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Health Dept |
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| Adding veggies, fruits to recipes boosts nutrition |
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| By Darlene Flaherty, Carroll County Health Department |
Friday, October 09, 2009 |
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There is no better time than summer to start eating more fruits and vegetables.
Favorites such as melons, berries, tomatoes, squash and corn become widely available and less expensive, and they taste great. For peak flavors and good value, farmers markets are an excellent place to pick up your favorites or to try something new.
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, sodium and fat, and high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants. Substituting fruits and vegetables for foods higher in fat and sugar helps you to feel full because they have a high water and fiber content.
Although they are not calorie-free, they do have fewer calories than some other foods. For example, two cups of sliced peppers, seven cups of sliced cucumbers or four cups of cherry tomatoes each have the same amount of calories as 3/4 cup of tortilla chips. Vegetables tend to be lower in calories than fruit, so including more vegetables can be helpful in a weight-management plan.
You can create lower-calorie versions of some of your favorite dishes by using fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients. Here are some practical ideas to do this:
Use spinach, onions, mushrooms or peppers for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your omelet.
Cut back on the amount of cereal you use by adding sliced bananas, strawberries or blueberries.
When making chicken or tuna salad, add an equal amount of chopped fruit or vegetables, such as celery, grated carrots, chopped cucumber, apple, grapes or pineapple.
Use lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers on your sandwich or wrap.
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Add chopped vegetables, such as mushrooms, celery, onions, peppers, eggplant or zucchini, to your spaghetti sauce or casseroles instead of extra meat or pasta.
Bring sliced melon or vegetables for snacks to work instead of relying on vending machines.
Don’t forget to use low-fat cooking methods. Try steaming or microwaving vegetables. Use herbs and spices to add flavor. Breading and frying, or using high-fat dressings or sauces, will greatly increase the calories. Be careful to choose canned or frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugar, syrup, cream sauces or other ingredients that add calories.
Take advantage of what the season has to offer, and enjoy the great taste of fruits and vegetables.
For a complete list of farm stands in Carroll County, visit www.carrollag.org and click on “Farmers Markets” to find the 2009 directory of 24 listed stands.
For more information on fruits and vegetables, see www.mypyramid.gov or www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.
Darlene Flaherty is a nutritionist at the Carroll County Health Department. If there is a public health topic you would like to see addressed in future articles, write to the Health Department at P. O. Box 845, Westminster, MD 21158-0845.
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