Many people can confirm that growing veggies and herbs on your own brings a wide range of health benefits. You will cut the expenses related to groceries and in addition, homegrown produce means that you will always have fresher and tastier foods on the table.
You can rest assured that every herb and vegetable you consume is packed with minerals, vitamins and other nutrients.
We should also point out that gardening supports relaxation and helps us become one with nature.
Additionally, this is an excellent way to teach your kids about sustainability and eco-responsibility and help them understand how food grows. Now let’s take a closer look at vegetables and herbs that you can grow in your garden.
1. Green beans
It turns out that green beans are loaded with nutrients. For instance, they come with high amounts of vitamin A, K, and C, potassium, manganese, iron, and folate. In addition, green beans are an excellent source of fiber.
Keep in mind that these veggies are fond of sun and they need well-drained soil. You can grow them at any time of the year and they will continuously bring you a supply of healthy beans during the growing season.
Green beans, or bush beans as some people call them, taste amazing and they can be mixed with other veggies in a stir fry.
2. Beets
If you are looking for a delicious root vegetable that you can grow in your home easily, then you can’t go wrong with beets. These veggies have a specific bright red color that comes from betanin, a compound that enhances the immune system. They too are rich in vitamins and fiber.
Are you aware of the fact that just half a cup of beets comes with only 29 calories, but they provide two grams of fiber and 19% of the daily recommended dose of vitamin B/folate? Additionally, people can consume baby beet greens to make their salads tastier or cook fully grown beets as a side dish.
3. Carrots
This is another root vegetable that deserves to be listed. Carrots are both nutritious and sweet. People use them raw, steamed or cooked in stews, soups, and salads. With the help of carrots, you can make almost any meal more colorful. You probably know that carrots are great for your vision. The reason is simple – they are loaded with beta-carotene, a compound that our body turns into vitamin A.
But, what’s even more interesting is that carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A too. In addition to eye health, this vitamin is good for the immune system and the skin. If you want to grow these veggies in your garden, plant them in sandy, fruitful loam, water them regularly and that’s it!
4. Cucumbers
It’s easy to recognize a cucumber due to its specific elongated appearance, crunchy exterior, and watery interior. You can eat cucumbers in a raw form or cooked. Some people eat them on their own while most people use them in salads.
To be honest, cucumbers are not among the most nutritious vegetables, but they certainly support hydration. This is quite natural because cucumbers consist of 95% water. In addition, it’s good to know that they are rich in fiber.
5. Lettuce
The list continues with another vegetable that is easy to grow. There are many different types of lettuces out there and the nutritional profile of this vegetable depends on the type you use. Generally speaking, they are a good source of fiber, folate and vitamin K, C, and A.
Lettuce, just like leafy greens in general, thrives in cooler temperatures. This means that you should plant it in fall or early spring.
You can use lettuce on sandwiches and in salads. Besides providing an excellent amount of fiber and vitamins, lettuce is a low-calorie vegetable that suppresses appetite. You should use it to manage weight easily.
6. Sugar snap peas
It’s a well-known fact that sugar snap peas taste fantastic when they are cooked and used as a side dish, but they can also be used raw. Shell these sweet green veggies and consume the peas. In addition, you can also leave the peas in the pod and consume everything. In both cases, you will feel the health benefits of sugar snap peas.
According to scientific studies, just one cup of these peas gives you about 35% of your daily recommended dose of vitamin C.
It also contains three grams of fiber. Sugar snap peas are fond of cooler weather and can make progress and grow in soil temperatures of about 40 degrees F.
7. Radishes
Radishes are root veggies that might look similar to beets, but they are different. For instance, they have a bright red color but only on the outside. These vegetables have an intense, crisp flavor and they can be used in stir fry’s, and salads or consumed raw.
On top of that radishes have almost no calories. The best part is that you can harvest them after three weeks. If you plant them in spring you can expect milder radishes. Summer harvest makes them spicy.
8. Basil
Basil is an excellent herb that brings flavor to a wide range of dishes like pasta and pesto for example. It thrives in dark, nutrient-rich soil with direct exposure to sunlight.
In case you sow the basil on a regular basis, you should be able to reap a continuous harvest during the growing season.
9. Dill
Dill is an extremely versatile herb that almost anyone can plant in their garden. The seeds, leaves and the other parts of this plant can be used to spice up your dishes. It’s interesting that the seeds provide a bitter, citrusy flavor while the leaves provide a sweet flavor.
Keep in mind that dill is a useful summer plant that grows when the temperatures are high. It is ideal to grow it when the temperatures are between 75 and 80 degrees F. you can use this herb in a dry or fresh form.
10. Parsley
Parsley is known as a very aromatic herb, but it’s not just the pleasant smell that makes this plant special. Namely, parsley is a rich source of vitamin C and vitamin A. This herb has an excellent taste when used as a garnish and you can easily grow it in your garden.
In case you want to plant parsley in your garden, keep in mind that parsley is fond of rich, fertile soil and moisture. You should use a fertilizer regularly.
11. Thyme
Thyme is another herb that is extremely versatile. It’s often used to spice up stews, meats, and soups. Thyme can be used in a wide range of dishes.
In addition, many people use thyme in poultry and meats, but also in sweet foods like pears for example. Needless to say, it is very easy and simple to grow thyme.
12. Mint
Finally, mint is one of the most popular herbs around the globe today due to its sweet and refreshing aroma. You don’t need much time and effort to grow it in your garden.
Mint is used as a garnish, but you can also prepare some mint tea too. The strong mint flavor is part of hard candies for hundreds of years.
Mint has soothing effects on the digestive system and people have used it as a natural remedy to ease gas, heartburn and support digestion.
As a matter of fact, are you aware that horse race trainers give a mint to their horses to keep them safe from stomach ulcers?
Source: Active Beat
