Vegetable consumption is generally inadequate. In actuality, 90% of Americans fail to consume the suggested 2-3 servings each day. (A serving of veggies is one cup. It is 2 cups for raw, leafy vegetables like salad greens.
It’s crucial to include veggies in your meals.
Vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that improve your health and stave against disease.
They also contribute significantly to weight loss and weight maintenance.
The high fiber content of vegetables helps you feel fuller. Additionally, eating more low-calorie veggies leaves less room in your stomach for higher-calorie, less-healthy items.
Even if you don’t like veggies, you could not have tasted them in the appropriate way.
Without significantly changing your existing cuisine, we’ve put together a list of strategies that might assist you in increasing your intake of vegetables.
1. Serve raw vegetables at every meal.
Almost everyone enjoys cucumber slices, string beans, cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks, and/or green pepper strips.
They are nutritious, almost calorie-free, have a pleasing crunch, and they can significantly reduce your intake of the main course’s higher calorie content.
Make it a habit to always set a dish of raw veggies in the middle of the table, regardless of the meal.
2. Add vegetables to your breakfast.
It’s simpler to include veggies in a savory breakfast; for example, you may serve eggs over sautéed leafy greens.
You may add tomatoes or mushrooms to your cooked eggs, or you can go creative and make an omelet or frittata that is stuffed with vegetables. Start your morning off right with a healthy breakfast packed with vegetables!
3. Cook a veggie omelet.
Adding vegetables to your meal plan is simple and adaptable when you use omelets. Eggs also contribute a ton of beneficial nutrients.
Eggs are cooked in a skillet with a little butter or oil after being beaten, and they are then folded around a filling that frequently consists of cheese, meat, vegetables, or a mixture of the three.
Any sort of vegetable tastes fantastic in omelets, which may be loaded up with a variety of healthy ingredients. Common additions include bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, onions, scallions, and bok choy.
4. Make veggie-based soups.
Multiple vegetable servings can be consumed at once by eating soups.
Vegetables can be the “foundation” by being pureed and spiced. Additionally, adding vegetables to soups with a broth or cream base is an easy process.
Increase your diet of fiber, vitamins, and minerals by including even a few additional vegetables, like broccoli, in soups.
Here is an easy recipe:
- 1 medium onion, finely diced, should be sautéed in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium skillet until soft.
- Cooked veggies and onion should be combined in a blender or food processor and pureed until smooth.
- Puree should be returned to the pan and diluted with stock or low-fat milk.
- Simmer and adjust seasoning.
