I love the television show the Biggest Loser. Sure, I love watching the transformations and the feel-good stories, but one of the things I appreciate the most is the trainers’ tough-love and no B.S. attitudes. Realizing that the psyche plays a huge role in obesity, the trainers are constantly challenging the contestants to think about their feelings and emotions and how they might be affecting their eating habits and overall health. For example, the episode two weeks ago was all about facing fears. There was the typical “I’m afraid of being alone” and “I’m afraid of heights”, but I was absolutely floored when they revealed one of the contestants fears! You ready for this? Vegetables! No, seriously. Bingo, one of the three child contestants featured this year, was afraid of vegetables! I mean, what did a vegetable ever do to him?
But sadly, Bingo is not alone. Now, personally, I’ve never heard someone say they are afraid of vegetables, but I have heard a lot of people say they hate them. According to a study published in 2004, a shocking one-third of all vegetables consumed in the United States were in the form of french fries, potato chips or iceberg lettuce! Where are the carrots, the spinach, the broccoli and the zucchini? How can you hate or fear something that is so good for you? Yes, there it is, the old “vegetables are good for you” line. We’ve heard it a million times and we all know it is true, but does anyone ever really ask why they are good for you? What is it that they do?
Vegetables are amazing because of their nutritional powers! Just a small portion, with little calories and fat, packs a big punch of fiber, vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals. The fiber helps keep us feeling full longer, helps our digestive system run smoothly and can help lower our blood cholesterol levels. Vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, such as A, C and K and are high in potassium and calcium, all of which are essential to our body’s functions. These phytochemicals are compounds found in plant-derived foods that have biological activity in the body. In food, they impart tastes, aromas and colors. Once consumed, in the body they act as antioxidants, mimic hormones and suppress the development of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Pretty cool, right?
So if you, or someone you know, is one of those who hate or are frightened by vegetables, I come bearing a solution. Here are my three easy tips to help you incorporate these nutritional powerhouses into your diet every day.
1. Hide them. Now, I’m not necessarily for lying to people about what they are eating but you do what you got to do! You can blend vegetables in the form of a smoothie or puree them in with a marinara sauce.
2. Dip them. This works especially well for kids, because kids love to eat with their hands and dip foods. Dip raw veggies such as carrots, radishes, or bell peppers into hummus, guacamole, or greek yogurt for a fun and nutritious snack!
3. Transform them. This requires a little bit of creative thinking but can be a really fun way to get your vegetables in. Some of my favorite veggie transformations include spaghetti squash "pasta", mashed cauliflower and kale chips.
Realistically, I don’t expect these tips to turn everyone into vegetable lovers. Let’s face it, there will always be those who say that they eat plenty of french fries and “potatoes are vegetables, right?” (Ugh.) But if I can cure at least one person of their veggie-phobia and get them to trade in a sweet potato for a french frie, then I’ve done my job!
Healthfully Yours,
Meghan
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