There was a time when I thought a great thing Sunday morning including bottomless mimosas, something hidden in hollandaise, and me, in a checkered skirt and sunglasses combo that made late breakfast Feel like a fashion show with friends. But a few years back, I went through a mindset shift and realized that the weekend was the perfect opportunity to incorporate some easy and straightforward ways to eat more veggies. Let me explain.
These days, my weekend daydreams include me in forgiveness nap dress and a comfortable pair of huaraches, wading through the farmers market, gazing at turnips and browsing butter lettuce. Then left with a full tote bag vegetable to liven up our fridge and enough greens to make a week coleslaw.
That’s right, the older I get, the more my appetite increases, consisting mainly of vegetables. And when I say vegetables, I mean real vegetables — not those sneaky snacks, I convince myself that, in the first days of parenthood, strong. (Vegetable sticks in the aisle and peas, I’m looking at you.) Filling my kitchen bowl with loads of colorful dishes keeps you on the lookout for heart-healthy consumption. Plus, they’re simply beautiful.
Featured image of Michelle Nash.
I now know that, for my family, the key to overall health is pretty basic: plenty of rest, plenty of rest. clean airand lot protein mixed with sometimes treatment. However, the most important on my list are tons of vegetables in our bellies every day. But I have to ask: With all the delicious produce to choose from, are all vegetables created equal?
To help guide the way from farm to fork, I reached out to a registered dietitian Jenna Volpe, RDN, LD, CLT. Jenna gave me information on her favorite vegetables to eat every day, why we should all be eating more of these powerhouse foods, and how to incorporate them into our diets. us seamlessly.
How many vegetables should we eat each day?
The “gold standard” for adults is to eat about five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables a day. What most people don’t realize is that a serving of vegetables is more than a few chickpeas served with dinner or a spoonful of mushrooms in an omelet. A full serving is equivalent to two cups of green vegetables, one cup of fresh vegetables (such as carrots, cucumbers or celery), 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables (such as green beans, peppers, onions, or mushrooms) or 1 cup / 3 cups ketchup or salsa.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), recommended amount of vegetables for most adults consumption per day equates to about two to four cups of vegetables per day (not specifying raw or cooked).
What is your favorite vegetable to eat every day?
I love green vegetables, they are a source of nutrition. They’re packed with carotenoid antioxidants, chlorophyll, vitamin K, calcium, iron, and magnesium, and they’re also versatile and easy to prepare! I usually alternate between baby spinach, kale, arugula, and a “super cream” blend.
I usually add sautéed greens to my meals at least once a day, usually for egg, pasta and stir-fries. I also often throw baby greens in smoothies and sandwiches.
It’s all too easy not to do these things, and in my opinion, incorporating baby greens into your daily routine is a habit that will help boost your vitamin, mineral, antioxidant, and nutrient content. fiber and energy in ways that supplements can’ t.
As we age, our nutritional needs change. What does this vegetable look like?
The recommended vegetarian intake increases as calorie needs increase. Since babies and children don’t need as much food as adults and they’re growing exponentially, that means more of their calories should come from macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat). compared to vegetables. That said, babies and children don’t need as many vegetables as teenagers and adults. Men also need more vegetables than women, because they need more calories on average.
Here are USDA proposed Daily amount of vegetables depending on age.
Why exactly is it important to eat the recommended amount of vegetables?
Vegetables are packed with prebiotics (a natural food source for healthy “probiotic” bacteria in the gut), vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, vitality (life energy), etc.
Eating vegetables is a simple yet effective way to cut many disease risks exponentially while helping to regulate and balance blood sugar and hunger/fullness levels.
It’s not a complicated or complicated concept, but I still find that most people don’t reach the recommended daily amount of vegetables or even come close to it most days because the food system and our diet industry is still far from these simple support solutions. .
What is the most nutritious way to eat more vegetables?
The answer to this question will depend on what works best for each person, but this is what works for me.
Cook vegetables to enhance the taste
I’m not a big fan of raw vegetables, so cooking vegetables (i.e. roasting or pan-frying) is a great way to reduce the volume of vegetables while enhancing flavor and palatability with some oils and seasonings. good quality. I find that combining cooked vegetables with other meals (like pasta or stir-fry) is relatively easy (and tastes delicious!). I aim to make at least half of my veggies at lunch and dinner, and it’s easy when I cook with the veggies I love!
Find sneaky ways to get your veggies
Use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead of pasta is a really easy way to meet your daily veggie needs in just one meal. (Two cups of zucchini noodles provide four servings of vegetables!) Also, use red sauce Add a serving of vegetables. Then all that’s left is to add some proteinbe it ground turkey, grass-fed beef, Beyond Meat, or some chicken or shrimp.
Drink your wine
During the spring and summer months, throw a bunch of vegetables at a green juice could be a refreshing way to extract vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and live enzymes from vegetables (as long as people don’t add too much fruit to their juice mix, which should increase significant sugar). One thing to keep in mind with juicing is that most of the fiber is removed. Therefore, I do not recommend relying solely on juicing to get all your daily servings of vegetables.
Sip a smoothie
Throw in frozen greens vitamin is a great way to maximize the nutritional intake of your morning drink/meal. You can also enhance the taste with something delicious like cocoa powder and natural sweeteners.
Are all vegetables the same or are some better than others?
All vegetables have something to offer, but I don’t think they are all created equal from a nutritional perspective. Either way, I don’t usually put too much emphasis or emphasis on rating vegetables, as the most important thing from a big picture perspective is that people eat more vegetables.
Getting a variety of vegetables of different colors is important, as colors indicate the vitamins and antioxidants present in the vegetables.
For example, green leaves contain many antioxidants chlorophyll, while sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots are rich in beta-carotene (the orange carotenoid pigment that is a precursor to vitamin A). It’s better to eat a variety of vegetables of different colors every day and every week than to just focus on orange vegetables.
The biggest vegetables for you
From a nutritional standpoint, some of the vegetables that contain the most nutrients and/or antioxidants are leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula), broccoli, beets, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, butternut squash and tomatoes. .
In terms of nutrition, the vegetable with the lowest ranking would definitely be corn and potatoes. I don’t really consider these vegetables in my clinical practice since they are mostly starches. Iceberg lettuce is also less nutritious than other green leafy vegetables.
While certain vegetables like onion and mushroom While not at the top for their vitamin and mineral content, I still include them in my routine because of their exceptional antioxidant power. Antioxidants help fight oxidation (cell damage), which is the main underlying culprit in aging and many diseases.
10 simple ways to add more vegetables to your daily diet
- Replace pasta with zucchini noodles or squash spaghetti in pasta.
- Add 1/3 cup salsa or pico de gallo to serve with whole-grain tortilla chips and some guacamole for a snack.
- Incorporating vegetables into a marzipan recipe (this is a favorite—You’ll never know!).
- Add fresh or frozen greens to smoothies. I usually use organic greens. For fresh vegetables, I like Olivia’s brand, and for frozen, I usually buy Cascadian Farm or the store brand if they have an organic option! (Here Green Chocolate Smoothie is a go to.)
- Add cooked vegetables to omelets and scrambled eggs — and fried eggsof course.
- Add cooked vegetables like peppers and onions to fajitas and tacos.
- Add vegetables like peppers, onions, mushrooms, and/or green leaves to pasta dishes. Lemon-tahini sauce makes any vegetable dish tastier — like this one vegetarian pasta salad.
- Try swapping regular rice for cooked “broccoli” in a stir-fry or other recipe that calls for rice.
- Add some cauliflower to your mashed potatoes. They will remain soft, nutty and absolutely delicious. This is a great recipe to help you get started.
- Add vegetables to soup (this gazpacho or This vegan minestrone is a delicious summer option. And if you really want it, try doubling or tripling the amount of veggies the recipe calls for.
