides human body with countless health benefits, such as helping the body to heal, absorption of calcium and preventing scurvy.
2. Orange juice not only should be taken with breakfast, it should be made an important part of your diet plan. It helps in the detoxification of many harmful substances from the body. It helps to remove free radicals from the blood. Free radicals can be a source of toxins in the body. These toxins may accumulate in the body to cause disastrous effects which are prevented by nutrients present in orange juice.
3. Detoxification helps to make skin healthy and shiny. It also helps in the cleansing mechanism of various systems of the body. In this way these body systems work effectively and in tandem. This is important for the healthy functioning of the body and its organs. When the regulatory system of the body is working in good condition, it improves the immune system of the body too.
4. Orange juice helps the body to absorb calcium. This helps in the strengthening on teeth and bones. So, one glass of fresh orange juice should be given daily to children. This is important not only for kids and toddlers of growing age but equally good for adults and old age people. In the old age, bones start becoming weak and soft through a process called osteoporosis. This is overcome by proper quantity of calcium and vitamin C intake, both of which are provided by orange juice.
5. Orange juice helps to boost up the immune system of the body. It means that by drinking orange juice, the body will be less prone to infections and illnesses.
6. Hypertension is one the most common problems of our present world. Orange juice helps to lower cholesterol levels from the blood and also regulates the blood pressure.
7. Orange juice is a strong antioxidant and improves the circulation of the body. Hence, it helps to prevent many heart diseases.
8. Orange juice also contains folic acid. The compounds of this nutrient are very helpful in the regeneration of new cells in the body. In this way they help in the healing processes and also help to fasten the reproduction of new healthy cells.
9. Orange juice has anti-inflammatory properties preventing joint pains. Therefore, it is beneficial for patients suffering from arthritis.
10. Lastly, Orange juice is very helpful in weight control programmes. It helps to reduce the fatty contents of the body preventing obesity.

Milk is the richest source of calcium among all the foods. It is rightly labeled by the World Health Organization as a complete diet for people of all ages. Certain important health benefits as well as its nutrients are mentioned below:

1. Milk not only provides a rich source of calcium, but it contains 15 essential nutrients that help in growth and development of the body. Milk should be the first diet to be given from the initial years of a baby’s life to provide complete developmental benefits to the body.
2. Milk is fortified with many essential vitamins these days. The most beneficial vitamin among these is vitamin D. It helps in the absorption of calcium and potassium. This promotes the activity of the bone forming cells, hence keeping the bones and teeth strong and healthy.
3. Milk helps in the mental and physical development, so it should be added as an essential food of your daily diet. Growing children as well as old aged people require milk for the same benefits. Insufficient intake of milk leads to gradual destruction of the bone cells making the bones soft, pliable and more prone to fractures.
4. Milk and its products restore the strength of bones and muscles. They provide the human body with a strong immune system and good musculature. They basically maintain the natural framework of the bones and body.
5. Milk has a lot of advantages for patients with peptic ulcer as it coats the mucosa of stomach and protects it from the harmful effects of acidic substances. It forms a protective sheet over the stomach’s inner layer making it a shield to the harmful effects of acidic food.
6. People of old age gradually start suffering different age related problems. Among them joint pains, deformed bones, arthritis and osteoporosis are very common. If at least one to two glasses of milk are taken by people of old age, many bone related problems can be avoided and prevented.
7. Milk is an ideal diet for young girls as it reduces the severity of Pre menstrual symptoms. Females, who drink milk regularly, have less backache, depression and menstrual pains. A very important issue which is often ignored is that milk should especially be taken during the menstruation. This fulfils the need of the body during these days because the body needs extra energy as a great amount of calories are being consumed during this specific period of the cycle.
8. Milk is a primary diet for pregnant and lactating mothers. It not only helps to alleviate health problems in mothers, but is equally beneficial for the neonates.
9. Milk has many nutrients that help to keep skin, nails and hair shiny and beautiful. It has vitamin A, B6, biotin and potassium all of which work together to keep hair soft and shiny.
10. Milk improves complexion, regulates body temperature, removes body aging factors and boosts the immune system.

Milk is considered wholesome food as it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals essential for the body. The fluid content in milk provides rehydration and can help the body replenish its liquids. This is why milk is extremely essential for growing kids and children. The presence of calcium and Vitamin D ensures healthy bones and teeth and Vitamins A and B help in good eyesight, increase RBC (Red Blood Cells) count, potassium helps in proper nerve function, magnesium helps in proper muscular function and phosphorous helps in proper energy release. The presence of proteins and carbohydrates in milk help in body repair and growth along with providing a good source of energy. So, milk should be added to the diet of every individual, whether a baby or toddler, old or young.

In the recent times, with the introduction of new ways of cooking food, keeping a distinction between healthy and junk food has become very difficult. Especially for growing children, fast food is a great attraction and they always demand for it. But the important fact is that it only fills their stomach and does not add anything healthful to their diet. Another important point is that the body starts requiring more energy in terms of food during that period of time. So it should be a major concern for all the parents to polish the eating habits of their children while they are growing. Here are a few tips to make eating an interesting exercise for your kids.

1. Try to keep their food intake simple rather than making complex dishes for them; because if you cook it more, the nutrition also keeps on decreasing from the food.
2. Try to eliminate all the fast food from their diet. Although it is very difficult but it is not impossible; introduce them with the alternatives to fast food.
3. The alternatives to fast food could be home made food following the pattern of fast food. For example; they can be introduced to pizzas with the base prepared from whole wheat. Additionally, pizzas can be topped with fresh vegetables with vegetable oil sprinkled on them. Boiled meat or chicken can also be used. Seasoning of salt and vegetable oil also helps in giving a delicious taste.
4. Sandwiches prepared with whole wheat bread are also a good alternative to the sandwiches that can be obtained from the market. Again sandwiches must be filled with healthy food. Salad can also be made a part of the sandwiches.
5. Keep inventing and preparing different types of foods. For example if your child likes eating potatoes, cook them in various ways; sometimes boil them and stuff with sauces or cottage cheese, sometimes bake them after stuffing or seasoning.
6. Try to add fruits in their daily routine. Eating fruits in their raw form is the best way but if the child does not find it interesting, fruit juices can be taken. Try to prepare them fresh at home rather than buying from the market.
7. Try to pursue them in taking milk or milk shakes rather than adding fizzy drinks in the diet plan. All caffeine containing drinks and chocolates are bad for health so it is recommended to keep children away from them from the start.
8. Grains and cereals are also a good option for children. They also have an ability to maintain the digestive system of the body to function in a right manner. Taking them in the breakfast is the best option.
9. Avoid going for sweet dishes in order to get energy. It is found that their composition does not really add a sufficient amount of nutrition to the body.
10. Always try to keep introducing variations in food given to a growing child. As due to their age, they find the food available in the market more appealing so they can get bored of home made food. So keep bringing new healthy ideas to daily cooking and present it in a way that children themselves start demanding for it.

You can also make healthy meals for kids by allowing them to cook with you. This way, kids learn a lot of things and are able to eat while they cook in the kitchen. Be sure to read up on our post for Cooking with kids for more tips.

Here are some general tips that will help you to deal with problems like how to store groceries and leftover meals. If you store your food properly, it will remain fresh for a longer time and you will minimize the risk of food borne illness.

Storing Food

1. Do not leave cooked food for more then 3 hours at room temperature.
2. Store cooked food in a refrigerator for maximum 4 days.
3. If you want to store cooked food for more then 4 days, store it in the freezer.
4. Always keep your refrigerator at or below 40 degree Fahrenheit. If your refrigerator or freezer becomes warm, it will spoil all the ingredients present in it and will increase the growth of harmful bacteria.
5. If you are storing raw fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, store them unwashed and wash them when you are going to utilize them. If you wash them before storing, the moisture will increase the growth of harmful agents.
6. If you want to wash fruits and veggie before storage, wash them and dry them with a paper towel before storing.
7. Always use shallow containers for storing food in the refrigerator so that all food gets proper cooling. Similarly use small plastic bags for storing food in the freezer.
8. Store dry grains, beans and pulses in a dry and dark place in the kitchen. The lid of containers should be tight so that moisture cannot enter.
9. If you have completely defrosted your food, do not refreeze it again, but if it is not completely thawed, you can refreeze it.
10. Do not overstuff your refrigerator with food. If the refrigerator is too stuffed, the food may not get proper cooling and can go to waste.
11. Clean your refrigerator and freezer every week to prevent any bacterial growth.
12. Never defrost your food or meat at room temperature. Defrost it in the refrigerator or in cold water.
13. Keep all food covered while storing in the refrigerator.
14. Always store meat in the freezer, even if you want to store it for 4 hours.
15. Store apples, pears, pineapples and melons in the refrigerator.
16. Store bananas and tomatoes at room temperature; when ripe, place them in the refrigerator for long time storage.
17. Store all berries in the refrigerator. Spread them on a tray in a thin layer. Never wash them before storing.
18. Keep potatoes and onions in a dark and dry place in the kitchen and never store them together.
19. Store mushrooms either in a plastic bag or spread them on a shallow container in a thin layer in the refrigerator.
20. Wash and dry leafy vegetables before storing in the refrigerator. Tear leaves from the stems and put them in plastic bags with paper towels to absorb extra moisture.
21. It is good to cut tops off of beetroots, turnips and carrots etc. Put them in a plastic bag and then store them in the refrigerator.
22. Store bread in a dark dry place in a cupboard. If you want to store bread for more then 5 days from purchasing day, store it in the freezer in sealed form.
23. Always store milk and eggs in the refrigerator.
24. If you some doubt that food is spoiled, throw it away. Never take a chance.

Be sure to read up on more posts for preserving vegetables and storing herbs and spices.

Going to a picnic is always great fun. Leaving the home and enjoying some time with your loves ones gives a feeling of relaxation and pleasure. But for a perfect picnic, perfect planning is required. Proper planning, from food to the picnic spot describes how enjoyable the picnic is going to be. So before leaving your home, consider planning the following things for your day out.

1. Decide the place of picnic according to the number of people going. If the number of people is large, select a place which is nearer to your home where the maximum numbers of people show their interest to going to.
2. If small kids are also going, prefer not to go to the sea shore.
3. Check the weather condition before leaving for the picnic. It will prevent your picnic from being spoiled by rain or storm.
4. If your picnic spot is at walking distance, pack your picnic items in back bags and use coolers with wheels to carry eatables.
5. Picnic food should contain everyone’s favourite. It is better that everyone should prepare his or her meal, or at least tell their interest.
6. While preparing a list of food items, make sure to take only those edibles that will not spoil until meal time. Avoid taking seafood or mayonnaise. If you cannot imagine picnic without these things, make sure to place them in a cooler with ice packs properly.
7. Instead of packing a big picnic bag, pack small picnic lunches for everyone. This way, everyone will be responsible for their meal and trash.
8. Make sure you pack according to number of people going. If more people are going, th number of coolers should also be more.
9. Never go on a picnic without a picnic cloth or mat. It will provide you a place to sit, put your food on it and protect your food from dirt and ants.
10. Do not take very complicated cooked recipes with you. Always go for simple food.
11. Some people take picnic as eating a lot outside home. So do not carry tons of food with you.
12. Always take large quantity of fruits with you on picnic. They are easy to carry and healthy in eating, and are also easy to dispose off.
13. Plan several picnic games to pass time with your friends and family. You cannot spend the whole time by just eating and chatting.
14. Prefer taking those foods along with you that are cooked in marinades. Due to their acidic nature they will not get spoil. However, you will need to make sure that they are warm or hot by the time you eat them.
15. Properly pack utensils like fork, knives and plates etc. It is good to take disposable glass and plates with you.
16. Make a picnic items list and check it before leaving the home so that you would not forget any important thing at home. Make this list a few days before you actually go out, so you can update it with more items as you plan your picnic.
17. If your meal includes sandwiches made of tomato or cucumber, place them in paper towel and press. Paper towels will absorb extra water and they will be safe for use in the picnic basket.
18. For small children, bake small muffins. They are always children favourite snack.
19. Kids also love pizza, so you add pizzas to your meal, along with drinks.
20. Do not throw fruits skin near your picnic point. It will attract bees. Dispose them properly in dustbins or trash.

Use these tips to plan your picnic and make it enjoyable for you and your family. Picnics are a great way to enjoy quality time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Presenting food in a good manner adds a lot to its importance among other dishes. Cooking experts always remain in a search to find new ways of cooking and presenting food. Using skewers for grilling food is also an effort done in this manner. Wood and metal skewers are used these days to grill food. Small pieces of vegetables, chicken, fish or meat are cut and skewed over the skewers. Skewers are generally of two shapes; round or square. These shapes are available in the form of sticks. Cooking food in this way; by skewing over the sticks makes it look more appealing. Here are a few tips for using skewers while cooking.

Tips for using Skewers

1. Prefer using metal skewers than wooden ones. Reason behind is that food can easily and finely be taken off from metal skewers. Wooden skewers create difficulties at this point.
2. When buying skewers, always try to go for square shaped sticks rather than round shaped. The square shaped skewers are found to be more grabbing than rounded ones.
3. If wooden skewers are used, soak them in water for at least half an hour to make them absorb the water. This would result in keeping the skewers moist and the sticks would not burn while cooking.
4. If metal skewers are used, grease them with some vegetable oil before skewing anything on them. This would keep the food crisp and adds taste to the food and also allows the food to be easily removed from the skewer.
5. Never forget to leave a little space while skewing food on the metal skewers. This allows the air to escape.
6. Contrary to the previous point, do not leave any space while using wooden skewers because it would result in burning the small pieces.
7. Pieces should be cut in equal sizes to avoid variation in their cooking time or taste.
8. While putting the pieces on the skewers, keep in mind the cooking time of every kind of food to be used. For example, chicken or meat or fish would take more time than the vegetables so do not skew them on the same sticks otherwise the vegetables would be over cooked or completely burned.
9. Another technique to avoid burning is that of partially cooking the food that takes more time to prepare. By doing this, all the different types of food on a single stick would take equal time to be completely cooked.
10. Always marinade the cuts of meat used for skewers to tenderize it. Use vinegar or lemon juice in the marinade.
11. Keep sprinkling drops of water or oil if the pieces seem to be drying up on the grill.
12. In order to decrease the cooking time and to make the food spicier, sprinkle lemon juice instead of simple water.
13. Be very careful while handling the skewers after they are put on the grill. Use tongs for this purpose and avoid burning your hands.
14. When turning the sides of the skewers put them in a way as the pieces must not be touched directly to avoid them from falling or breaking.
15. You can always try new things when cooking with skewers, like adding a few slices of fruit to grill them, such as pineapples or peaches.
16. When the cooking is complete, serve immediately.

Follow these tips for cooking with skewers to get tasty and delicious results. Try preparing a skewered meal tonight and enjoy with your family. If you are new to skewer cooking, you may find it a bit challenging in the beginning, but with a little practice, you will become a pro in no time!

Healthy foods are a good source of important nutrients, minerals, vitamins and essential fats for the body. Here is a list of some healthy foods you should eat and reasons why you should add them to your daily diet plan:

1. Water is the universal and best tonic of the world. It helps to remove all the toxic materials and harmful products from the body and also prevents the body from dehydration. So water should be used in abundant amount. At least eight to ten glasses of plain, pure water should be used everyday.
2. Fresh fruits and nuts have anti-oxidant as well as anti-aging properties. So, all kinds of seasonal fruits and nuts should be part of your daily diet.
3. Green vegetables, grains and beans provide a very rich source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients along with fiber. Vitamins are one of the very essential and important building blocks of the body. They keep your skin, hair and nails as well as bones and teeth healthy and strong.
4. Fruit juices should make a very important part of a healthy diet. They can serve as very healthy starters of the day and keep us fresh the whole day. Fruits can also be used with yogurts and in milk shakes to provide very healthy drinks.
5. Always eat food containing the correct amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Also vitamins, minerals and calcium should be given importance when choosing the right food for the meals.
6. Red meat, fish, chicken, mutton, beef, beans, pulses, grains, Brussels sprouts, and green leafy vegetables are rich sources of iron and proteins. Red meat should be used at least once a week to provide the body with iron and proteins. However red meat should not be consumed in more quantity as it is a source of animal fat. Animal fats when taken in large quantity do more harm than good.
7. Milk and all other dairy products are equally essential for everyone, especially children and people of old age. They include cheese, cream, butter and yogurt. All dairy products provide a rich source of calcium keeping bones and teeth strong. More absorption of calcium and phosphate make the bone forming cells more active, resulting in stronger bones and teeth. Calcium is also very important in preventing osteoporosis.
8. Avoid lots of oily and fried foods in your diet. They can be a big source of many cardiac problems like heart attacks, stroke, hypertension and infarcts.
9. Take frequent meals, but in small quantity because eating too much food at one time can be unhealthy. Large amounts of food eaten in one meal at one time are not only difficult to digest, but it also causes obesity and weight gain, especially in people who have the tendency. Big meals are also a cause of indigestion, heartburn and similar problems.
10. Add fewer fats and more fibres to the diet. Too much fat can damage the cardiovascular system, blood vessels, nervous system, and mucosa of various organs as well as the stomach. On the other hand, more amounts of fibres in the diet regulate bowel habits leading a healthier life. Fibres help in the passage of food through the body and provide sufficient time to the body for proper functioning.

Nowadays it has become very difficult to please children with food of their taste. Keeping them busy in interesting activities has become a great task for mothers. The best way to make their time fun and learning is to take them to the kitchen and allow them for simple doings. It is often seen that children demand to prepare something in the kitchen and show great interest in handling cooking utensils. Kitchen utensil sets for kids are also available in the market and children, especially girls play and enjoy them.

Making children eat is also a challenge for mothers and at times is a great problem. But if they are given the opportunity to prepare something of their own, they can be asked to eat simultaneously. Here are a few tips for cooking with children.

Tips for Cooking with Kids

1. When taking children to the kitchen, make sure that no sharp or dangerous utensil or tool is in the reach of children. Be sure to read up on other kitchen safety tips.
2. Keep the kitchen clean and decorate it in a way that it attracts children to stay and work there.
3. If the height of the child is small, it is better to place a cloth on the floor and put all the required material on it. This will make handling easier for the child. You can also use a small stool if the child insists to work on the kitchen counter.
4. Make the children clean the skin of vegetables as that is easy for them to deal with. Provide them with plastic knives instead of metal ones.
5. Boiled vegetables and fruits are also simple for them to deal with. Make them cut the vegetables and fruits into small pieces so that they can eat them too.
6. While doing all this, keep telling them about the names and colors of the vegetables. This could be a great learning process for them. Also make them aware about the importance and nutritional value of the vegetables and fruits.
7. Beating eggs and folding cake mixtures can also be a fun activity for children.
8. Making simple salads attract children and they find them delicious to eat.
9. After preparing something with the help of your child, use colorful bowls and utensils to serve.
10. Garnishing appeals and attracts children towards food. Try to use different colors while garnishing. Cutting strips of fruit’s skin and making designs with it helps in making the child focus attention towards the food.
11. Another technique for making children to eat is by not forcing them to eat food they dislike. The friendlier you are with children, the more they would listen to you. Make them feel free and create a casual environment. This is the only way to make them eat loads of healthy food.
12. Giving children a mixture of puree is also good. Fruit purees have great taste and nutritional value for children. Similarly, soups are also good for children since they contain high nutritional value.
13. Try to avoid giving oily food to children as it may cause trouble in their stomach.
14. Try to use vegetable oil in making meals for children as vegetable oil is better than other fats and is also good for health.
15. Make sure your child has adequate intake of dairy products everyday since it is essential for their growth.
16. Last but not the least; hygiene is very important while dealing with food as care is better than cure. Teach your child the importance of cleanliness as you teach them to cook food.

Allowing your kid to go and work in the kitchen not only boosts their self esteem, but it is also a good way to spend time with the family. Fathers can also help in the kitchen to spend some quality time and it works great for bonding. Kids will also feel more useful if they help out and contribute something to the family by cooking.

Cooking is also a good way to incorporate creativity and imagination in your child. Kids like to try out new things and if they have something to work on, they will get ideas to express themselves. Working with you in the kitchen will also allow your kid to understand the importance of team work and will teach them how to plan things out.

From children to teenagers to elderly, cheese is liked by all. Cheese can be taken in several forms, it can be used for making sandwiches, used for topping pizzas, used in making pastas, baked in the oven with vegetables and meat or can simply be taken as it is. Special cheese cakes are prepared for cheese lovers and cheese can be added in any recipe by those who demand it.

Cheese being a dairy product, has great nutritional value. It is needed for maintaining good health and strength. It is rich in carbohydrates, proteins and calcium. It is an essential source of nutrients for proper growth of children too. Another advantage of taking cheese regularly is that it keeps the hair healthy and shiny. Here are a few suggestions for storing cheese.

Tips for Storing Cheese

1. Make sure the cheese you buy is of good quality. Normally some companies produce cheese that can not be used for a longer period of time. Additionally, buy cheese which is freshly prepared and has a fresh look.
2. Do not buy large pieces of cheese for storing. It is better to cut them into slices before storing.
3. When packing cheese for storing, do not use plastic wrapping. This would not let the cheese breathe and would dry the cheese.
4. Greasing the cheese and brushing it with some oil, preferably olive oil would keep it fresh.
5. If you find the cheese getting dry afterwards, change its covering and grease some vegetable oil. It is useful for increasing its resistance.
6. In any case, change the cheese covering after every few days.
7. Storing cheese for a short duration is even better than storing a larger quantity of cheese at a time. Keep buying and keep storing is even better than buying and storing for a long duration.
8. Never keep the cheese outside; always store it in a refrigerator.
9. Foil coating is the best while storing cheese.
10. Nowadays cream cheese is also available in the market. It is normally contained in a glass jar. Keeping those jars in the refrigerator keeps them usable for a longer period of time.
11. It is also very important that when the cheese is packed for storing, it should not be done very tightly; otherwise cheese has the ability of absorbing the taste of its wrapping.
12. Whenever the stored cheese is opened for use, try to change its cover with a new one and pack it appropriately.
13. Do not contaminate cheese with any other food during its storage period.
14. Keep checking the stored cheese after every few days so if you see that any mold is building up due to the storage, clean it immediately and wrap the cheese again.
15. It is better to clean the container of stored cheese after every few days. It helps in refreshing the cheese and the container.

Health Benefits of Cheese

Cheese provides a number of health benefits due to the high nutrient content. It is an extremely high source of calcium which is good for both teeth and bones. Cheese also has a very low content of lactose, so it does not harm the teeth.

Cheese is also a rich source of Vitamin B, which is essential for growing children and women. It helps in strengthening the bones and cartilages and helps in the proper absorption and distribution of calcium in the body. Vitamin B is also good for maintaining essential body functions and protection against diseases like Beri beri.

The presence of other important nutrients like zinc, phosphorous, Vitamin A and riboflavin in cheese help build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis. Cheese also contains proteins and fats along with vitamins and minerals which are good for better metabolism. The presence of proteins and fats helps in weight gain also in skinny people.

Cheese also contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Sphingolipids which help prevent cancer. Other nutrients present in cheese enhance blood formation, strengthen the liver and facilitate the absorption of nutrients in the body.

Green vegetables provide almost all the essential nutrients to the body. They contain not only the vital nutrients, but also the minor components like magnesium, calcium, iron and many trace elements along with fibre. Some of the important health benefits of adding green vegetables to your diet are mentioned below:

1. These days brain damage is becoming an increasing problem all over the world. Green vegetables are a rich source of substances that improve the nervous system of the body. Hence, people of all ages should eat lots of vegetables to prevent themselves from memory losses and problems of forgetfulness. Vegetables contain nutrients that not only improve memory, but also prevent attention deficit disorders. These problems are especially evident in young children who are school going and need to concentrate on their work. So, vegetables should be added in daily diets of growing children as they are good for their bodies and minds.
2. Green vegetables contain high quantity of calcium and various vitamins. This helps to make bones strong and help in the better development of the body. Calcium provides a good framework to the body, preventing many diseases of teeth and gums. It prevents from denture misalignments, plaques, rotten teeth and similar problems. Growing children especially need vegetables in large amount to provide them with good quantity of calcium for their better growth and development and strong bones and teeth.
3. These days people are facing a lot of anxiety and joints related disorders. Vegetables containing magnesium prevent many such disorders like depression, attention deficit disorders, muscle cramps, asthma, etc. They also help in improving joint conditions when a person is getting old. They also prevent many age related diseases like arthritis, osteoporosis, softening of bones, easy fractures, etc.
4. Vegetables also contain good quantity as well as good quality of proteins known as “vegetable protein”. This is different from amino acids present in animal proteins. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles. They provide bulk and strength to the muscular system. Proteins are equally important for children and adults. This group of vegetables is especially important for vegans. People who take all their nutrients from vegetables are usually worried about their protein intake. They think that they should take protein bars and protein shakes to fulfil the protein needs of their body, but in reality this is not true. Vegetables like beans, peas, carrots, celery, and spinach have a high content of proteins in them.
5. Green leafy vegetables are equally important for good vision and eye health. They help maintain vision health and play a major role in preventing major damage to the eye. They also protect the eye from the harmful effects of blue and ultraviolet radiations which can cause macular degeneration.
6. Green vegetables help in the regulation of body temperature. They promote good metabolic rate of the body.
7. Vegetables are also rich sources of many vitamins and minerals. These vitamins provide the body a better immune system and a healthy heart. This helps to prevent high cholesterol levels in the blood, and hence prevent heart attacks and strokes.
8. Green leafy vegetables also have a high fibre content, which helps to promote wave like contractions in the intestines to help the food to move. Fibre in the intestines absorbs water, making the stools softer and bulkier, easing the passage of waste. This helps to prevent constipation and other digestive tract disorders such as colon cancer. Fibre is also very important in treating irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.

All kinds of vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables have many health related benefits. So, fresh, cooked, fried and boiled vegetables should be added in daily diet regimens.