There are many proactive steps we can take to help prevent health
problems. Most of them are really just common sense, but it doesn’t
hurt to remind us of their importance.
What can we do to help prevent diabetes, heart disease,
obesity, cancer, and macular degeneration? In a nutshell, eat
right, exercise more, have a physical once a year, and have
routine screenings as often as recommended (mammograms, for
instance).
This month we’re focusing on one of the easiest ways to “eat
right”, veggies! There are a lot of us whose vegetable
repertoire consists only of corn, peas, and green beans. There are
so many more, nutrient-laden vegetables that offer a good measure
of protection against disease.
Here are some general guidelines:
- eat a variety of vegetables
- the darker the color of the vegetable, the more vitamins and
minerals
- a “serving” of raw vegetables is 1 cup; cooked it’s
1/2 cup
- eat at least 4 to 5 servings each day
- don’t overcook vegetables (see FYI)
- look for some sneaky ways to get your finicky eaters to eat
right (see Ingredient Substitutions)
Just to give you an idea of how beneficial these foods are,
here is a partial list of some vegetables and their benefits:
- Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts: help prevent cancer
- Spinach: helps prevent age-related macular degeneration
- Tomatoes: contain lycopene which helps prevent prostate
cancer; good for your skin
- Kale, Spinach, greens: contain folic acid which helps
prevent birth defects; help prevent heart disease
- Carrots: help prevent night blindness
We have two combination vegetable dishes for you to try. They
are colorful, delicious, and good for you.
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Cooking Fresh
Vegetables
& Helpful
Hints
Bake: on a baking
sheet @ 350º until tender
- cut all vegetables to a uniform
size; add tender vegetables last
Saute: heat
canola or olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat;
add vegetables and stir fry until tender
- instead of adding oil to the
skillet, use a non-stick sprayed lightly with vegetable
oil spray
Steam: put
vegetables in basket over boiling water; cover; reduce
heat to low and cook until tender
- be sure the vegetables don’t
touch the water
Microwave: use a
microwave-safe dish with lid; add vegetables and a small
amount of water; cover; microwave according to microwave
recommendations
- after microwaving, let
vegetables stand, covered, 1-2 minutes for tender crisp
or 3-5 minutes, covered, for tender
Boil: add
vegetables to 1-inch boiling water; cover; simmer until
tender
- cook just until tender to save
those vitamins and minerals |
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