Eat More Vegetables

Vegetables are WONDERFUL for us. They provide us with many necessary vitamins and minerals. There are so many different kinds you are sure to like a few even if you do not like very many. It is vital to have an array of vegetables in your diet. You should consume all kinds of different colors and types. Vegetables should be vibrantly colored and most should be firm but not hard.

Below I listed some common vegetables and their calories. Some are listed whole while others are listed in cups for serving sizes. I did this to inform you of how wonderful eating vegetables can be and how they can help us keep our calorie count low. Eating a lot of veggies can help in losing weight, fighting diseases, building a strong immune system, fighting off some cancers, and giving you more energy. Without an array of vegetables in your diet it is almost impossible to get all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you need every day.

Carrots: 1 raw - 25 calories

Celery: 1 raw stalk - 6 calories

Green Bell pepper: 1 raw - 24 calories, sautéed with oil 3.5 oz - 145 cal

Jalapeño pepper: Jarred ½ cup - 18 calories

Red Bell Pepper: 1 raw - 31 calories, Sautéed with oil 3.5 oz - 145 calories

Cucumbers: 1 raw - 45 calories

Tomatoes: 1 raw - 22 calories

Romaine Lettuce: 1 cup - 8 calories

Spinach: 1 cup raw - 7 calories, 1 cup boiled - 41 calories

Broccoli: 1 cup chopped - 31 calories, 1 cup boiled - 54 calories

Avocados: 1 cup - 234 calories

Eggplant: 1 cup raw - 20 calories, 1 cup boiled - 35 calories

Radishes: 1 cup raw - 19 calories, 1 cup boiled - 25 calories

Green beans: 1 cup raw snap or string - 34 calories, 1 cup boiled - 44 calories

Squash/zucchini: 1 cup boiled - 29 calories

Onions: 1 cup raw - 48 calories

Cauliflower: 1 cup raw - 25 calories

Asparagus: 1 cup boiled - 40 calories

Cabbage: 1 cup raw - 17 calories, 1 cup boiled - 34 calories

You could have everything I listed (raw) and only consume 740 calories! A Big Mac, medium French fries, and medium coke have 1130 calories... The choice is clear = EAT VEGETABLES.

I wish the produce industry would up their advertising because these are the products people need to be buying and consuming. If you can buy organic vegetables and produce it is even healthier! Organic means there are no additives, pesticides, genetically modified, or unnatural products on or in the vegetables. Buying from your local farmers market is a great way to buy organic, plus those vegetables will be perfectly ripe and delicious!

Here are some tips on getting more veggies in your diet:

Breakfast: Make an omelet with lots of vegetables or scramble the eggs with vegetables. Good vegetables with eggs include peppers, onions, tomatoes, avocado, and spinach. Instead of eating cream cheese on a bagel - try it on some tomato slices. Drink some vegetable juice instead of milk or coffee.

Snacks: Raw veggies like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, and more are wonderful to snack on throughout the day!

Lunch: Salads, salads, and more salads! You can add nearly every vegetable to salad. Also try the different types of lettuces and greens. Iceberg is not the only salad lettuce out there. Terrific alternatives (and healthier choices) include: Spinach leaves, red and green leaf, watercress, arugula, and romaine.

Dinner: Step outside the box and try vegetable stuffed eggplant or peppers. Mix it up with new vegetables you have never tried. Sauté some squash, zucchini, onions, peppers, and whatever else for a delicious side dish to pair with a lean meat. Home made soups or stews with different vegetables from the normal potatoes and carrots - add some celery, zucchini, eggplant, or leeks for a new twist on an old dish.

Try some of these suggestions and see if you can't increase your vegetable intake over the next few weeks. Your body will thank you.

Nancy Magee

Weight Loss Consultant and Healthy Lifestyle Coach
Arkansas Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
nmagee@arpysmed.com

http://www.arphysmed.com

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