How to eat more veggies

Some suggestions taken from http://www.21st-apothecary.com/november2011/nutrition-veggies-miracle-food.html

Americans are 4 times more likely to pick a processed snack, than a fruit or vegetable. In addition, Americans are 10 times as likely to select a carbonated soft drink than 100 percent juice. So how do we get more fruits and veggies into our diets? One answer is to select fruits and vegetables for a snack full of vitamins, nutrients, and good taste. Lose those empty calories! Strategies to reach the goal of 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day also include having fruits and vegetables at every meal.

Another way to make sure we get all the healthy fruits and veggies we need is to find new recipes that we might enjoy.

Some helpful tips to get the health benefits of veggies:

• Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
• Eat at least one high-fiber selection a day.
• Eat cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables several times a week.
• Enjoy the most colorful fruits and vegetables often.
• Eat at least one dark green vegetable daily.

Get the Most Out of Your Veggies
"As soon as a fruit or vegetable is harvested or sliced, a process called oxidation begins," says Holly Brewer, R.D., a dietitian at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas. "To fight the damage, the plant's cells use up their antioxidant stores, leaving less for you to eventually consume." The fix is to eat fresh produce within a day of purchase, or buy frozen instead. According to a University of Illinois study, fresh green beans retain only 36% of their vitamin C after six days, while frozen green beans keep 77%.

Steam your veggies (or eat them raw) instead of boiling them. When boiled, or microwaved in water, veggies release their nutrients into the cooking water. Steaming them will prevent much of this nutrient loss. Another alternative is to make soups, stews and other dishes in which the cooking liquid is consumed.

Always choose fresh, whole fruits and veggies over canned or frozen - EXCEPT do not "stock up" on fresh fruits and vegetables because they lose their nutrients so quickly.

When it's not possible or convenient to 'eat fresh', go with frozen instead of canned veggies.

Always choose whole fruits & veggies over processed or juiced. For example, a whole apple is much healthier than a glass of apple juice. Too many juices add sugar, and almost all juices eliminate the fiber.