Vegetables: worst to best

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By Braden Murray | LTVN Reporter/Anchor

Vegetables — how about them?

At some point in life, it became necessary to consume vegetables. And people usually aren’t very happy about it, especially if they are children.

Adults, however, have come to adore the plenitude of varieties that fall under the category of vegetables. But with so many to choose from, where should you start?

Don’t worry; that is what I am here to discuss. I’ve compiled this very objective ranking of what I believe to be the best and worst vegetables.

Dead last: squash and zucchini

I combine these two because they will forever be intermixed in my mind in terms of both look and taste.

Whenever these are served along with the entree, I immediately hide them from my field of vision out of pure disgust. There is something about the texture that really turns me off.

Still pretty low, but rising: Brussels sprouts

If you asked me 10 years ago what I thought of Brussels sprouts, I would have laughed in your face and dismissed the question entirely. I hated those things with a burning passion, despite only having had them one time.

As I grew up, I discovered alternate ways of preparing them, and my opinion of them changed. I have decided that they are pretty meh.

No. 7: corn

Corn is fine. It has a good taste and good look, but it gets stuck in my permanent retainer, so that’s pretty annoying. The retainer is also why I can’t eat corn on the cob. The overall impracticality of this vegetable for people with braces and retainers causes me to dock a few points.

There’s that song about it too, which I thought was cool at first but now find annoying.

No. 6: mushrooms

I think these count as vegetables, and I enjoy them. They’re great sauteed or raw, but I understand not everybody has the same opinion as me, and that’s OK.

No. 5: green peas

I was talking about my fondness for green peas, and I was met with looks of disgust. I don’t understand the hate.

It’s so much fun to use the back of a fork to smush peas into bite-sized morsels of goodness. I also think part of the reason I like peas has to do with their appearance in “Veggie Tales.”

No. 4: cauliflower

For the longest time, I thought cauliflower was just pale broccoli, and after 19 years of life, I still cannot be convinced otherwise.

Cauliflower is generally sweeter and a bit mushier than broccoli and can be paired with a wider variety of foods, but it still lives in the shadow of its green counterpart.

No. 3: broccoli

The versatility of this vegetable is unparalleled. It’s great when cooked and paired with spaghetti or steak. It’s even great uncooked and included in a vegetable tray.

Plus, it looks like a little tree and makes me feel like I’m a giant when I eat it. It does have a weird smell when it is cooked, though, which is why it is No. 3.

No. 2: green beans

Oh man, this is the good stuff right here. The number of ways it can be prepared is incalculable, and it always hits the spot.

I’m not a huge fan of the squeaky kind, but it’s alright. It’s very similar to broccoli in the sense that it’s great when paired with a steak or a big bowl of spaghetti.

No. 1: carrots

They look cool, they are good for your eyes and they taste really good. Carrots are the best vegetable without a doubt.

Baby carrots are especially phenomenal. I used to ravage the small packs of carrots my previous schools served at lunch. At my peak, I was consuming three to four bags of those a day.

I’ve cooled off since then, but I still go crazy whenever I see carrots are an option for salads. I eat salads now because I am a refined man who attends university.

There we have it: some of the best, and two of the worst, vegetables.

Braden Murray is a junior from Cypress, with a major in History and a minor in news-editorial. This is his third year on the LTVN staff, and his first as Sports Director. He is excited to take on this new role and all the responsibilities that come with it. In his free-time he likes to read and go on hikes in Cameron Park.