The big difference between vegetables and legumes is determined according to the edible part of the plant. Vegetables are those in which the edible part is the leaves, flowers or stems, as is the case with lettuce, cabbage or kale, for example.
Vegetables are those in which the edible part is fruits or seeds, as is the case with beans, lentils, rice, peppers, oranges and zucchini. But in addition to vegetables, there is also the root group, which is made up of vegetables in which the edible part grows underground, such as ginger, radishes or carrots.
These 3 groups together form vegetables, which should be part of a healthy diet, to improve intestinal functioning, the quality of skin, nails, hair and even to guarantee health and increase intellectual capacity.
Examples of vegetables
While vegetables are easier to identify, as they are leaves, flowers or stems such as lettuce, kale, broccoli or watercress, vegetables encompass a larger group, made up of 4 categories:
- Legumes: beans, pods, soybeans, peas, chickpeas, peanuts;
- Cereals: rice, wheat and corn;
- Oilseeds: cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts and almonds;
- Fruits: orange, apple, banana, tangerine, etc.
It is important to remember that a healthy diet must consist of all these groups, including the root group, such as ginger or carrots. Therefore, it is important to consume different vegetables throughout the week to ensure a varied intake of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
How to use vegetables to lose weight
A great way to ensure you consume a variety of vegetables is to make soup. To make a very nutritious soup rich in antioxidants, some tips are:
- Use only 1 vegetable from the root group, legumes or cereals: for example, make the soup base with rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes or beans;
- Add other roots that are not rich in calories, such as carrots, beets and radishes;
- Add vegetables to bring fiber to the soup, such as kale or broccoli;
- Use vegetables and aromatic herbs as natural seasonings to add flavor to soup or any preparation, such as onion, garlic, bay leaves and watercress.
In addition, you can also add a source of protein to the soup, such as meat, chicken or fish, it is important to prefer low-fat cuts or skinless chicken, so that the fat from the meat does not pass into the soup.
See below how to make a detox soup to lose weight and recover from dietary mistakes:
