4 Veggies You Should Be Eating

I decided to write this article because I can't seem to stop making chocolate chip cookies!!! While being cooped up inside with all this snow, inversion, and cold winter weather, my sweet tooth has been on a rampage! Guilty as charged.... I haven't been practicing my preaching very well I admit. In fact, right now I made myself sit down and write this article INSTEAD of making cookies. The ingredients are out on the counter right now! What is wrong with me?!

I'm simply not eating enough veggies these days. That's the problem. If I did, I wouldn't be so hungry and craving the things I shouldn't be eating (every stinking night!) Truth is, if you fill up first on fresh fruits and veggies, you won't want the other stuff. Plus, you'll have the added benefit of feeling great, staying healthy, and losing weight (if that's your goal).

Listed below are my top 4 vegetables I know I should be eating more of, more often (like 4 servings a day at least). How much are you getting? I had my Operation Lose It group this week track their fruit and vegetable intake, challenging them to consume at least 3 servings of fruit and 4 servings of vegetables a day. Even though they've cleaned up their eating quite a bit in the last few months, they were all surprised how deficient they were in both areas. They also noticed that when filling up on fruits and vegetables they weren't hungry for other high carb, high sugar, high sodium snacks. 

Some of these choices below aren't necessarily my first pick as far as taste goes. But, like the rest of you, I'm trying to improve and be open to incorporating new vegetables into my diet. Plus, these fantastic 4 have incredible health benefits. I think I'm going to go shopping and load up tonight!!

1.  Red Bell Peppers

Are an excellent source of vitamin C and A, two very powerful antioxidants that work together to neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are evil!! They can damage cell membranes and other body structures. With all the crap in the air, water, and processed food these days, it's vital to make sure you consume nutrients that destroy toxins that get trapped inside your body. Red peppers have a higher nutrient value than green peppers because they contain twice the vitamin C and nine times the amount of carotenoid (another antioxidant). Also, they contain lycopene, a potent cancer preventing nutrient. Bell peppers also have B vitamins, which fight off harmful substances such as homocysteine that lead to heart attack and stroke. 

2.  Kale

This veggie is packed full of the good stuff: calcium, lutein, iron, vitamin A, C, and K. Kale, a highly nutritious vegetable, contains powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Remember carotenoid? Heard of flavonoid? Kale has a high concentration of both these cancer preventing antioxidants. On top of that, it's a great source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which aids in DNA repair in cells, beta carotene, zeaxanthin, and calcium. Sign me up for Kale!

3.  Cauliflower

I must admit I'm usually not too jazzed about eating this one. To me cauliflower has been just a colorless, tasteless, boring, lackluster vegetable. That's until I discovered all its awesomeness. Once again, I've been schooled that you can't judge a book by its' cover.... 

Cauliflower models many of the important health promoting benefits of the other previous veggies. On top of containing valuable nutrients indole-3-carbinol and vitamin K, it is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Who knew? I didn't. These fatty acids, ALA and linolenic acid, work with vitamin K to regulate our body's inflammatory response. Been sick, stressed, sore lately? Go get yourself a crunchy cauli snacky!

4.  Asparagus

 

Now this one isn't particularly hard for me to eat. I love asparagus!! And there are so many ways to eat it! Grilled, steamed, creamed...shhh! OK, take out the creamed, for now. 

Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, B vitamin folate, vitamin C and A. If you're with child or planning to be with child,  don't leave this one out because folate helps protect against neural tube defects in babies. Asparagus has also long been known for its' medicinal properties and contains inulin, which aids in the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine. This friendly bacteria is a great asset as it fights off "unfriendly" bacteria that often tries to find a home in our intestinal tract. Ew! Don't want that!