Michelle Obama, aided by local school children, dug up a patch of the South Lawn to create the first vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden, planted in the Second World War. The organic garden will provide fresh vegetables for the first family’s meals and for formal dinners but its most important role will be to educate children about eating fresh vegetables and fruit.
Taking pride of place in the White House’s 18 vegetable beds will be peppers, peas and spinach, berries and herbs, according to a report in The New York Times.
http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2009/04/09/whats_growing_this_spring_in_the_white_house_garden.php
http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Obama-s-veg-plots-point-the-way-to-healthy-eating-and-more
But there will be no beets - apparently the President does not like them.
Mrs Obama’s not-so-secret garden is a very public commitment to healthy eating. It’s a superb way of persuading more Americans to eat fresh fruit and vegetables at a time when life-style related illnesses and obesity have become quiet killers in US communities across the country.
Lettuces
Of the many varieties featured on the South Lawn -- one being the peppery, perfect arugula -- all are low calorie but make you feel full. (Eating a whole cup of shredded lettuce means you're ingesting just 5 calories!) Plus, the darker -leafed lettuces are high in vitamin A.
Blueberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries
If Michelle wants her girls to get excited about the garden, what's more fun than picking their very own berries? These three are loaded with antioxidants, which will keep one of the youngest first families in White House history looking the part -- antioxidants are known to stave off the effects of aging.
Peas
Mrs. Obama can improve her family's digestive health by having White House chefs, like assistant chef Sam Kass, the overseer of the garden, prepare the fresh peas planted in the garden. They pack 4 grams per half cup serving -- that's 20 percent of the recommended daily intake.
Spinach
A side dish starring spinach yields an entire day's need of vitamin K, which builds strong bones. But if Sasha and Malia aren't so psyched about plain spinach, here's some good news: "Adding a little fat in the form of butter or cheese can increase the absorption of the nutrients from spinach," says Melinda Johnson, RD and National Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Fennel
Fennel is filled with potassium, which helps with fluid balance, says Johnson, making it the perfect antidote to a lot of fancy diplomatic dinners and four-course meals.
Carrots
The first lady and her growing girls need vitamin A for sharp vision, healthy skin, and shiny hair. Carrots contain 620 micrograms per half cup serving, which exceeds the recommended daily allowance for girls ages 9 to 13 and falls just under what adult women need.
Kale
Kale's curly leaves provide a bit of protein in addition to tons of other nutrients, notes Johnson. That's an unusual added benefit for a veggie.
Herbs
Parsley, thyme, cilantro, and other herbs found in the Obama garden help curb the need to add salt to food while cooking.
Broccoli
Although an interview with Oprah confirmed that she has no plans to add another baby to the Obama brood, the first lady would want to load up on broccoli if she ever changed her mind. It contains an essential nutrient for expectant moms: folate, which promotes healthy brain development in utero.
Next: Plant Your Own Backyard Garden
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