3 Spring Vegetables to Add to Your Diet

It's always a good idea to eat seasonally. One, you can possibly appreciate the food more if you know that it is in season right now.

And the other reason is that they might be a little bit higher in nutrition. Of course, that's hard to quantify, but there are some good arguments that suggest that is the case.

So, spring has sprung. Which fresh spring vegetables should you consider adding to your diet? Here are three — artichokes, arugula, and green onions. 

1. Artichokes

Artichokes are a great springtime option to eat. They are a little bit hard to cook, though. It's important to trim off the spiky bits on each of the leaves and maybe trim off the crown. And you would want to rinse, clean, and steam for up to 45 minutes, or pressure cook it for up to 15 minutes.

They are super healthy for a number of reasons.

• Artichokes may increase your HDL levels, which is a good thing, and decrease your triglycerides levels, which is a very good thing. That ratio is extremely important.
• They might help you reduce your blood pressure because they help you create some more nitric oxide.
• Artichokes may also help your liver because they have two compounds that are especially good for liver health.
• Artichokes are full of prebiotic fiber that may help with your gut health.
• Artichokes have a compound that is anti-spasmodic. So if someone is dealing with IBS, artichokes might be an excellent choice.
• And for everyone who's worried about blood sugar levels and diabetes, pre-diabetes, or metabolic syndrome, artichokes have a compound in them that slows down the rate at which starch turns into glucose.

So for lots of reasons, artichokes are a great choice to add to your diet.

2. Arugula

The second vegetable we are going to talk about is arugula. Very easy to prepare. Usually, arugula comes in those clear, plastic, clamshell boxes from the grocery store already rinsed and cleaned. That's pretty much all the preparation you need.

They can be used as a garnish. They can be added to a salad, or they can be the primary leaves in the salad.

Arugula is healthy because it is high in calcium, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, and nitrates. And just like artichokes are really good for blood vessel health and the cardiovascular system because it helps make nitric oxide, the nitrates in arugula help your body make nitric oxide, which relaxes the blood vessels, reduces blood pressure, and increases circulation.

3. Green onions

And the third and final vegetable that is in season in spring is green onions. These are very easy to prepare. Usually, it's just a matter of cleaning them, rinsing them, and slicing them. They add a lot to bagels with cream cheese. They add a lot to salads. You can put them on hamburgers. Lots of options.

They are a little bit peppery. I like the taste a lot personally, and they are healthy because they have compounds in them that are antimicrobial, so they may help you fight infections.

They have a compound in them that may help you prevent the development of colon cancer. And they have a compound that reduces your blood sugar levels and may protect your heart. Also, they are very high in vitamin A, which is excellent for eye health.

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