Why eat more vegetables?
A healthy diet means eating a variety of foods, and every food group is important. For National Nutrition Month and this challenge, we decided to focus on the humble earthy vegetable.
1. Vegetables are nutrient dense. This means the percentage of nutrients provided in the amount of calories is high. On average, you’re looking at about 50 calories per cup of vegetables, and getting a good dose of nutrients in that small amount! There is no other food group matches our nutrient needs as well as vegetables!
2. Vegetables are a rich source of fiber. Dietary fiber is essential for our health, not only on a daily basis, but on a meal-by-meal basis as well. Food cannot move through our digestive tract in a healthy way unless there is sufficient fiber. Be kind to your gut!
3. Vegetables provide us with water soluble vitamins. Some vitamins have the ability to be stored in the body for later use because they are in the fat soluble vitamin group (vitamin A, D, E and K). The other type of vitamins we need are in the water soluble vitamin group (the B vitamins and vitamin C), and we need to get this kind every day because they can’t be stored in the body or can only be stored for a short amount of time. When we consider the vegetable food group as a whole, they are a very good source of water soluble vitamins. Aiming for a variety of colors and types of veggies everyday means you will get the variety of vitamins that your body needs!
4. Vegetables provide us with an extra benefit called phytonutrients. These are the unique substances that give foods their brilliant colors, flavors, and aromas. Carotenoids and flavonoids are the two of the largest groups of phytonutrients, and there is no food group that provides them in amounts as plentiful as vegetables.
You still have time to join us in increasing your veggie intake during the #100VeggieChallenge! If you don’t feel like joining, we suggest you keep track of the event for inspiring veggie plates!
