Everywhere you turn for guidance on nutrition, you will find strong recommendations to eat more of a plant-based diet. But did you know that the many varieties of vegetables have fantastic healing properties? Eating a diet rich in vegetables (and fruits) can improve your quality of life. Eating healthy is especially important if you have a chronic condition like Turner Syndrome (TS).

This article will explore all you need to know about vegetables. Learn about their origin, nutrients, and how they can help improve your overall health and TS-related challenges.

Origins of Vegetables

"vegetable: a usually herbaceous plant (such as the cabbage, bean, or potato) grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal"

Merriam-Webster dictionary

Here is where some of your favorite veggies came from:

Pumpkins and squashes originated from northeastern Mexico and eastern North America.
Carrots came from Afghanistan and Central Asia around 300 B.C.
The original potato variations can be found in Chile and Peru (specifically in the Andes highlands).
Broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, and a few other vegetables came from one plant–Brassica Oleracea– found in Europe’s Mediterranean and Southeastern regions.
Lentils came from the Near/Middle East region.
Eggplants originated in India.
Three areas are credited for the pea’s origins: a region from NW India to Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Ethiopia.
Spinach is said to have originated from Persia (today Iran).

What Veggies Can Do for Your Health

Whether your veggies come from a garden, a produce stand, or your local grocery store, eat the colors of the rainbow! Consuming a variety of vegetables carries a range of benefits that will make you be healthier and feel better. Here are some ways that eating veggies can help you overcome your health challenges:

Heart

Heart disease affects between 23 and 50% of those with TS. Veggies with potassium, like parsnips, tomatoes, and broccoli, can help keep the body’s blood stable and the heart healthy. Also, vegetables with fiber, like Brussels sprouts, can help lower your body’s cholesterol. Fiber reduces your risk of getting hypertension, a heart disease risk that affects 13 to 58% of those with TS. Having a healthy diet with lots of veggies with these nutrients helps reduce high blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease.

Eyes, Ears, and Teeth

Thirty-five percent of the those with TS are affected by vision challenges like myopia (40% of this 35%) and ptosis (16%). Eating veggies with nutrients that help your eye health is crucial. For example, vitamin A, which allows the corneas to protect themselves from germs and take in light, is in veggies like asparagus, collard greens, and lettuce.
One-third of those with TS are affected by hearing challenges. Potassium helps regulate the body’s liquids, including the ears’ fluids that help you hear. Folate, contained in vegetables like lentils and kale, maintains your ear’s circulation. Additionally, magnesium, which can be found in veggies like butternut squash and artichokes, helps keep the bones in the inner ear strong.
Many people with TS are affected by dental health challenges. Some include having very thin, loose, or weak teeth, So eat veggies with nutrients that help your dental health. For example, bell peppers and cucumbers have vitamin C, which helps strengthen and maintain the teeth and gums.

Liver

Around 80% of those with TS have liver health challenges. Protein, found in legumes like lentils and beans, can help keep your liver healthy. Magnesium, betalains, and vitamin B3 are other nutrients that help maintain your liver health. The betalains in veggies like beetroots help the body reduce inflammation. Also, vitamin B3, found in mushrooms and asparagus, helps the liver and digestive system increase their metabolism and improve the body’s breakdown of nutrients.

Small changes can make a big difference!

Tips for Making Eating Vegetables Fun

Here are some tips that can help eating veggies more enjoyable:

Have a nice, colorful variety of veggies and fruits on your plate. This will ensure that you have have a nice variety of health benefits, as well as a visually appealing plate.
Make unhealthy foods in your home harder to access, so you will be less likely to eat them.
Make veggie and fruit snacks easily accessible to eat whenever you are a little hungry. You will be more likely to eat healthier foods more often.
Whenever you want to rewrd yourself for an accomplishment, try a healthier but still tasty snack. Instead of a chip and dip combo, try a hummus or salsa dip with veggies.
Try to pre-prep veggies so whenever you want to cook with them, they’re available and convenient. For instance, frozen veggies are simple to prepare, since they are already washed and chopped.
Be creative and have fun with how you cook your veggies. Try stir-frying them, turn them into noodles, grill them, or puree them. Cooking veggies differently from your usual cooking style will help you improve your cooking skills. It will also make eating your veggies more enjoyable.
You can also incorporate veggies into things you like, such as smoothies, soups, and sandwiches. You will enjoy eating veggies more and not get tired of eating them the same way.
Have fun using spices on your vegetables to improve their taste.

Finding New Recipes

Cauliflower Rice – Substituting cauliflower in rice recipes – Pete Evans

GBOMBS – Greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, seeds – Joel Fuhrman

Kale is among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet-Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad Recipe – NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)

Conclusion

Vegetables are wonderful for helping you improve your overall health and overcome your TS-related health challenges. Even if you are not a veggie enthusiast, there are many ways to make eating them more enjoyable. We hope that you learned some tips that can help you improve your health, overcome your health challenges, and protect yourself from various health risks.

Written by Elizabeth Rivera, TSF Blog Content Coordinator. Edited by Ruchika Srivastava, TSF volunteer blog editor, and Susan Herman, TSF volunteer lead blog editor.

Do you have a good resource for adding a variety of plant-based foods to your diet? If so, please share your resource in the comment section below. Thank you!