As a dietitian, I see firsthand the impact that small changes have on people’s health. I work primarily with people with diabetes, but many of them have other conditions as well, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, hypothyroidism, PCOS, or obesity. Each condition has different diet recommendations, but one thing is constant for all of them: they all recommend large servings of non-starchy vegetables!
I’m sure I am not the first person to tell you to eat your vegetables, but when it comes to preventing or managing chronic disease, they are especially important. Vegetables are full of fiber which helps pull cholesterol out of the body, regulates your blood sugar, and keeps you feeling full for longer periods of time so you can fill up on fewer calories. They are loaded with potassium and magnesium which help to lower blood pressure. The one change you could make right now that can help improve your health is: eat more vegetables!
A good goal is to fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables at most meals. But that goal will never happen if you don’t like vegetables. So, my advice is this: experiment with new recipes and ways to prep vegetables every week until you have a long list of ones that you enjoy! You can roast them, sauté them, make a salad, air fry them…there are many ways to prepare vegetables and in each one you will discover a different texture and flavor.
To get you started, here is a favorite recipe of mine:
Garlic Green Beans:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix French green beans with olive oil, chopped garlic, and a pinch of salt or your favorite low sodium spices.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until desired texture is achieved. I recommend waiting until the green beans are soft and the garlic is caramelized.
Enjoy!
**Please note: there are certain diseases which do limit the types of vegetables you can eat. Please speak with your doctor before beginning a new diet or eating plan. A dietitian can work with you, one on one, to provide an individualized eating plan.
To learn more, visit:
What is the Mediterranean Diet? | American Heart Association
Eating Well | ADA (diabetes.org)
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (eatright.org)
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.