Eating vegetables is one of the easiest and best things you can do for better health. All vegetables can be considered superfoods as they are naturally packed full of important vitamins and minerals, disease-fighting antioxidants, and gut-healthy fibre ¹.
Research has shown that eating enough vegetables each day can help you maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and protect you against chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer ¹.
It is recommended that Australians eat five serves of vegetables each day—yet only 7.5% of adults and 5% of children are meeting these requirements ².
Adding more veggies to your day
There are plenty of simple ways you can add vegetables to the snacks and meals you already love.
Try these tips for eating more vegetables:
- Fill half your plate with veggies—adding veggies to at least half your plate is an easy, no fuss way to ensure you’re eating enough vegetables. Go for salads, roast veggies, canned beans or steamed veggies at your next mealtime.
- Add vegetables to your breakfast—breakfast time is often a missed opportunity for adding more veggies to your day. A study by Deakin University found skipping breakfast was associated with poorer food choices throughout the day ³. Start your day on the front foot with a veggies-packed brekky. Go for avocado and tomato with eggs; a nourishing green smoothie; or homemade baked beans for veggies and protein.
- Fill your snack times with veggies—prepare veggie snacks for easy eating in between meals if you’re hungry. Try chopped vegetables and hummus, vegetable-baked goods such as muffins or scones, or roasted kale or sweet potato chips for a healthier alternative.
- Don’t forget about legumes—did you know legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and beans are also recognised as vegetables? These protein-rich foods are a great way to add more veggies to your day in new and different ways. Try legume dips such as a white bean dip or hummus; add beans to salads for extra nutrition; or swap your mince-meat for lentils when making spaghetti bolognese.
Feeling inspired? Incorporate these tips and add more veg to your day. Your body will thank you for it!
Acknowledgement to Nutrition Australia for this content.
References
[1] National Health & Medical Research Council. (2015). Vegetables and Legumes/Beans.
[2] Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). (2015). National Health Survey: First Results 2014–2015.
[3] Leech, Worsley, A., Timperio, A., & McNaughton, S. A. (2015). Understanding meal patterns: definitions, methodology and impact on nutrient intake and diet quality. Nutrition Research Reviews, 28(1), 1–21.
