TOP THREE REASONS VEGGIES REIGN SUPREME
It’s no surprise that as a holistic health practitioner, I’d tout the merits of veggies, but do you know why?
Veggies have far more benefits than I have time to list (or you have the interest to read), so I’ll only hit the high spots. Here’s just three reasons to make veggies your top pick for every meal:
Veggies and Fibromyalgia1) Folate and Phytonutrients! In particular, look for the dark green leafy varieties (think spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, kale, collards, romaine, cabbage, broccoli, etc.). These veggies are anti-aging powerhouses! They prevent disease and support younger-looking skin for starters. They also provide amazing healing benefits for the eyes, lungs, liver, colon, cardiovascular system, and, of course, whole body health. The antioxidants in veggies build a strong immune system, reduce inflammation, and keep toxins and bacteria in check. Want balanced hormones, too? Veggies to the rescue….
2) Fiber! Seek out fiber-rich foods if you’d like to increase your satiety (feeling full and satisfied), even out your metabolism, heal your digestive system, and detoxify your body. To read more about fiber, check out this recent post: Why Fiber is a Friend to Fibro.
3) A Cravings-Buster! You may not be aware, but one reason for uncontrollable food cravings (especially for sweets) can be an imbalance or lack of essential vitamins and nutrients in the daily diet. Veggies are a wonderful source of vitamins A, B’s, C, E, and K. Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and selenium can be found in a rich variety of veggies. If you’d like to know more about cravings, check out this post: 13 Surprising Sources of Food Cravings.
You also get a lot of bang for your buck with veggies. They’re relatively inexpensive and because they’re so nutrient-dense, they fill you up and keep you energized for the entire day. And, be sure to consume the entire veggie (the whole food, not a nutrient supplement) so you get the additional benefit of the enzymes they contain to better digest and metabolize your meals.
I’ve been on a creative quest lately using veggies in new and different ways. Do you experiment with veggies in the kitchen? Tell us about it here!
good article. Just as a little reminder juice plus has many of the dark leafy greens you recommended, AND it also contains natural plant enzymes as well! not a subsitution for eating them, but helps bridge the gap.
Thanks Susanne!
Yes! You can bake slices of zucchini with tomato slices on chop with a little olive oil and a light sprinkling of shredded cheese! Add some spices too …tried this today…quite refreshing.
Sounds dee-lish, Gerry! Thanks for the hint!
I’ve been eating most of my vegetables in my lentil soup. I hope to find a salad dressing that I really like so I can start eating home-made salad. And I buy the Ardens Veg-aholic and Supergreen juices.
Your soup sounds yummy, Barbara! It’s also easy to make dressings at home. Put your fav blends together and experiment. Olive oil & lemon. Avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, & Dijon. You get to have fun with the taste-testing!
Love the message. I’ve gotten ahead of the kitchen. Went outside to that hard clay soil (remember Findhorn was a spiritual experiment, in rocky soil, where they harvested huge veggies) to start my own spiritual experiment. I’m loving the large green and red Swiss Chard leaves, Buttercrunch lettuce, Romaine lettuce. Coming soon 3 types of tomatoes, yellow Zucchini, and yellow Lemon Cucumbers (they’re round like baseballs!).
Kate — good for you! We had a bumper crop of lemon cucumbers last year. They were delicious! Can’t wait to hear more about it.
Use cauliflower instead of potatoes and make some mash. It super yummy!
You bet it’s yummy and thanks for the tip! Cauliflower can also be (riced) and used in lieu of rice in many recipes – and even added to salads, raw. Delicious!