By now I am sure all you gardeners out there have planted your seeds and transplants and are patiently waiting (and working towards) a bountiful harvest. Fresh picked vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. At least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables should be included in your diet. A serving of cooked vegetables is considered half a cup. For leafy raw vegetables, such as spinach and lettuce, a serving is one cup.
The five top vegetables are spinach, sweet potatoes (high in potassium), collard greens (member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, known for their cancer prevention power), carrots and sweet red pepper. Spinach, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, red and orange sweet peppers, sweet potatoes and collard greens are excellent sources of beta-carotene. They are all good sources of Vitamin C (especially sweet red peppers), fiber and other trace nutrients. Onions and garlic contain allicin. Allicin reduces blood cholesterol and blood pressure. Onions are also a source of Vitamin C, folate and fiber.
There are many ways to include more vegetables into your diet. Here are some examples.
1. Prepare large salads as a meal. Add chicken, turkey, beef, tuna, cheeses and a variety of different vegetables. Eat it with a whole wheat roll and you have a complete meal.
2. Add non-fat flavourings to your vegetables, such as nutmeg and lemon juice on spinach or broccoli, dill weed and Dijon mustard on green beans or carrots or basil on tomatoes. These are just a few examples.
3. Have at least one vegetable at lunch time. Baby carrots, cucumbers, celery sticks, etc. with a fat-free dressing as a dip.
4. Try roasting or grilling vegetables. Coat chunks of sweet potatoes, white potatoes, summer squash, zucchini, onions, eggplant, red and green peppers with a light coating of olive oil or marinate them in a low-fat dressing or herbed vinegar and grill or bake them.
5. Try different toppings for baked potatoes such as salsa, low-fat cheeses, non-fat sour cream and chives, fat-free salad dressings, low-fat chili or low-fat cottage cheese.
6. Eat more vegetable based main dishes.
7. Microwave or lightly stir-fry vegetables. These cooking methods retain more vitamins.
8. Always have raw, washed vegetables in the fridge that are ready-to-east and easy to grab.
9. Drink tomato or vegetable juice.
Not only are vegetables good for you, but if you grow your own, gardening is great exercise. Think of it as a fun and enjoyable way to get fit rather than a chore. Not only are you breathing in the fresh air, it also is a stress reducer which in turn reduces your chances of getting heart disease and high blood pressure. Weeding, digging, hoeing, trimming and raking can burn up to 300 calories in an hour. Spading, lifting, tilling and raking can also improve muscle tone and strength. Gardening at a constant pace will also add aerobic benefit. Using manual clippers rather than power equipment will give you an added exercise boost. Of course, like any other exercise, you should warm up and stretch your muscles for 10 to 15 minutes before you begin gardening.
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