How to Keep Your Veggies Vitamin-Packed
Bill sends along this helpful link from webmd that explains the best way to cook and eat veggies. I personally use the frozen veggie option b/c it is easy, I am lazy and I eat 4-5 servings daily so this method works best for me. Some tips indcluded...
Go for frozen. Frozen vegetables are often just as healthy as fresh veggies, especially if the fresh ones have been collecting dust for a few days in your fridge. Filardo says frozen vegetables are still nutritious, because they often come right out of the field, and are blanched and frozen immediately.
Dress it up. Use a little fat or salad dressing on your vegetables. Filardo says a little fat will improve the uptake of lycopene. "But that doesn't give people the license to put huge amounts of salad dressings on their foods."
Try precooking. Blanch veggies before you pop them in the fridge, and you will save time. "It will also help kill some of the enzymes that can cause deterioration," says Filardo. Just don't overdue the reheating.
Slow down. Take more time to chew and enjoy your vegetables. Filardo says the more you chew, the more you will break down vegetables, and that will result in better absorption of nutrients from the gut. "Sometimes people stuff things into their mouths without paying attention, and you can eat a lot that way," she says. "If you slow down, and savor the taste of foods, you are likely to eat less." You are also allowing more time for the message to get from your stomach to your brain that you're full.
Spice things up. "People tend to eat the same fruits and vegetables over and over again. Every fruit and vegetable has a unique footprint -- a unique assortment of nutrients and phytochemicals," says Filardo. Variety will increase your enjoyment of fruits and vegetables, while also giving you more nutrients. She suggests that you use color as a guide when planning your meals. Instead of worrying about getting specific vitamins, for example, worry about getting your oranges, greens, and reds. It will also make for a more appetizing plate.
Bill sends along this helpful link from webmd that explains the best way to cook and eat veggies. I personally use the frozen veggie option b/c it is easy, I am lazy and I eat 4-5 servings daily so this method works best for me. Some tips indcluded...
Go for frozen. Frozen vegetables are often just as healthy as fresh veggies, especially if the fresh ones have been collecting dust for a few days in your fridge. Filardo says frozen vegetables are still nutritious, because they often come right out of the field, and are blanched and frozen immediately.
Dress it up. Use a little fat or salad dressing on your vegetables. Filardo says a little fat will improve the uptake of lycopene. "But that doesn't give people the license to put huge amounts of salad dressings on their foods."
Try precooking. Blanch veggies before you pop them in the fridge, and you will save time. "It will also help kill some of the enzymes that can cause deterioration," says Filardo. Just don't overdue the reheating.
Slow down. Take more time to chew and enjoy your vegetables. Filardo says the more you chew, the more you will break down vegetables, and that will result in better absorption of nutrients from the gut. "Sometimes people stuff things into their mouths without paying attention, and you can eat a lot that way," she says. "If you slow down, and savor the taste of foods, you are likely to eat less." You are also allowing more time for the message to get from your stomach to your brain that you're full.
Spice things up. "People tend to eat the same fruits and vegetables over and over again. Every fruit and vegetable has a unique footprint -- a unique assortment of nutrients and phytochemicals," says Filardo. Variety will increase your enjoyment of fruits and vegetables, while also giving you more nutrients. She suggests that you use color as a guide when planning your meals. Instead of worrying about getting specific vitamins, for example, worry about getting your oranges, greens, and reds. It will also make for a more appetizing plate.
posted by Champion at 2:12 PM
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