I heard that vegetables are good for weight loss, but I don’t like many vegetables except for corn, green beans, and baked beans. Is it true that vegetables encourage weight loss?
What you heard was correct! Managing your weight is a lot easier when your diet regularly includes vegetables. Eating the recommended three to five servings of vegetables daily is a caloric bargain at around 25 calories a serving. (A serving is a cup of leafy vegetables, or half cup of other vegetables, cooked or raw, or three-quarters of a cup of vegetable juice.)
Not only that, but vegetables are full of water and fiber so they fill you up and provide that feeling of satiety. Let’s face it: when you are full, you’ll be less likely to go wild with high-calorie meats or desserts.
Now, here’s the hard part: How do you expand your limited vegetable repertory?
- Try your vegetables on the rocks. Low-sodium vegetable juice is a fabulous midafternoon snack. Try it with some ice and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
- Slurp them in a soup bowl. During the cooler months, my clients are tossing together vegetable soup more often than tossed salads.
- Grate away. Add grated carrots, zucchini, broccoli, or all three, to tomato sauce and simmer until tender.
- Blenderize to slenderize. Cooked sweet-tasting acorn, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes can be swirled in a blender along with peaches, apricots, and fruit juice for a drink. Grab a straw for a tasty fruit and vegetable shake.
- Baby yourself. Try adding a couple jars of 100-percent vegetable baby foods, such as spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, or peas, to meatloaf or meatballs. They will add moistness, flavor, and nutrients, and you won’t even know that they are there!