Fresh Vegetables

Greetings to you my beloved friends. Trusting God you are all doing good? By the special grace of God, I'm also doing good. It's a pleasure to participate in this contest, #fresh-vegetable organized by #afzalqamar.

Vegetables are herbaceous plants or parts of plants such as the roots, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits or seeds that contains nutrients like minerals and vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Vegetables could be eaten raw or cooked. When cooked with meals, they add flavour, colour and texture to our food.

I'll be writing on two most useful fresh vegetables in my area. If you don't have one of these in your provision store or market stall, then you haven't started doing business yet or your are not yet ready to do business. Infact, you can be sued for not having either of these in your store (lol, just kidding).
The most useful vegetables in my area include: fluted pumpkin leaves (popularly known as Ugu leaves in Nigeria), water leaf, tomatoes, spinach, pepper, okra. But for the sake of this contest, I'll be writing on tomatoes and pepper.

Tomatoes

Though debatable, most people classify tomatoes as being a fruit (from the botanical perspective) but viewing it from the culinary and everyday context, tomatoes is typically a vegetable. It can be grinding into paste to make stew, it can be used to make sauce. It can be added in different dishes to add flavor, colour and texture to the food. Tomatoes can be preserved in sachets and cans for easy use and for export to places where there is limited access to tomatoes. Some preserve tomatoes by drying it under the sun.

Personally, I always love adding tomatoes each time I'm cooking jollof rice or pasta. I also love it in my yam porridge. I love eating white rice with tomatoes stew too. I can't go a week without eating white rice and stew.

Health Benefits of tomatoes

1. Tomatoes are rich sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential for immune function, collagen production as well as iron absorption.
2. They contain antioxidants like vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene and other carotenoids. Antioxidants protects the cells from getting damaged, getting inflammed and also protects the cells from certain cancers.
3. Tomatoes are good sources of potassium. Potassium is an electrolyte in the human system which helps in regulation of blood pressure, supports healthy heart function and also aids in muscle recovery.
4. Tomatoes are also good sources of fiber and water thus, making it to be able to support healthy digestion and weight management.
5. Tomatoes improves skin and eye health cos of the presence of vitamins like vitamin A and E.

Lest I forget, tomatoes can be eaten fresh and raw without fear of any health implication when washed well.

Pepper

Just like tomatoes, pepper are vegetables from the culinary angle. Pepper, whether sweet or hot offers a lot of health benefits.
Ever wondered what makes pepper to be hot? Yes, pepper contains a chemical compound known as capsaicin. Capsaicin is found in the placental tissues of peppers and it is responsible for the pungent, burning sensation associated with spicy peppers.
I always find it difficult cooking without pepper that is why I always have dry and grounded pepper available should in case I don't have access to fresh pepper.
Most houses can't do without pepper too. Except for a few who have relatives with ulcers. These category of persons have some level of restrictions to eating pepper. Though some still eat.

Health Benefits Of Pepper

1. Pepper supports immune function. They are rich source of vitamin C and other antioxidants. These help support immune system and reduce the severity of colds and flu. Little wonder, here in Nigeria, each time one has catarrh, he will be advice to go eat hot spicy pepper soup to help clear the mucus in his airpipe. Funny as this may sound, it actually works.
2. Pepper can also help reduce inflammation like arthritis, asthma and allergies due to the presence of some antioxidants and anti inflammatory compounds.
3. Pepper also support healthy eye due to presence of vitamins and antioxidants.
4. It aids in digestion as it is a good source of fiber.

Adding pepper to your meal adds flavour, nutrients and variety to your meal, therefore, why won't you go ahead and spice up your life with pepper😉

Unlike fresh tomatoes that your can eat raw, please don't try that with spicy peppers oooooooo. Cos I won't be there to give you to a drum of water to drink 😁.

I'm inviting my friends @deelyt @tripple-e and @ashley-p to also participate in this contest.