Yummmmm veggies!
Vegetables are essential for our wellbeing. The nutrients they provide help restore and sustain our body's normal functions but also help with preventing common chronic diseases. They are low cal, versatile, and delicious in so many different ways. Vegetables are available in many different sizes, shapes, colors, and provide a variety of nutrients. We are lucky to be able to try so many from different regions of the world.
But do plants want us to eat them?
Weird question, I know, but hear me out. Many plants already have barriers that we may overlook. A tree has bark, rose and berry bushes have thorns, and others have a wax coating. These barriers provide the plant with a vast amount of protection from insulation against heat, protection to allow photosynthesis, to seal in water, and protection from herbivores. These are the layers we can see. There are further protection layers plants also contain. The next layer of protection of a plant are enzymes and toxins. This chemical functioning can cause hallucinogens, bad tastes, bad odors, nausea, vomiting, and even death. Plants can also "signal" to other plants when there is an attack and repair themselves while also warning other plants of the nearby threat. They can change their genes to alter to the threat by creating toxins that will deter or kill an invading herbivore.
Humans, animals, insects, and microorganisms all find plants delicious (or at least mandatory for proper functioning).
So, vegans are not off the hook.
What way to eat vegetables is the best?
Fresh: Fresh vegetables lose their nutrients each day after they have been picked. This includes vegetables that are in the fridge. Think of the plant that holds the vegetables like a lifeline or an "IV drip". The entire plant works hard to produce a vegetable. Once the vegetable is picked, nutrients begin to deplete immediately. Now, add in the time the vegetable has to travel to a plant where they are washed, sprayed, and packaged. Chances are, they have to continue to travel to a grocery store, which can add days to their travel time. By the time they are purchased from the grocery store, they have to again be transported and stored in a refrigerator for days or weeks again. That is a lot of travel for our little green beans. Vitamin C, folate, and carotenoids are some of the most common nutrients that are lost within just a day of picking. Spinach, green beans, peas, and broccoli are some of the most effected vegetables as almost all of their vitamin C will be gone by the time they are eaten. Warmer environments seem to increase nutrient lose further. Refrigerating veggies after purchase is the best way to keep their freshness and use ASAP!
Dried/dehydrated: Drying foods is one of the oldest ways of food preservation. The process includes extracting the moisture from vegetables after they have reached their peak ripeness to prevent spoilage. Dehydrated veggies will still contain the enzymes, calories, antioxidants, minerals, fatty acids, and most vitamins they had before they became wrinkly. Vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin may be lost or reduced. Fiber and iron will continue to provide their benefits. Learning how to preserve vegetables through drying can be helpful for snacking, in soups and salads, blended into smoothies, sprinkled unto oatmeal, or in baked goods like cornbread.
Canned: When vegetables are canned, they need to be preserved to reduce spoiling, most of the time salt is used. When choosing canned options, look for the one with the lowest amount of sodium. Draining and rinsing veggies will also help remove the salt. The veggies in cans are heated to help kill microorganisms and actually help increase nutrients from vitamins A, D, E, and K. Water-soluble vitamins will not make the cut but antioxidants can be released as well. Overall, canned vegetables are great to keep on the shelf. They have a long shelf life and can even be brought to work or school as an easy snack. Canning is also easy to do on you own.
Frozen: These veggies can actually be one of the most nutritious options. They are picked at their peak and flash frozen immediately. This helps lock in all the nutrients from the veggies. Sometimes, the blanching process can also have an effect on the nutrients. Always double check the ingredients for frozen vegetables to be sure sodium was not snuck in. I have found buying organic frozen vegetables are one of the cheapest options to eat organic and nutritious veggies.
Raw: Veggies that are munched on without any cooking have many pros. In addition to vitamin C loss during transportation, nutrients are also lost during cooking. Vitamins B and C are more maintained in raw vegetables. Some studies even suggest eating raw can help with depression and increase mood. A few of the best veggies to eat raw include garlic, onions, bell peppers (antioxidants), and broccoli.
Cooked: Most people believe raw veggies are the best, but new research suggests that cooking vegetables actually allows us to absorb nutrients easier. Some research even points to more neurons being produced once humans began cooking their foods! Calcium is one of the main nutrients that are released once veggies are cooked. Spinach, bok choy, collards, turnip greens, and beet greens are a few great veggies that have more calcium available for the body to consume after they are cooked. A few other benefits include easier digestion and easier on teeth and chewing. The best veggies to consume cooked include mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, celery, green beans, tomatoes, sprouts, red bell peppers (for carotenoids, lutein, and beta-cryptoxanthin) and carrots. A few great ways to cook vegetables are through baking, boiling or steaming. Fried vegetables may yummy, but they are not nutritious. The added seed oils take away what would have been the benefits.
Good ways to eat more vegetables:
Add a dip: Slice veggies like peppers, carrots, broccoli, romaine, beets, cucumbers or others and add them into a daily snack routine.
Hummus: Low calorie with protein and fiber, what could be better?
Peanut butter: Okay, hear me out, peanut butter and carrots is delicious.
Cheese: Feta or cream cheese are great options but are a little higher in fat.
Tzatziki: An elite dip for the well-established taste buds. You will not be disappointed.
Greek yogurt: Use a plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt will a sprinkle of dill for cucumbers or peppers.
Blend them: Still hard to eat veggies as an adult? It is common but not an excuse, get them in easily by blending them into a smoothie or juice with some of your favorites. Try a few of these recipes or try some of your own! Honey is a great way to make it a bit sweeter, seeds or nuts for added nutrients, yogurt or avocado for protein and to make it thicker, and spices like turmeric or cinnamon can bring the smoothie to a whole new dimension.
Sneak into dishes: I add garlic and onion to many of my dishes. Try to always keep them in the house and try adding them to rice, scrambled eggs, protein dishes, soups and in sauces. In general, most veggies can be shopped up small and added into these dishes. I also like to add in frozen spinach into mac and cheese.
Snacks: Keep a can of veggies in the cabinet, a bag of all the colors of veggies in the freezer, and purchase in season produce when available at a local farm or farmer's market to snack on throughout the day.
Health benefits of vegetables:
Low calories
Fights against weight gain
Prevent risk of diabetes
Reduce risk of heart disease: Heart attacks and stroke
Protection and even fight against cancers
Increase fiber intake
Increase potassium to maintain blood pressure
Vitamins A, B, B6, C, K
Calcium for bone and teeth health
Maintain healthy eyes
Improve skin conditions like acne or eczema
Hella nutrients
Reduce risk of Alzheimer's and dementia
Getting the right amount of vegetables is essential to human health. Try to eat a variety of colors of all the different vegetables. The dark greens, reds, oranges, browns, yellows, and whites each have their unique benefits they can provide and can heal like medicine. The recommended daily amount for women is 2-3 cups, men 3-4 cups, and kids need 1-3 cups. This means a variety of fresh, frozen, cooked, and raw vegetables throughout the day.
Action steps:
By now it is clear how beneficial veggies are and all the great ways to invite them into our daily lives.
When possible, grow your own vegetables. This is the best choice for the environment and can be the most nutritious. Even a pot of tomatoes on a balcony without any fertilizer is a great step.
Purchase fresh vegetables from a local farm or farmer's market. This is the next freshest option and usually easy to purchase naturally organic veggies without any added packaging.
Purchase in season produce from a local grocery store. This is a great guide on what season the vegetables are in. Eating within the season means there will be less overall transportation of the veggies. Buy the organic ones, if possible, to help reduce the number of substances on the veggies.
Buy frozen vegetables to save a little money and to increase nutrients as we saw above. Buying in season produce, washing, then freezing on your own is also a great way to preserve vegetables for a later time.
Buy canned or can yourself. Always good to keep a few cans in the cabinet!
Eat the veggies, all the veggies :)
Thank you for reading!
"Destiny is Mine"
*Reminder* I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Please refer to your medical practitioner for details pertaining to your specific health.
i just had a funny moment the other night cutting brocolli and thing “what if this brocolli is sentient !!!?!” i had felt bad for cutting it , knowing it’s a living organism. hahaha of course i continued cutting and cooking but these plants are alivvvveee 🙏🏽🌞🌞🌞