Popeye knew it. Moms and dads who urged their children to eat their veggiesdid, too. Not only are vegetables delicious, they can work wonders for yourhealth.

Vegetables, in all their glorious colors, are powerhouses of good nutrition-- chock full of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber, and"good" carbohydrates. Not only are they naturally fat free, thesenutritious nuggets help prevent cancer and other diseases.

And, of course, they are the mainstay of successful weight-loss diets --which is one reason why they're emphasized in the WebMD Weight Loss Cliniceating plan.

Research Roundup

Over and over again, research redeems the sage advice to "eat yourveggies." A study published in the February 2004 issue of the AmericanJournal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that eating plenty of vegetables andfruits can help lower "bad cholesterol" and improve the health of yourheart. Eating plenty of produce can also reduce your risk of stroke, accordingto a 2003 study. It showed that eating green and yellow vegetables almost everyday, instead of once or less per week, reduced the risk of death from a strokeby 26%. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study found that adiet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat protein and low infat, saturated fat, and cholesterol can help lower blood pressure.

And the American Cancer Society urges everyone to eat at least five servingsa day of fruits and vegetables -- to load up on the cancer-preventingphytochemicals and antioxidants they contain.

So simply by eating more vegetables, you can lower cholesterol, ward offstroke, cut your blood pressure, help prevent cancer, and lose weight. It's ano-brainer -- pile on the veggies!

Top of the Crop

And which vegetables should you make sure to put on your plate? Foods thatreign supreme in the vegetable kingdom include:

• Tomatoes, which are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that protectsagainst cancer, vitamins A, C, and potassium. Cooked tomato products offer morelycopene than raw tomatoes. Pink grapefruit and watermelon alsocontain lycopene.
• Broccoli, which contains a wealth of wonderful vitamins (B vitamins,C) and minerals (calcium, potassium). It also has the compound sulforaphane,which has cancer-fighting capabilities. Other cruciferous vegetables, such asbrussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale also containsulforaphane.
• Pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and carrots are rich sources ofbeta-carotene -- which enhances your immune system, reduces those dangerous"free radicals" (disease-causing molecules in the body), aids vision,and protects your skin. Dark leafy greens and peppers are moregood sources of beta-carotene.
• Spinach is thought to protect against a host of diseases, includingcancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration (which can causeblindness).

Learning to Love Veggies

Despite their status as nutrition superheroes, vegetables rarely findthemselves on personal favorite lists. Some adults still shun vegetables,setting a less-than-perfect example for children around the table while missingout on the health benefits for themselves.

The WebMD Weight Loss Clinic recommends aiming for five servings daily. Ifyou have trouble fitting in that many, try some of these suggestions -- or comeup with your own creative solutions:

• Add sliced tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, sliced red peppers, or shreddedcarrots to sandwiches.
• Munch pickles, jicama, baby carrots, celery, or grape tomatoes assnacks.
• Drink vegetable juice.
• Slip a variety of vegetables into salads, soups, stews, tomato sauce, andmeatloaf.
• Enjoy salads before meals. When you start off with a large, low-caloriegreen salad, you may end up eating fewer total calories during the meal,according to research.
• Roast veggies with a little olive oil for an interesting variation intaste.
• Try grilled vegetables, which are delicious alone or added to pastadishes.
• Add nutrition to breads and muffins with shredded vegetables such aszucchini or carrots.
• Experiment with new vegetables to add variety to your repertoire.
• Use leaves of dark lettuce instead of bread to hold sandwich or burritofillings.