You'll Eat Vegetables - And You'll Like Them!

Vegetables. They're not winning any popularity contests. But as humorist Doug Larson has observed, our life expectancy would skyrocket if greens smelled as good as bacon! Weight would practically melt off of you if you replaced most of your fattening foods with vegetables. How does one add vegetables to their daily diet - and like it?

First, motivate yourself with a reminder of the many health benefits. To name a few:

Veggies reduce the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, Type II diabetes, in diabetic diets and certain cancers (such as stomach and colon cancers).
High-fiber veggies can help to lower unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Potassium-rich vegetables can help decrease bone loss.
Most vegetables are low in calories, making them great to fill up on for weight loss.

Next, set aside any negative prejudices about veggies. It's likely that you were raised in a typical 20th century DVH (Dull Vegetable Household). In a DVH, salads consist only of lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and cooking spices are limited to salt and pepper. The vegetable never has a chance to show its stuff! But today, exotic spices are readily available, and it's easy to find great recipes online. Veggies are so varied that there's bound to be something you'll love.

Finally, choose a few food habits from the list below. You'll be well on your way to many servings a day!

Search online for vegetable recipes. Also ask your friends for their favorites. You'll be happily surprised by what people come up with.
Shred zucchini or carrots into breads, muffins, and casseroles.
Thicken your soups and gravies with pureed cooked vegetables; they add wonderful flavor and texture.
Add extra vegetable toppings to pizza.
Stir vegetables like broccoli, onions, carrots and zucchini into tomato sauce for pasta.
Add extra lettuce and tomato to sandwiches, and ask for these extras when eating out.
Store cut veggies in a see-through container. If you see them ready-to-eat when you open the fridge, you'll be more likely to snack on them.
If it's affordable, purchase veggies that are already prepared. Bags of pre-washed lettuce make salad easy - just keep tasty additions handy, like plump golden raisins, pumpkin seeds, and those cut-up veggies that you'll be keeping in the fridge.
Keep frozen and canned vegetables on hand. (Choose the "no salt added" versions; you can always add salt if desired.)
Plant a vegetable garden. They have their most amazing flavor when they're garden-fresh. Plus, you'll be eager to eat veggies that you've grown yourself!

All Article Text on this site is copyrighted© 2006-2007 weightcontrolroom.com All rights reserved. Do not copy.
The info on this site is for informational purposes only and not medical info in any way, see disclaimer.