Your mom was right! Eat Your Veggies!

Your mom was right, eat your veggies!

12/6/2016

Eating plenty of veggies will crowd out foods that are less healthy.

There are practically an infinite number of dietary theories out there, with more cropping up all the time. When I say theories, I mean that no one diet works for everyone. Only you can find out what works for you individually.

You have to start somewhere, so start by eating more veggies!

Beetroot and tahini fritters with roasted pumpkin hummous and salsa verde at Green Room Cafe in Crescent Head, Australia.

Sweet veggies

Sweet veggies are a good start. They are naturally sweet, so they can satisfy your sweet tooth. At the same time, they have are low on the glycemic index, so they won’t make your blood sugar go sky high.

Many sweet veggies are root vegetables, so they’re energetically grounding, which balances out the spaciness some people feel after eating other sweet foods.

Sweet veggies such as carrots, onions, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, and winter squashes can be steamed, roasted, or stir-fried and be eaten by themselves or put into soups, pasta dishes or my favorite Frittatas.

I made frittatas a lot at home, I'll make them differently now. In Australia and New zealand they are made with more sweet potatoes and pumpkin.

Veggie Frittata from cafe in Atherton Tablelands

Leafy green veggies pack a nutritional punch!

Adding green vegetables into your diet has a bunch of benefits for your body and immune system. Leafy greens are high-alkaline foods. Alkaline minerals in our bodies neutralize the acidic conditions caused by the environment. Green veggies help replenish alkaline mineral stores and filter out pollutants.

You can’t lose by adding greens to your diet!

The other benefits of consuming dark leafy greens include:

Blood purification
Cancer prevention
Improved circulation
Strengthened immune system
Promotion of subtle, light, and flexible energy
Improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function
Cleared congestion, especially in lungs, by reducing mucus
Promotion of healthy intestinal flora

Experiment with different types of greens

There are a wide variety of greens available year around so you can explore options that you can enjoy and eat often. Be adventurous and experiment with some you’ve never tried before.

Common green veggies include bok choy, napa cabbage, kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, and dandelion. Aruula, endive, chicory, lettuce, mesclun, and wild greens are generally eaten raw. Swiss chard, spinach and beet greens are best eaten in moderation because they are high in oxalic acid, which inhibits the absorption of calcium in these foods. Rotate through a variety to achieve the most benefits.

Cooking greens

Leafy green veggies can be prepared a number of ways. They can be steamed, boiled, sautéed in oil, or even roasted with olive oil and salt.

Fall Kale Salad with persimmon and pomegranate seeds.

I also like to chop greens in smaller pieces to hide them in other foods such as pasta dishes, soups, eggs, and breakfast potatoes to get them into my kids diets more easily.

Roasted Kale chips are a favorite in our family. Simply wash and de-stem the kale, tear into medium pieces, toss in olive oil and salt, and roast in the oven at about 375 degrees F until they are crispy. Yumm!

Don’t forget green smoothies!

Adding a cup or two of raw greens to a smoothie boosts your greens consumption easily.

Crowding out!

Crowding out is the idea that instead of taking foods out of your diet or telling yourself that you can't have certain food that may be unhealthy, you add in foods that pack a nutritional punch.

No one wants to feel restricted!

Try to have at least half of your plate taken up with vegetables or base your meal around vegetables. Fibrous vegetables take up more space in your stomach, making you feel full and leave less room for foods that may be unhealthy.

What's your favorite way to add more vegetables to your diet? Any tips for sneaking veggies into your kid's diets?

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