Veggies Don't Cause Wedgies

Yes.. you read that title right.

So why do these colourful plants, that are so full of vitamins, minerals, are low in fat, and well known to be vital to health get side lined in the average Canadian Diet? Maybe it's a texture thing? A taste thing? A smell thing?? Aside from the fact they're not covered in fried batter and dripping with cheese, we know we should eat them, but the majority of us don't, or at least are eating way below the amounts we should. Let's explore this.

Did you know that according to Statistics Canada in 2017 - over 71.4% of Canadians were not eating enough vegetable on a daily basis? I was even shocked about that number. That means only 28.6% are getting 5 or more servings of vegetables daily. Yikes. Does it makes sense now that chronic, preventable diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers and cardiovascular disease is on the rise? No? Let's explore this more.

How does the Vegetable that you DON'T eat contribute to prevention of chronic health conditions?

Vegetables, and I'll emphasize a VARIETY of vegetables, are a vital and significant part of human nutrition. They are packed full of important vitamins, nutrients, dietary fibre and phytochemical necessary for the body's cell health, growth and biochemical processes. According to studies at the University of Harvard, "A diet rich in vegetables (and fruits - but's that's another blog), lower blood pressure, reduce risk of eye and digestive problems, prevent some cancers, have a positive effect on blood sugar (that's that dietary fibre - another blog) and keeps appetite in check and preventing obesity and promoting weight loss. I could bore you with all numbers but if you wanna check this study out further feel free to check out www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits

There's at least 9 different families of fruits and vegetables that exist, each with potentially hundreds of plant compounds that benefit health. "Eating the Rainbow" will give you all the nutrients you need, and of course... it makes your plate look pretty.

So maybe after reading this you may be inclined to up your veggie game, and if you aren't quite there yet to make that change, you've read this blog this far so you must be at least thinking about it.... am I right?

if you don't eat a lot of veggies, but want to eat more I got some easy ways to sneak a little bit more into your day. You'll be getting your 5 servings a day in no time.

1. Blend them into your smoothies!! YAASS! Spinach is my favourite, turns it green but doesn't affect the flavour. And my new favourite to blend in - Cauliflower. Say what?? You won't notice a thing, I promise!

2. Make veggie based soups! If you hate the veggie chunks, then puree them as the base and then add whatever else you want to it.

3. Try veggie noodles!!! They're easy to make with a spiralizer or a mandolin or grater. Most major grocery stores have them pre done in the produce area. Zucchini, carrot, spaghettt squash, butternut squash and sweet potato are packed with nutrients and make great noodles!

4. Add veggies to a casserole. They add bulk, taste and texture. You can further reduce refined carbohydrates by replacing your noodles with veggies. Try sliced zucchini instead of lasagne noodles. Yummy!

5. Veggies for breakfast!!! Adding veggies to your already nutritious eggs in the morning to make a veggie omelette is an easy way to get them into your day. I even enjoy a simple side of asparagus spears with my scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and toast in the morning. Delicious!!

Yup... that's mine.

So I'll leave you with this, it doesn't have to be hard. Getting veggies into regular parts of your day, adding them to your already beloved meals will increase your intake of fibre, nutrients and antioxidants. If you're looking to shed some unwanted pounds, it's the way to go - eat 'em up and you'll have wedgie's no more.

xoxo

Amanda