From vegnews.com
If you don’t eat any vegetables, you’re missing out on important nutrients like fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which help keep our bodies running smoothly and reduce the risk of future disease
This is a problem. A growing body of research confirms that eating vegetables is vital for our health. Vegetables not only keep our body running smoothly, giving us the energy to get through the day, but they also play a significant role in reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases in the future. Here’s more about why it’s important to increase your vegetable intake, as well as a few practical tips for packing more into your diet.
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What happens if you don’t eat vegetables?
Skipping vegetables every now and again isn’t going to do you much harm, but if you’re regularly forgoing your greens, or you simply don’t eat them at all, it might be time to start thinking about how you can get them into your diet more often. “Vegetables are some of the best sources of dietary fibre, vitamin C, potassium, carotenoids, and antioxidants that we have,” explains Stephanie Wells, MS, RD, ACSM-CPT, founder of Thyme to Go Vegan Nutrition Services.
Antioxidants are compounds that help protect the body from damage caused by harmful, unstable molecules called free radicals. They help neutralize the molecules, preventing them from causing damage to cells, which over time, can contribute to diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
“The antioxidants in vegetables help prevent damage to our cells when we’re exposed to oxidative stress from a poor diet, environmental pollutants, or free radicals produced during normal biochemical reactions in the body,” Wells says.
The fibre in vegetables is also vital for maintaining good digestive health, and vitamin C is important for the function of the immune system. “It may be difficult to get enough vitamin C to support a healthy immune system without vegetables, especially if you don’t eat much fruit,” says Wells. “You may not get enough dietary fibre either, which is essential for reducing inflammation and helping beneficial gut bacteria thrive over pro-inflammatory bacteria.”
If you really struggle with eating vegetables, try to at least eat plenty of fruit, as these are also important sources of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. But don’t give up hope on finding delicious ways to eat vegetables.
How to eat more vegetables: 7 top tips
Below, we’ve gathered seven top tips that might just help you pack more vegetables into your diet.
1Blend them into sauces
“If you struggle with the texture or taste of vegetables, try blending them,” says Wells, before noting that cooked tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and onions can be blended into a hearty and nutrient-rich pasta sauce. If you prefer creamy pasta, cannellini beans and chickpeas can also be transformed into a velvety Alfredo sauce that rivals any heavy, cream-based variety. Don’t believe us? Try this recipe!
2Drink them in a smoothie
You don’t have to eat vegetables if you don’t want to, because you can drink them instead. “Baby spinach and steamed cauliflower are mild enough in flavour to blend seamlessly into fruit smoothies,” notes Wells. This recipe for a Lean Green Tropical Smoothie, for example, combines berries, kiwi, mango, flaxseed, and apple juice with green kale leaves, but you’ll only actually taste the delicious fruity flavour.
The Yummy Vegan
3Start small and build up
If you’re not used to eating many vegetables, it’s a good idea to start small before building up to bigger portions. “I like to encourage people to start with small portion sizes and increase gradually,” says Wells. “Eating an entrée-sized salad for lunch may feel overwhelming, while a small side salad with your meal can seem more doable.” This Sesame Ginger Crunch Salad, for example, would make for a delicious side with burgers or hot dogs.
4Mix them in with other ingredients
“I’m a big fan of eating cooked vegetables in mixed dishes rather than as a stand-alone side,” says Wells. “The flavours will meld with other ingredients in the dish, so the vegetables themselves will be a little less noticeable.” She recommends stir-fries (we love this Vegan Copycat Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken with stir-fried veg, for example), soups (this Easy Vegan Tomato Soup is always a great choice), or burrito bowls (try our recipe for Copycat Chipotle Vegan Chicken Burrito Bowl).
5Buy frozen instead of fresh
If a key barrier to eating vegetables is that they keep expiring in the fridge, consider buying frozen options instead. You can buy many different vegetables frozen, including peas, corn, onions, and much more. (Our recipe for Meaty Vegan Bangers and Mash With Herbed Gravy tastes great with a hefty portion of frozen peas!) And you can also buy vegetables pre-sliced, too, which saves time when cooking. “If prep time is a barrier, use prepared vegetables like pre-sliced peppers or pre-diced onions. They may be a little more expensive, but the time savings could be worth it for you,” says Wells.
Jeff Wysocarski
6Roast or air-fry instead of boiling
There are many delicious ways to cook vegetables, and boiling, well, it’s not usually one of them, especially if you eat them straight from the pot without seasoning. That’s a surefire way to fall out of love with veg. Instead, consider roasting or air-frying. “These cooking techniques bring out sweeter flavours and add pleasant texture, which could make all the difference for you,” says Wells. Find our recipe for air-fried mushrooms here!
Hannah Kaminsky
7Hide them in desserts
Those with a sweet tooth might be thrilled to know that it is possible to hide vegetables in desserts. Carrot cake, of course, is a favourite for many, but we also love this this recipe for double chocolate zucchini bread. Add walnuts for an extra dose of added nutrition and protein. Prefer a savoury after-dinner chaser? We recommend these tasty vegan cheesy zucchini and carrot muffins, too.
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