Vegetables--which nutrients are so important

Question
My question is this:  I know about the food pyramid, and the recommendation to eat several servings of vegetables, especially green, leafy ones.  I even tried looking for the research behind the USDA guidelines, but couldn't find the nutritional reasons for the importance of vegetables. I also know that vegetables are an important source of dietary fiber.  But what nutrients is it that are so important and don't come from other food sources?  

Also, I take a food supplement called Veggies4Life that purportedly extracts most of those nutrients.  What am I missing?  

Thanks.

Answer
Vegetables as well as other plant based foods are important for good nutritional intake.  They are filled with many vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.  In addition vegetables contain other health promoting compounds called phytonutrients.  Phytonutrients are bioactive compounds in plant based foods that promote health by helping to slow the aging process and/or reduce the risk for many diseases.  They serve as antioxidants, enhance immunity, and much more.  So in addition to vitamins and minerals vegetables provide these phytonutrients that plants produce naturally.  Variety is best because different plant based foods supply different kinds and amounts of vitamin, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients.  
I am not familiar with the food supplement you are taking BUT in any case a supplement can NEVER take the place and capture all of the nutrition that naturally occurs in vegetables and other plant based foods.  They may contain vitamins and minerals BUT won't contain all the phytonutrients naturally found in vegetables.  I would highly doubt the supplement contains fiber also.
Your best bet is to EAT YOUR VEGGIES!!  Three servings a day is not all that much to get in.  That is only 1 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables or 3 cups of raw vegetables per day.  They are more tasty, more filling, less expensive and MUCH more nutritious than any supplement can be!!
Hope that helps,
Kim Tessmer, RD LD
www.Nutrifocus.net  

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