How to Incorporate More Veggies into Your Diet

Summary: Incorporating more veggies into your diet can help reduce your risk of obesity and other health issues while improving overall nutrition.

Veggies are an essential part of any healthy diet, providing essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that can help you maintain a healthy weight. They are also packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals that can reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to incorporate more veggies into their diets. In this article, we’ll discuss some simple ways to make more veggies a part of your daily routine.

Choose Colorful Veggies

One of the best ways to get more veggies into your diet is to choose colorful varieties. Different colored veggies provide different vitamins and minerals, so by eating a variety of colors you can make sure you’re getting an array of nutrients. Try to make at least half of your plate colorful veggies each day. Some of the most common colorful veggies include: • Red: Tomatoes, red peppers and beets • Orange: Carrots, sweet potatoes and squash • Yellow: Corn and yellow peppers • Green: Spinach, kale, broccoli and Brussels sprouts • Purple: Eggplant, purple cabbage and purple carrots • White: Onions, cauliflower and mushrooms

Make Veggies Your Go-To Snack

Snacking is a common habit, but many of the snacks we reach for are unhealthy, such as chips, candy and processed foods. To help curb unhealthy snacking habits, try making veggies your go-to snack. You can enjoy raw veggies with hummus or guacamole, or roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts or cauliflower. There are also many canned and frozen veggies that make for an easy, healthy snack.

Keep Veggies On Hand

You’re much more likely to eat healthier when you have healthy food available. Try to stock your kitchen with a variety of veggies so you always have something healthy on hand. Wash and cut up your veggies when you get home from the store so they’re ready to eat when you’re feeling hungry. You can also keep a few frozen and canned veggies on hand for quick, easy meals.

Find Ways to Enjoy Veggies

Some people simply don’t like the taste of veggies, so it can be difficult to get enough of them in their diets. If you’re not a fan of the taste of veggies, try different cooking methods. For instance, roasting vegetables brings out their natural sweetness, while sautéing vegetables in a little olive oil can make them more flavorful. You can also find ways to incorporate vegetables into dishes that you already like, such as adding grated carrots or zucchini to your favorite pasta sauce.

Eat Veggies for Breakfast

Breakfast is an important meal, and it’s important to get some veggies into your morning routine. You can add veggies to your breakfast in a number of ways. Try adding spinach or kale to your morning smoothie, or a handful of tomatoes or peppers to your omelet. You can also make veggie-filled breakfast bowls with cooked quinoa and roasted vegetables.

Make Veggies the Star

Most people think of vegetables as a side dish, but there are plenty of ways to make them the star of your meal. Try making a vegetable stir-fry with a variety of colorful veggies and tofu or tempeh. You can also try making veggie-based soups and stews, or roasting a tray of veggies to serve as a main dish.

Incorporating more veggies into your diet can help reduce your risk of obesity and other health issues while improving overall nutrition. By following the tips above, you can make sure you’re getting enough veggies each day.