In 2014, an American study from the Center For Disease Control created a ranking of the most nutritious powerhouse fruits and vegetables (PFV). Researchers defined PFV as those leafy greens, yellow/orange vegetables, citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetable that are most strongly associated with reduced risk of chronic disease.
The ranking was established based on the content of 17 nutrients considered important to prevent disease, including fiber, protein, minerals such as potassium, zinc, calcium and iron, as well as vitamins such as thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folate (B9), vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K. The most nutritious foods would be the ones with the highest content of those nutrients per 100 gr.
The idea is that, because foods with a higher ranking are more nutritious, by including them in our diet, we are more likely to absorb enough nutrients and therefore prevent disease.
And the winner was… watercress! Great news, in Suva we’re lucky enough to find this vegetable at the market for 2 dollars a bundle. No need to spend a lot of money on imported food, we’ve got all we need available locally 😀.
Other common vegetables that ranked very well are Chinese cabbage, chard, beet green and spinach.
The recommended daily intake of vegetables and fruit is at least 5 portions per day. Actually, vegetables are so healthy that we can eat as much as we want of them. No limits at all, as long as we don’t add too much salt or fat 😉.