Health Benefits of Grilling Vegetables

Vegetables are a very important part of a healthy, balanced diet. Vegetables not only taste better when they are fresh but they maintain more of their nutritional values this way too. Grilled vegetables can accompany a main dish or they can be served as a main meal.

When grilling, you will get the best results using vegetables with a low water content. Examples include mushrooms, onions, cabbage, asparagus, and bell peppers. You can grill these vegetables wrapped in tinfoil or directly on the grill. If you wrap the vegetables in a tin foil sachet, you do not need to add oil or fats. If you boil your vegetables, you will lose a lot of their nutritional value in the water. If you fry them, they will soak up a lot of fat. Grilling is the healthiest way to prepare vegetables and it is easy to do.

Vegetable Benefits
Eating a diet, which is rich in vegetables and fruits, can reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Eating vegetables can also protect against certain types of cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. Orange and dark green vegetables are higher in cancer-preventing antioxidants and nutrients than other types. Vegetables are also low in calories and fat but high in fiber, so they can help you to lose weight by making you feel full.

Vegetable Nutrients
You find potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and folate (folic acid) in vegetables. Dietary fiber can reduce the blood's cholesterol levels and helps with good bowel function. Potassium keeps blood pressure at a healthy level. Folate helps in the production of red blood cells. Vitamin C is good for the teeth, gums, wound healing and iron absorption. Vitamin A is good for the skin and eyes. Vitamin E protects vitamin A and essential acids in the body from cell oxidization.

A Delicious Grilled Vegetable Recipe
This is a quick, tasty grilled vegetable recipe and is easy enough for complete beginners. Choose some vegetables that will grill well, such as eggplant, corn on the cob, tomatoes, summer squash, peppers and button mushrooms. Clean and trim them. Each vegetable should be cut into thick slices or halves, so you get equally sized pieces.

Remove the silks from the corn but leave on the husks. Soak them for an hour. Parboil some small waxy potatoes until they are soft. If you are not using foil, brush the vegetables with oil or a marinade.

Heat your grill to medium hot. Put the vegetables in a foil pouch, directly on the grill or on skewers. Remember than dense vegetables like carrots and potatoes take longer to cook, so put these ones on the grill first. Turn the vegetables now and then, using more marinade or oil to brush them. When you can easily pierce the vegetables with a knife, they are ready to eat.

You can make a basic marinade by combining 1 part lemon juice with 2 parts olive oil and 1 peeled, crushed clove of garlic. You can make this a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator.

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About the Author
Find your fill of scrumptious vegetable side dish recipes like our delicious grilled vegetable soup recipes at the site for vegetables.
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(03-2008)

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