7 Creative Ways To Increase Your Veggie Intake
Vegetables supply us with a significant amount of nutrients. They also provide many benefits to the body. Studies show that eating the recommended amount or more of fruits and veggies (3-5 servings a day) can decrease risk of certain cancers, reduce inflammation, increase energy and lower the risk of cardio vascular disease to name a few. Vegetables contain high concentrations of vitamin, minerals and phytonutrients. Research also shows these vital nutrients can serve ,protect and decrease the body from unwanted pathogens. These micronutrients are needed to help support homeostasis in the body. With all of these amazing benefits, why aren’t we eating more of it? What keeps us from including a beautiful array of vital nutrients into your diet? Not enough flavor? There can be a whole host of reasons why we don’t add enough vegetables into out diet. Here are some easy tricks to incorporate more nutrients into your diet:
To start, pick one or two vegetables that you haven’t tried before and do some research. Learn about the veggie you’re eating and what type of nutrients they carry or benefits for the body. As you build your repertoire of vegetables, this can help encourage other “healthful” foods you haven’t tried.
Pasta Sauces: Add veggies to your favorite pasta sauces. Although tomatoes are considered a vegetable, why not pack in some more nutrients such as, arugula, spinach, kale or broccoli to name a few. A little extra veggies won’t hurt you, in fact it will help you meet those recommended requirements.
Making Harty Soups: are a wonderful way to incorporate vegetables. You can pack in lots of veggies you may not have considered if you cooked it alone. Perhaps add to your favorite chili (vegetarian or regular) recipe.
Sandwich Wraps: Wraps allow you to get really creative with your sandwich. Like soups, you can pack in a ton of vegetables. Add your favorite proteins of choice and a delicious spread to top it off!
Zucchini Lasagna: Another creative idea is, making a zucchini lasagna. This method is light on the stomach, nutrient dense and you can add all your favorite ingredients minus the pasta. This can also be made vegetarian or vegan too!
Burgers: Mixing in chopped up vegetables into your burger whether vegan or experiment with other ranges of meats. Consider adding mushrooms, carrots, onions and zucchini. This is an alternative way to increase your veggie intake.
Pizza: Like the sandwich wraps, pizza is prepared in a variety of different methods. Take advantage of those veggies and pile them on to your favorite style of pizza!
There are many creative ways you can increase your veggie consumption. Challenge yourself and see what recipe ideas come to mind. Most of all, have fun in exploring and learning, you might surprise yourself!