Health experts recommend that the average American should:
• Choose a variety
of vegetables each day to get a good mix of vitamins and minerals.
• Eat between 2 and
2 1/2 cups of vegetables each day.
• Strive to eat the
following amounts vegetables from each of the five groups of vegetables
each week:
-
dark green - 3
cups
broccoli, dark
green leaf lettuce, kale, spinach, turnip greens
orange – 2
cups
carrots, acorn
squash, butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato
legumes –
3 cups
dried beans and peas
starchy
vegetables - 3 to 6 cups
corn, green peas,
lima beans, potatoes
other
vegetables – 6 to 7 cups
asparagus,
beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant,
green beans, peppers, lettuce, onions, tomatoes
A diet rich in a
variety of vegetables (and fruits) provides many health benefits .
• Supplies your body
with numerous vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
• Reduces your risk of
stroke and other cardiovascular diseases
• Reduces your risk
for type 2 diabetes
• Reduces blood
cholesterol levels.
• Aids in weight-loss
since vegetables (especially high fiber ones) are naturally low in calories
and provide a feeling of fullness.
Be creative in
increasing the amount of vegetables in your diet.
• Enjoy a green salad
everyday.
• Plan your dinner
menu around a vegetable main dish like stir-fry or soup.
• Add vegetables to
casseroles, meatloaves, pizza, soups, kabobs, quick breads or muffins
• Keep a bowl of
cut-up fresh vegetables in the refrigerator ready for snacking with a low-fat
dip.
• Try new
vegetables and new recipes regularly. For new recipes,
click
here.
• Keep a variety of
canned and frozen vegetables on hand to give you last-minute menu options.
For Pennsylvania companies producing and selling vegetable products,
click here
Remember these tips
for choosing and preparing vegetables.
• Fresh
vegetables in season can be a real bargain. For sources of Pennsylvania
vegetables,
click
here.
• Thoroughly wash
fresh vegetables before eating or cooking them by rubbing them briskly with
your hands under running water.
• Always keep
vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry or seafood.
• Microwaving
vegetables saves time and preserves nutrients –2 to 4 minutes per serving is
usually enough.
• Follow the three R
rules to preserve both nutrients and flavor when cooking vegetables on the
stove:
Reduce the
amount of water.
Reduce the
cooking time (many vegetables are delicious just lightly steamed).
Reduce the
surface area exposed by cooking vegetables whole or in large pieces.
