Blog Post #5: Vegetables

Let’s discuss our next food group: vegetables! In this blog post, we will discuss: 

- what is a vegetable? 

- what are the subgroups? 

- how many vegetables do I need? 

- why do I need to eat vegetables? 

- how can I add vegetables to my diet? 

What is a vegetable?

A vegetable is classified as a whole vegetable or 100% vegetable juice. Like the fruit food group, you can eat vegetables fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. Vegetables can be served whole, chopped, cooked, or pureed. Vegetables are technically organized further into five subgroups: dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, lentils; starchy; and other. 

What are the subgroups?

• “Dark green” can include broccoli, leaves from other foods, collards, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, arugula, and mixed greens.

• “Red and orange” include carrots, pumpkin, bell peppers, sweet potato, tomatoes, winter squashes, and vegetable juice. 

• “Beans, peas, and lentils” are kind of self-explanatory and also include the dried kinds

• “Starchy” vegetables include cassava, corn, green peas, hominy, plantains, white potatoes

• “Other” include asparagus, bamboo, bean sprouts, cabbage, cactus, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, mushrooms, okra, summer squash, zucchini, and onions. 

How many vegetables do I need?

Like every other post on this website, your amount of vegetable intake depends on you as the individual. You have to take your height, weight, age, sex, and physical activity into account. If you are a woman and you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you must also consider that. Usually for the average adult, a serving is one cup of raw or cooked vegetables, one cup of vegetable juice, or two cups of raw leafy salad greens. Usually for women, two to three servings of vegetables a day is good. For men, three servings of vegetables a day is good. 

Why do I need to eat vegetables?

Like fruits, vegetables are usually low in calories and fat. However, you need to pay close attention to sauces and seasonings; they may be added with fat or calories so read the nutrition label to make sure! Vegetables also have many nutrients, such as potassium, fiber, folate, and numerous vitamins. As we talked about in the fruit blog post, potassium can help regulate blood pressure. Fiber can help keep your bowel movements regular, help lower cholesterol levels, and help reduce your risk of diseases. Vitamin A is rich in vegetables, which can help keep your eyes and skin healthy, as well as defend you against getting sick.

How can I add vegetables into my daily diet?

You can eat a salad, add a vegetable to your dinner meal, or swap out an ingredient for a vegetable in a recipe. You can even mix 100% vegetable juice into recipes and smoothies, or just drink it plain! You can also keep a dried vegetable on hand when you feel like snacking. My husband LOVES dried beans and lentils, so we have many bags in the pantry for him to snack on when he is hungry. We usually get Seaport Farms Mighty Lil’ Lentils, and there are plenty of flavors to choose from. You can buy them at Publix or Amazon! I also cook a whole one-pound bag of lentils to use as a base for vegetable bowls (so I put the lentils in the bowl first, then I top them with protein, other vegetables, and flavorings). You can use lentils instead of rice if you want to make a quick dinner bowl, or if you are a Diabetic watching your carbohydrate intake. I also make a lentil bean soup that is very hearty and warm, especially during the winter season. 

Practical Ways towards a “Peachy” Living:

1) Try to consume one vegetable at dinner and at lunch every day.

2) Try to use a vegetable in a recipe, or swap an ingredient for a vegetable

3) See how you can get creative and keep vegetables on hand when you feel like snacking