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The Philippines is also blessed with a number of vegetables for retirees who love vegetables and/or are vegans/vegetarians!

Vegetables and fruits are packed with necessary vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Fruits and vegetable contain vital nutrients that will combat miracle wonders of life-threatening diseases and illnesses. Daily intake of vegetables and fruits sustain good health and provide enough resistance for occurring diseases.

But don’t we know that?  Of all people, we know that their nutrition is important to us, especially in our retirement age!  We need to have an abundant supply of fresh vegetables.  Well, we can’t ask for more, because the Philippines is home to lots of vegetables!

According to health research, fruits and vegetables will enhance the quality and longevity of retired people. Retirees like us can take extra care of ourselves by eating well and living well. Having healthy eating choices is the best reward we can give to ourselves.  Vegetables such as cabbage,  bok Choy, radish, corns, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and spring onions are available all throughout the year in the Philippines. Cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, etc. are also available in the supermarket.

Knowing these local vegetables will also add to our growing vegetable list:

Malunggay – (also known as “Moringa”) clinical studies show that “Malunggay” leaves contain more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk, more potassium than bananas, more iron than spinach and more vitamin A than carrots.  It is an excellent source of protein, iron, fiber, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.

Kangkong –  or water spinach in English, is a commonly used vegetable in Filipino dishes.  It is a high source of iron, calcium, vitamin B, and C. Mild in flavor, all parts of young kangkong can be eaten, from the shoot (stem) up to the leaves.

Gabi – Taro in English, a root crop vegetable plant, great in soup dishes.  Gabi, a versatile vegetable leaves and stalk (stem) are cooked and consumed; used in vegetable soup, meat and fish dishes, as well as for some cake recipes.  Gabi, provides vitamin A, C, and calcium.

Labong –  are bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoots are young, new canes. They are harvested before they are two weeks old. In length, they are at maximum one foot tall. The young shoots of bamboo are common vegetables in the Philippines.   Bamboo shoots are added to salads, soup, and vegetable dishes.  The fiber derived from the bamboo shoot has very few calories, is tasteless and is white in color. Bamboo fiber helps to keep cholesterol levels in check and helps in preventing colon cancer.  They help to maintain blood pressure and a steady heartbeat, as well.  In the US, the bamboo shoots are sold preserved in cans, usually in the Asian stores.

Alugbati –in English ‘’Malabar Spinach” or vine spinach. Leaves resemble spinach and taste similar to spinach when cooked slimy and sticky just like okra, leaves, shoots and stem are eaten and used in soup and stews. Alugbati, contain iron, calcium and antioxidants, vitamin A, B and C. Medical research reveal: a mixture of alugbati leaf pulp and a bit of butter, can give a cooling effect in redness of skin when burn or scald during cooking.   

Sigarilyas (winged beans) – The long pods, which can reach up to 50 centimeters in length, are rich sources of proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamin A. The pods may be eaten raw or used in salads, soups, stews, and curries.

Sean Adams, information chief of the United States Department of Agriculture, reported that the winged bean has high levels of proteins called lectins, which are used as diagnostic tools in medical research because they bind to certain blood cells.

Other Vegetables

Cabbage

Eggplant

Celery

Mushroom

Green Beans

Carrots

Cauli Flower

Cucumber

Broccoli

Parsley

Tomatoes

Potatoes

Bokchoy

Squash

We will never get hungry, or unhealthy, in the Philippines!  They have most of the food stuff we have at home, and more!  Retiring in the Philippines will never be a hardship for us retirees!

It can even be a source of exercise end enjoyment for us if we make a vegetable garden right in our backyard.  Not only do we save our hard-earned money, but we make sure that we eat plenty of fresh vegetables when we retire in the Philippines!

The Philippine climate is conducive to the growth of a lot of flora and fauna that makes their country a home of diverse plants and animals.  Indeed a great place for retirement for those of us who are great lovers of food and nature!

I am so excited to start a list of dishes I could come up with these vegetables!!

 

 

 

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