Green vegetables are low in fat and calories, and have zero cholesterol — what more could anyone ask? Oh, yes — they taste good, too!

Green vegetables also have wonderful health benefits, since they’re loaded with potassium, fiber, folate and vitamins A, E and C. Study after study shows that:

• Diets rich in potassium may help maintain healthy blood pressure.
• Dietary fiber helps reduce cholesterol and may lower the risk of heart disease. Fiber also helps you feel full without consuming a lot of calories.
• Folate, or folic acid, helps the body to form red blood cells.
• Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect against infections.
• Vitamin E helps protect the body against cell damage.
• Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds, and keeps teeth and gums healthy.

Green vegetables are not only great for your health, but there are so many tasty ways to include them in your meals

Fortunately, you get all the nutritional benefits of green vegetables whether you choose fresh, frozen or canned. Here are some suggestions on how to make these nutrient-rich foods part of your family’s daily diet, from A to Z:

• Asparagus Steam or stir-fry until crisp-tender, or roast with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.
• Broccoli Serve raw with a dip; grate and substitute for cabbage in coleslaw; steam, stir-fry or boil; or sauté in olive oil with garlic.
• Brussels sprouts Microwave, steam, boil or roast. Their nutty, sweet flavor is especially good with browned onions.
• Cabbage Green cabbage is traditionally used in coleslaw or cooked with corned beef, but it also can be braised (cooked in liquid, like a stew) with onions and apples, stuffed with sausage or turned into a hearty stew with beans, tomatoes and sliced turkey sausage. Try shredding Napa cabbage and combining it with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and sugar for Asian-style coleslaw.
• Cucumbers Slice them for salads or sandwiches, or make a Greek-style sauce by mixing cucumbers with plain yogurt, garlic and fresh mint.
• Green beans Lightly steam them, then sauté with olive oil and garlic and top with chopped nuts.
• Green bell peppers Serve raw slices with a vegetable dip, or add roasted bell peppers to pizza or pasta dishes.
• Peas Season them with salt, pepper, mint and butter; or add them to salads, soups and other side dishes.
• Spinach Use in salads; steam until wilted; or add to lasagna, scrambled eggs or soups.
• Sugar snap peas Serve them with butter or olive oil; toss them with grated lemon peel or little lemon juice and toasted pine nuts; or add them to potatoes, pasta or green salads.
• Zucchini Sauté in olive oil with tomatoes and onions.

It’s a fact: When it comes to nutrition, mom was right about eating vegetables! With the variety of vegetables available — plus the many ways we can prepare them — eating enough nutrient-rich veggies every day is a snap.