Vegetables
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Vegetables
 Taste good if prepared properly
 Chock-full of nutrients
 Health-promoting benefits
 No matter the form –fresh, frozen or
canned
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 “carbs” for energy
 Most of your food energy should come
from carbs
 Starches and sugars
 Sweet corn, green peas, potatoes, squash
and turnips
 Natural sugars and starches
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 Fiber
 Gives shape to vegetables
 Part of celery stalk, skin of potato, stem of
lettuce leaves
 Fiber helps your digestive system work
properly
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Vegetables
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Low in fat, no cholesterol
Little or no fat
Low in calories
Cholesterol free
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 Packed with vitamins and minerals
 Different veggies provide different
vitamins and minerals
 See page 294 for examples
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 Bok choy
 asparagus
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 okra
 parsnips
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Phytochemicals
 Natural chemicals found in plants
 May help protect from cancer, heart
disease and other health problems
 More than 900 different phytochemicals
have been identified as components of
food
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 Phytochemicals are associated with the
prevention and/or treatment of at least
four of the leading causes of death in the
United States -- cancer, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and hypertension
(7).
 They are involved in many processes
including ones that help prevent cell
damage, prevent cancer cell replication,
and decrease cholesterol levels.
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Food Guide Pyramid’s
Advice
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½ C nonleafy veggies (cooked, raw)
1 C leafy greens
1 small potato
¾ C vegetable juice
½ C cooked dry beans or peas
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 Veggie Variety
 Mixture of nutritional benefits
 Look and taste more interesting
 Choose veggies prepared and served with
little fat
 Enjoy different veggies
 Eat a vitamin-A rich veggie at least every
other day (5 baby carrots)
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See page 296 for more examples and pictures
Common excuses:
Boring—try new ones
Not handy —keep them on hand
Don’t like them -prepared right you might
Not in the habit -make it a point to have one
every day for a month
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Shopping for Vegetables
 Selecting Fresh
 Produce- included fresh vegetables,
fruits and herbs
 Choose vegetables at their peak
 Look for nutrition facts –brochure
 Buy on y the amount you need
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Buying in Season
 In season – highest in quality, most
plentiful and lowest in cost
 Certain time of year
 In summer – vine ripened tomatoes
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Convenience Options
 Partly or full prepared vegetables often
cost more than fresh
 You spend more to save more (trade off)
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 Grocery aisles
 Canned veggies
 On hand
 Cost less than fresh
or frozen
 May have dried like
onion flakes, soup
mixes
 Freezer case
 Simple bags of corn
 Creative mixes
 Microwave-safe
containers
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 Produce department
 Salad mixes
 Stir-fry veg mixes
 Washed veggie
snacks
 Ready made salsa
 Deli
 Pre-made salads
 Heat-and-eat
vegetables
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 Salad bar
 Mix all kinds of vegetables from salad bar
 Match your appetite and budget
 Choose “new” and interesting items
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Keep Vegetables at their
Peak
 Store most fresh vegetables:
 Refrigerate as soon as you unpack
groceries
 Shake off excess moisture, spoils faster
 Place veggies in plastic bags, covered
containers or crisper of fridge
 Use veggies within a few days
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 To store onions, potatoes, and winter
squash:
 Keep in cool, dark, dry place—not fridge
 Keep for several months
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Preparing Vegetables for
Healthful Eating
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1.
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Make sure they are clean
Keep in nutrients
Maintain their flavor, texture, and color
Add flavor with little or no fat
Enjoy preparing and eating them
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Cleaning Fresh Vegetables
 Wash veggies under cold running water
(don’t soak—lose nutrients)
 Use a brush on firm vegetables
(potatoes, squash)
 Trim parts you can’t eat (stems, soft or
rough spots)
 Remove outer leaves of lettuce, cabbage
and other leafy vegetables
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Raw Veggies as Finger
Foods
 Great finger foods
 Cut into slices, sticks, or chunks
 Refrigerate in airtight container so they
are ready to eat
 Taste crunchy when raw
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Cooking Vegetables
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Cooking softens vegetables
Makes them easier to chew
Changes flavor
Some vegetables must be cooked before
you eat them:
 Potatoes, winter squash, artichokes
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Cooking Method
 Bake, simmer, steam, microwave, or grilling
 Grilling is low-fat cooking method and give food
a charcoal flavor
 Stir-frying adds only a little fat
 Stir-frying and micro waving are the quickest
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Keeping in Nutrients
 Leave edible skins on vegetables
 Carrots, potatoes or zucchini
 Provides fiber
 The area just below skin supplies most
nutrients
 If you need to cup up vegetables for
cooking, leave as large as possible
 Greater surface area, few vitamins lost in
cooking
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 When simmering vegetables
 Use small amount of water
 B and C vitamins are water soluble
 Avoid overcooking
 Shorter cooking time, fewer vitamins are
destroyed
 To speed cooking time
 Cover when simmer, steam or micro wave
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Preserving Flavor,
Texture, and color
 Paint your plate
 Add color, flavor and texture to your meals
 1. keep natural fresh taste
 2. prevent veggies from getting soft and
mushy
 3. help green veggies stay bright instead of
turning brown
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Adding Flavor without Fat
and Salt
 Add herbs or lemon juice
 Go easy on salt or skip it
 Buttery flavor – toss veggies with a touch
of butter
 Flavor more intense if added right before
serving
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Summary
 Veggies are valuable for their nutrients
and other health benefits
 Eating a wide variety of veggies instead
of just a few, boosts the nutrition and
appeal of your eating plan
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 When buying veggies, try to get the most
nutrition for your money
 Veggies will keep their quality and
nutrition longer if stored properly
 Smart preparation helps veggies keep
nutrients, color, flavor and texture
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