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Seven Ways to Get More Veggies
It’s not as hard as you might think.
“Yes, please.” If you’re like most Americans, that’s probably not your typical response when offered another helping of, say, brussels sprouts. Chances are, you don’t pile on the green beans, sweet potatoes and kale at dinner, although you might be eating more produce than you did in the past. As a country we have made some progress: Compared with the way Americans ate in 1970, we’re consuming about 15% more veggies. That said, most of us still fall far short of the amounts recommended by federal guidelines — and we’re way too fond of naming french fries as our favorite vegetable.
You don’t need us to tell you that when it comes to nutrition, you really can’t do better for your body than making sure to eat plenty of vegetables. “They are probably the best source of a whole class of nutrients called phytochemicals, which haven’t even all been identified,” says Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., author of The Healthiest Meals on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What Meals to Eat and Why, (Fair Winds Press, 2008). Bowden notes that phytochemicals are being studied for their ability to prevent not only cancer, but also inflammation, which is linked to nearly every disease and condition you can name. He adds that along with vitamins and minerals, vegetables are high in fiber, which fills you up, regulates digestion and elimination, and has been linked to a lower incidence of heart disease and diabetes.
Now that you know why vegetables are true nutritional superstars, here are some new ones to try — and easy and delicious ways to prepare them.
- You can’t beat beets. “Beets are really high in anthocyanins, the same type of antioxidant that’s in blueberries and gives them their color,” explains Molly Kimball, sports and lifestyle nutritionist at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. “They’re also low in calories, and though there’s a misconception that they’re high in sugar, they’re actually not. I think most people don’t like them because they’ve had canned beets from the salad bar.” Kimball likes to slice a beet, brush on a little olive oil, sprinkle on sea salt and ground pepper, and then roast the slices for about 30 minutes at 300°F.
- Cook once, eat three times. Take an hour on Sunday afternoons to slice up a variety of vegetables — eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms — and drizzle or toss them with olive oil, salt and fresh pepper, and before roasting a few baking tray’s worth in the oven at 350°F. (Aim to cook enough so that you can eat a couple of servings a day at least through the middle of the week.) Store the mixed vegetables in containers for lunch or dinner, and reheat them as needed.
- Broil for better flavor. Too many people think that steaming is the only healthful option for preparing vegetables, Kimball says. She wishes more people would rediscover their broiler: “You’ll get the same texture as you do with grilling,” she suggests. “Try a jalapeño-, peanut-, or mango-flavored marinade, toss the vegetables in it and then put them in the broiler, taking care not to scorch them. Roasting under the broiler or grilling them outside is a lot more enjoyable than plain, steamed vegetables.” Because high heat cooks thinly sliced produce quickly, it’s easy to get dinner on the table in a jiffy too.
- Kale is more than okay. Nutritionists have a scale that measures the antioxidant power of foods. Bowden says, “Kale consistently ranks at the top.” Like beets, this dark green leafy vegetable often gets a bad rap as difficult to prepare (you can wilt it just like you do spinach, in a light sauté with olive oil) and bitter. To address the latter complaint, Bowden recommends balancing bitter with sweet: “Eat kale in a salad with dried cranberries, for sweetness, and a small handful of pine nuts.” Both will cut the greens’ strong taste, as will a little sugar, olive oil or teriyaki.
- Drink up. “I really think juicing is underestimated,” Bowden says. “You can disguise [the taste of] the healthiest veggies in the world by using an apple or pear base in a juice. You can throw in tons of broccoli, spinach and ginger, and someone who hates vegetables will never know it.” It’s worth investing in a proper juicer, though — don’t try to make your blender do the job.
- Convenience counts. There have never been more options making it easier to get more vegetables. Choices include frozen, prewashed and prepackaged, and steam-in-the-bag, each of which can come preseasoned. Avail yourself of any or all, Kimball suggests. “They’re just as nutrient-dense.” (But you may want to skip the canned variety, which contains extra sodium.)
- Add a little sugar or butter. If the choice is seldom between having a vegetable cross your lips and adding a little sugar, by all means indulge, say Bowden and Kimball. This also holds true for kids, whose taste buds are more sensitive to vegetables’ bitterness. And using butter isn’t so bad either, the two nutritionists note. “If a pat of butter, which is about 100 calories, is going to get you to eat a whole plate of vegetables, which is about 60 calories, it’s worth it,” Bowden says. “Be sure to choose a high-quality, organic butter.”
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