Vegetables - Are for losers

[lennyb]

Of course I kid, vegetables are not for losers; my question though is what veg is really good for you.? I cannot say I am a big veg fan but I do like spinach alot and broccolli and beetroot but thats about all I like eating. I love sweetcorn but always here that that is fattening if over eaten.

Are there any particular vegetables that should be in my diet or should I just mix it up.

[Mister_C]

Short answer, they're all good for you. Best thing to do is, as you say, mix it up.
As a quick guide, the more different colours you eat the more varied the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals etc.) you'll be taking in. If there are any that are less good for you (not worse, they all have benefits) then it's the fibrous root veg, swedes, parsnips etc. Carrots are an exception here due to their high levels of beta-carotene which your body transforms into vitamin A.
And as for sweetcorn, anything is fattening if you eat enough of it, even broccoli. It is quite high in natural sugars though, so the anti-carb brigade see it as a pariah. Don't listen to them, and don't get me started on that debate.
Oh, and as for the 5-a-day guideline, I'd look at that as an absolute minimum to prevent disease, not as a maximum for peak health. And if you're in training, you need more vitamins and minerals, so get that fruit and veg down you.
Hope that helps mate - any other questions, just ask.

[cutnrun]

I am new here ... in fact this is my first post, even before introducing myself. Yes i am a lurker!

I have no knowledge or experience of this but I have heard of some science papers that are investigating the effects of beetroot on muscle performance, particularly endurance.

The study was showing that the high nitrogen content of the beetroot can can increase performance by as much as 20%. The study forced cyclists to pedal for as long as possible on a moderately hard resistance until they failed. the aim was to make them fail at 8 min.

After rest (at least overnight) the same cyclist was given 2 shots of beetroot juice and the test re-performed at the same resistance and the cyclists in apparently almost all cases managed to increase the time they cycled, by more than a minute.

just my 2p worth!