Are Orange Vegetables Good For You?
When we look at our orange vegetables list, we find food which is packed with beta-carotene. This precursor of vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant associated with a reduced risk of cancer. Additionally, vitamin A is credited with preserving our vision and improving our dental health. Eating plenty of dark orange vegetables also helps supply our bodies with vitamins C and K. In addition to being an immunity booster, vitamin C is essential for dental health. Deficiencies of this vitamin can lead to bleeding gums and loose teeth. Vitamin K is responsible for helping our blood clot properly when we are injured. Perhaps the most beneficial nutrient found in all orange vegetables is potassium. In salt-overindulging cultures, potassium balances the harmful effects sodium has on our bodies. Adequate amounts of dietary potassium are credited with lowering blood pressure, reducing the occurrence of kidney stones and preventing bone loss.
The Orange Vegetables List for Gardeners
If you’re looking for examples of orange vegetables to plant in your garden, rest assured many of these veggies are easy to grow. All orange vegetables on this list prefer full sun and fertile, well-draining soil. Many can be direct-seeded into the soil once the danger of frost has passed.
Acorn squash – This variety of winter squash has dark green skin with longitudinal ridges. The sweet, nutty-tasting flesh of acorn squash often turns a deeper shade of orange during storage. Acorn Table Queen is a popular heirloom variety. Butternut squash – Oven-roasting is one of the best methods for preparing these dark orange vegetables. Waltham Butternut squash is an heirloom variety which produces an abundance of tan, teardrop-shaped fruit with good storage potential. Carrots – From salads to desserts, carrots are notably the most versatile of all orange vegetables. Easy to grow, harvest and store, a single cup of these raw veggies contain over 400% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. Orange peppers – From spicy chilies to full-sized bell varieties, peppers are excellent examples of orange vegetables. Hybrid varieties like Aji Amarillo chilies pack a medium-hot punch, while Orange Sun bell peppers have a sweet and mild flavor. Pumpkins – These bright orange cucurbits can be so much more than a Halloween decoration. From pumpkin pancakes to pumpkin apple grilled cheese sandwiches, cooking with this fall fruit provides all the health benefits these dark orange vegetables have to offer. Sweet potatoes – When it comes to orange veggies, it’s hard to beat the creamy, sweet flavor of homegrown sweet potatoes. Bursting with nutrition, these spuds require a longer growing season than most other veggies. Northern gardeners are advised to choose a variety, such as Vardaman, which can grow to a harvestable size in about 100 days.
