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Christine Zellers, MPP – Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County’s Family and Community Health Sciences Department
As children we were reminded “eat your vegetables” but there is really something to that. Making half your plate fruits and vegetables at every meal is a good way to meet heart health goals. Both vegetables and fruits are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals and are low in calories. They can be eaten fresh, frozen, or canned but skip the sodium and heavy syrup for nutritional excellence. Because grocery stores stock produce from around the world seasonally Americans have access to fresh vegetables and fruit year-round. However, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 90% of Americans do not eat the recommended daily allowance for vegetables and 80% do not get needed fruit servings. This shortfall in American’s diets means there is a gap in valuable nutrients that help prevent cardiovascular related illness such as high blood pressure and obesity. If you are falling short of recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, like so many Americans, you can easily find ways to add more produce to your day.
As a nutrition educator I often hear from community members that it is cheaper to eat unhealthy food, which is simply not true. If you believe it’s cheaper to eat processed food rather than produce, then it’s time for you to add up the difference. Fresh produce may be more expensive if it is out of season, however that is easily remedied by looking at grocery stores weekly circulars for fresh produce on sale or by purchasing frozen or canned. To compare how fresh, frozen, or canned stacked up, the nutritional value is very similar provided you purchase canned products that are low or no sodium and not in heavy syrup. The price can vary depending on the seasonality of the product and the type but usually it isn’t a big difference if you prefer something fresh over canned or frozen. For example, when comparing green beans in ounce cost, frozen is $0.08 per ounce, canned is $0.06 per ounce and fresh is $0.13 per ounce. As a point of comparison, potato chips are $0.25 per ounce, reinforcing it’s not cheaper to eat healthier. Additionally, those green beans are providing vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy, and one ounce of green beans has 9 calories compared to the 152 calories in one ounce of potato chips.
Variety is key for maximizing heart healthy fruits and vegetables benefits. The various colors of produce have key nutrients that contribute to overall health. Red fruits and vegetables fight heart disease, cancers and prevent infection while orange and yellow are good for vision, immunity and lower the risk for some cancers. Green fruits and vegetables promote strong bones, reduce cancer risk and the symptoms of inflammation. Purple and blue are great for memory and aging health while lowering the risk for cancer and white, brown, and tan help to lower cholesterol and cancer risks. Incorporate a variety of colors when eating fruits and vegetables because they all offer beneficial nutrients for overall health.
Find creative ways to add vegetables and fruit to your day and soon it will be a healthy habit. Add extra vegetables to soups, or crock pot meals to increase the amount you are eating. Top pizzas with vegetables rather than meats to improve flavor. Smoothies are a good way to add extra fruits and veggies but when the produce is pureed it does remove some of the fiber that is valuable, whole vegetables and fruits are best. Add broccoli to a side dish like macaroni and cheese or incorporate spinach or carrots into a sauce to sweeten the sauce and add color. Pre-cut fruits and vegetables or wash whole fruits for a grab and go snack. Top sandwiches, burritos and wraps with vegetables or fruits or add them to eggs in the morning. When preparing vegetables only add salt after you taste the dish to reduce sodium amounts or don’t add salt at all rather top veggies with a dried or fresh herb for added flavor. When meal planning think about what vegetables would go well with the protein you are preparing. Sautee spinach is delicious with salmon and brown rice for a light quick and easy dinner.
In the winter months, roasted vegetables make a nice hearty side dish that can be cooked in quantity and used over many nights – consider colorful purple potatoes or sweet potatoes, beets, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, onions, Brussel sprouts or carrots tossed in olive oil and roasted to perfection. The great thing about adding produce to your day is you can enjoy personal favorites and reap the benefits of good heart health all year long.
Veggie Minestrone Soup from https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fchs/recipes/
Making minestrone soup is the perfect way to use a surplus of veggies you have one hand. Some of the veggiesmay be harvested your garden, or purchased at your local farmer’s market. Either way the results will bewonderful because this hearty soup is packed with nutrients, fiber and great taste.
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 can kidney beans or pinto beans1 large onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic (or more), finely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cups pureed tomatoes with juice
- 10 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 potato, peeled & chopped
- 6 (or more) cabbage leaves
- 2 cups cauliflower, cut into flowerets
- 6 (or more) escarole leaves, chopped
- 1/3 cup rice
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1/3 cup ditalini or other small pasta
Preparation Steps
- Drain and rinse chickpeas, kidney beans or pinto beans.
- Over low heat cook onion & garlic in olive oil. Add tomato puree with juice. Add chicken or vegetable stock. Add carrots, bay leaf, pepper, oregano, basil and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop potato, cabbage leaves, cauliflower, and escarole leaves. Add to pot ten simmer an additional10 minutes. Add rice and simmer 10 more minutes. Add zucchini and past then simmer 10 minutes.
- Serve with a tossed green salad, whole grain bread, and fresh fruit for dessert. Enjoy!