UNITED STATES—I have to admit I have been skirting around eating my veggies lately and it is something that concerns me. I will admit I don’t eat many veggies in the morning for breakfast, unless I happen to be cooking breakfast on a weekend, where I have an omelet with veggies in it. For lunch, it depends on the mood; I might have an avocado with a sandwich if possible or a salad if I actually have a taste for one. That is the thing about salads; you really sometimes have to have a craving for it. You sometimes you need to force yourself to eat veggies even if you do not want to.
That is the problem with the human psyche, not many of us immediately go for or crave the veggies even though we know the importance of this food group. Now dinner, that is indeed a different story. I always have a vegetable or two on the plate. Rather its carrots, broccoli, kale, butternut squash (a favorite right now), string beans, cauliflower, I try to include a massive portion on the plate.
Why? First they are low in calories, full of important nutrients, helps with digestion and are just good for the body. The one vegetable that I have cut down on significantly is potatoes. I used to love them, but I feel like lately I am barely eating them. I may have had potatoes 4 times in the past 90 days. Yes, I’m being honest, because I’m not even eating French Fries which used to be a staple, but I just have a hit or miss approach with them. There aren’t massive cravings for them.
This is not to say that I am advocating becoming a vegan, I think it is very possible, but much harder than just consuming veggies on a 24/7 basis. Not saying I cannot do it, I just have to be willing to commit to it fully without stressing about rather I can make it happen or not. I probably wouldn’t hurt if I consumed the veggies that I purchase instead of letting them mold or get old and I have to toss them.
That is the problem with veggies; they just don’t have a long shelf-life and it makes it so frustrating to toss out food that you purchased because you couldn’t consume it in a timely fashion. My true saving grace is that I’m big on smoothies in the morning. That’s when I get that hefty dose of veggies, especially the greens, rather its kale, cucumbers, ginger, lettuce, bell pepper, carrots, beets, I find a way to get those servings of vegetables as much as I can.
I do realize I have to consume cooked veggies because there are nutrients that are needed to rejuvenate the body. I just wish I could be a bit more open in the veggies I consume. I feel like most veggies have to be aligned with some protein for me to consume without feeling like I can eat the item solo. That is the problem with most veggies; they don’t taste great on their own. I am indeed learning my body is how I treat it; so if I put the right things in, my body will appreciate me for it.
