Aversion to Veg

taffyapple87

I've been back on MFP for a week. I came back because I'm currently doing a weight loss nutrition course through my gym.

I've already lost a stone which I am delighted with but my food diary wasn't as accurate as this can be.

But anyway, here's my issue, I cannot stand veg and I am really wanting to get over this because it's the biggie.

I've been trying to boil, grill, steam and eat raw a variety of veg and yet I cannot find something that works for me.

I refuse to assume that I'm never going to like veg but it's getting me very down given the other positive steps I've taken including getting my portions under control.

How would you suggest I resolve this issue?

daaaaaanielle

My suggestion would be seasoning! Lots and lots of seasoning. I'm not a big fan of veg but I've found seasoning makes it easier.

Depending on what seasonings you enjoy, particularly sauces, you may want to track these in MFP because calories in seasonings can add up. It's finicky and annoying to do but if you don't want to lose momentum with your weight loss, the best way is to be as accurate as you can. Some people opt to leave a bit of headroom for their calorie goal to account for little things like seasoning, taste testing while cooking, etc of 50 or 100 calories so if you can't be bothered measuring them, try aim for your overall calories to come in under and you should be fine.

SkinnyMiss053

I can't stand it either. No matter how it's prepared it makes me gag. The only veg I can eat is onions and potatoes and corn.

But I still eat a huge bowl of veg every day. Maybe even two because of the low calories and the volume.

My method might be a bit childish, but it gets the veg in my body. I save all the best tasting things for last, and then...

Are you ready?...

I pinch my nose shut and shovel in the veg like there's no tomorrow. It works just like a cold when your nose is blocked, you don't taste anything! Just make sure to keep it shut until after swallowing otherwise the taste will come back.

kramrn77

That makes me laugh! Hard!

I find that if you just keep eating something, you learn to enjoy it. Either that or your tastebuds just roll over and give up. I used to hate cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, but now find them quite nice when I roast them (not big on boiling as I don't like the texture and it releases the sulfur.) I tend to roast most of my veggies with olive oil and salt now. Maybe some paprika as well.

SkinnyMiss053

kramrn77 wrote: »

That makes me laugh! Hard!

Yeah my mom often thinks there's something wrong with me for doing that. But hey, at least I put my big girl pants on and just eat it any way I can. because it's good for me.

kramrn77

Damn skippy! Now that's how to woman up!

acpgee

It does add fat, but have you tried stir frying or roasting?

Machka9

taffyapple87 wrote: »

I've been trying to boil, grill, steam and eat raw a variety of veg and yet I cannot find something that works for me.

What have you tried, and what don't you like about each one?


Personally, veggies are one of my most favourite things about a meal. However, I don't like peppers. I can tolerate red and yellow peppers, but not the green peppers. For me, it is the flavour and the fact that I end up burping and regurgitating them for hours after. I get to experience that flavour for a long, long time.

But I don't have that reaction to other veg.

KingoftheLilies

You don't have to eat veg plain, I've learnt to like it but I still don't often eat veg plain. I usually mix my veggies into whatever I'm cooking somehow, so there's sauce on it.

hollyrayburn

you're not 4 anymore. Do you really think that you should be told to "just try one more bite?" As you will be told on here basically?

bunsen_honeydew

Roast with a bit of oil, salt and herbs. Or fry with a bit of oil and garlic. I think I could probably eat anything fried in oil and garlic, even bok choy.

Or fry it with some oil and chopped up bacon. Mmmmm bacon.

TheVirgoddess

I don't like most vegetables, either. It's a texture thing for me - most cooked veggies make me gag, no matter how hard I try, or how many times I try.

So I eat the ones I do like raw and take a multi-vit to help round things out. It's working for me.

bbontheb

What do you like-sweet or salty tastes? I eat soem veggies with balsamic vinegar, or rice vinegar and salt...a bit of tang and crunch (like cucumbers or tomatoes). I love veggies though-the more green stuff, the better. But, I do put vinegar on them haha

bbontheb

Oh, you could put brown sugar or honey on carrots too Try using a tiny bit of sesame oil, and ginger to stir fry up some mixed veggies.

squishycatmew

Garlic and other herbs/spices. Use a little oil and roast or sauté. Add them to whatever else you're eating - incorporate them into a sauce or a soup. If it's a texture thing you could puree said sauce or soup. Don't overcook your veggies - never boil, only parboil, steam, or braise. Soft but not mushy, and some things are honestly better with a little bit of snap to them. Try to find recipes that have flavors you like in them. Try eating, say, raw carrot and cucumber with hummus, instead of pita, or something like that. You don't have to like every vegetable. (Btw corn and potatoes aren't really veggies, they're starch sources. Corn is literally a grain.)

JenD1066

1. Dip in tempura batter.
2. Deep fry.
3. Apply ranch dressing.

musicandarts

Like most aversions, dislike of veggies is a habit acquired during childhood. This too can be overcome by will power and some ingenuity. By the way, breaded deep-fried vegetables are not exactly vegetables. A smaller quantity of raw, or lightly steamed veggies are far better than a lot of deep-fried veggies. Most nutrients in vegetables do not survive the extreme heat involved in frying.

My suggestions is to try out fresh salads with different types of salad dressings. I like my pear/spring mix/gorgonzola salad with light raspberry vinaigrette. Or, a spring mix/corn/cilantro/veggie meat crumbles/grape tomatoes/mexican cheese with lite salsa ranch dressing. For dressings, I use either Litehouse or Marzetti brands.

IrishHarpy1

hollyrayburn wrote: »

you're not 4 anymore. Do you really think that you should be told to "just try one more bite?" As you will be told on here basically?

How old you are has ZERO to do with what you can tolerate eating. Ever heard of hypertaste? Aversions to certain food textures?

It's entirely possible to get the same vitamins, nutrients, and fiber from supplements if you can't tolerate veggies. Or, you can go the route I have and find recipes (there are tons of them out there) that essentially "hide" vegetables where not even *I* can detect them.

Good luck!

Justygirl77

I'm with you on your efforts, the more veggies the better!
I eat way more veggies than any vegan or vegetarian i know, and I eat them ALL DAY:
Stir fry for breakfast ...just chop up non-starchy vegetables and GREENS! Use a T of ghee or refined coconut oil, and put the finely chopped veggies in a hot skillet. Stir it around, add some salt, then put the cover on it for a few minutes to allow the steam to soften the greens a bit. Then remove the cover and stir-fry until the greens get crispy-chewy and the onions get carmelized. You'll love the smell and taste. Add seafood to that meal.

For lunch, put greens into a protein smoothie: parsley or kale are my current favs. In a high powered blender, put ice and water, parsley, vanilla protein powder (I prefer pea protein), a teaspoon of maca powder, 2T cacao powder, stevia powder to sweeten, and toss in a few roasted hazelnuts. Blend it up and drink it as a snack, or eat a chopped salad with it.

For dinner, make a small batch of vegetable soup and eat along with a side of lentils or black beans and meat of your choice.


By the way, did you know you get new tastebuds every 2 weeks? Yep, If you swap out your old eating patterns today, within 2 weeks you'll have a WHOLE NEW SET OF TASTEBUDS that have been acclimated to fully taste all the foods you are eating. Your food will taste better as that time passes.

If you ate like that, I wonder how you would look and feel in 2 weeks....?????

hollyrayburn

IrishHarpy1 wrote: »

hollyrayburn wrote: »

you're not 4 anymore. Do you really think that you should be told to "just try one more bite?" As you will be told on here basically?

How old you are has ZERO to do with what you can tolerate eating. Ever heard of hypertaste? Aversions to certain food textures?

It's entirely possible to get the same vitamins, nutrients, and fiber from supplements if you can't tolerate veggies. Or, you can go the route I have and find recipes (there are tons of them out there) that essentially "hide" vegetables where not even *I* can detect them.

Good luck!

Greek yogurt was a texture thing for me, too. Along with protein shakes. *shrug* But, I did it, adapted, and like now.

Kudos to OP though for making a valid effort to find a way to acquire proper nutrition!

RodaRose

Do you have three vegetables that you like? Eat those.

taffyapple87

So to answer a couple of questions, I've tried:

- boiling mixed veg (and mixing it all up with whatever grain I'm having - brown rice, cous cous etc to ensure I cannot avoid eating)
- microwave steam veg (the ones you can get in frozen packs and doing the same as above)
- stir fry with a fresh veg pack

As to grilling, I was at a bbq and the host was serving bowls of mixed veg including asparagus stalks, zucchini, bell pepper and a few other things. Not sure how she had prepared them. I tried it to be polite and avoid another burger.

The most success I had was with the stir fry. Though there were still some texture issues, the sauce I used disguised the taste. The downside was it was high in calories and wouldn't be an option for every day.

The worst reaction I had was to the raw veg. I made a salad including carrots, cherry tomatoes, beetroot, spinach and edamame beans for my lunchbox.

I did manage to get it down albeit very slowly both the taste and texture proving challenging but then spent my entire afternoon fighting off nausea. Hardly an incentive to try that again.

The last week, I have also been trying to get my veggies in soup or smoothie form. I have had some success with this but my sugar intake has increased resulting in me going over most days.

Someone did ask what kind of foods I liked. Well, I have a sweet tooth but until recently I was a junk food addict. I also avoid spicy food as it does not agree with me.

At present, I am exploring and introducing new foods to wean myself off processed junk. I've learnt I can like brown rice and pasta and I love grilled fish (salmon is to die for.) Oh and blueberries ... never in a million years but yeah I like them!

It's been a brilliant experience so far. I'm just wishing I could get past my veg issues.

RodaRose

taffyapple87 wrote: »

So to answer a couple of questions, I've tried:

- boiling mixed veg (and mixing it all up with whatever grain I'm having - brown rice, cous cous etc to ensure I cannot avoid eating)
- microwave steam veg (the ones you can get in frozen packs and doing the same as above)
- stir fry with a fresh veg pack

As to grilling, I was at a bbq and the host was serving bowls of mixed veg including asparagus stalks, zucchini, bell pepper and a few other things. Not sure how she had prepared them. I tried it to be polite and avoid another burger.

The most success I had was with the stir fry. Though there were still some texture issues, the sauce I used disguised the taste. The downside was it was high in calories and wouldn't be an option for every day.

The worst reaction I had was to the raw veg. I made a salad including carrots, cherry tomatoes, beetroot, spinach and edamame beans for my lunchbox.

I did manage to get it down albeit very slowly both the taste and texture proving challenging but then spent my entire afternoon fighting off nausea. Hardly an incentive to try that again.

The last week, I have also been trying to get my veggies in soup or smoothie form. I have had some success with this but my sugar intake has increased resulting in me going over most days.

Someone did ask what kind of foods I liked. Well, I have a sweet tooth but until recently I was a junk food addict. I also avoid spicy food as it does not agree with me.

At present, I am exploring and introducing new foods to wean myself off processed junk. I've learnt I can like brown rice and pasta and I love grilled fish (salmon is to die for.) Oh and blueberries ... never in a million years but yeah I like them!

It's been a brilliant experience so far. I'm just wishing I could get past my veg issues.

Grilled fish (esp Salmon), rice, and blueberries ! !
You have a good start.

Once or twice a month try the soup / smoothie route or stir fry route. It will be o.k. to go a little over your calories once in a while as you make this transition.

DMLC2014

Try to hide the veggies in foods. Tomato sauces,soups, stews and meat loaves are a really good one.

merzback

musicandarts wrote: »

Like most aversions, dislike of veggies is a habit acquired during childhood. This too can be overcome by will power and some ingenuity. By the way, breaded deep-fried vegetables are not exactly vegetables. A smaller quantity of raw, or lightly steamed veggies are far better than a lot of deep-fried veggies. Most nutrients in vegetables do not survive the extreme heat involved in frying.

My suggestions is to try out fresh salads with different types of salad dressings. I like my pear/spring mix/gorgonzola salad with light raspberry vinaigrette. Or, a spring mix/corn/cilantro/veggie meat crumbles/grape tomatoes/mexican cheese with lite salsa ranch dressing. For dressings, I use either Litehouse or Marzetti brands.

I guess you've never heard of food texture issues. I have that problem too. I have tried and tried everything. I can eat veggies cooked, but not raw. I literally gag, or anything that has seeds, skin.

Machka9

First of all, I have texture issues with food too ... cannot stand mushrooms and have trouble with meat. So I do understand texture issues, but to me, different veggies have different textures.

Secondly, way back when a friend challenged me to broaden my experience with cheese. All I ever ate was cheddar, so his challenge was that each time I went to the grocery store (once a week), I should get a different kind of cheese and try it that week. Of course, the first one I got was blue cheese which nearly turned me off the challenge right away!! My friend ended up eating that one. But I stuck with the challenge and ended up trying a wide range of cheeses. I discovered some new favourites ... and some I'm not so fond of. And that's OK.

But here's my challenge to those who don't like veggies ... go to your fresh fruit and veg market, select one fruit or veg, and try it this week. Do different things with it. Try a little bite raw. Try it roasted or steamed. Look up recipes online for that particular fruit or veg to see if there are other ways to cook it. Then next week, try a different one.

jenilla1

I think it's so sad when people hate vegetables. They're so delicious and such a pleasure to eat! Growing up, I had access to lots of wonderful, fresh produce from my grandparents' large gardens - conveniently enough, we were also neighbors! I was over there working in the garden several days each week. It's California, so we always had year-round fruits and veg, with crops varying by season. They also raised chickens and pheasants, so we had lots of good, healthy meals. As an adult, I now grow fruits and veg year-round as well. There are very few vegetables I don't like: parsnips and okra come to mind. There are actually more fruits that I don't like!

OP, if you don't like vegetables, you can still benefit from the vitamins and fiber in fruits. Are you OK with eating fruit?

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

My husband has veg aversion too. I blitz up raw broccoli, cauliflower, onions and kale. I add chilli powder and garlic powder to it then make it in to little patties and fry in coconut oil.

taffyapple87

I'm fine with fruit - reckon it's because they're sweet enough for my sweet tooth.

But I cannot substitute veg with fruit due to the amount of sugar involved.

Also, I probably should have mentioned before but at the moment, I'm only keeping tinned or frozen veg in my kitchen.

I was experimenting with fresh but as its just me, I was finding I was wasting a lot as it is was rotting before I used it all up.

Ms_LisaKay

taffyapple87 wrote: »

I'm fine with fruit - reckon it's because they're sweet enough for my sweet tooth.

But I cannot substitute veg with fruit due to the amount of sugar involved.

Also, I probably should have mentioned before but at the moment, I'm only keeping tinned or frozen veg in my kitchen.

I was experimenting with fresh but as its just me, I was finding I was wasting a lot as it is was rotting before I used it all up.

I am super bad about fresh veg waste. So we do a LOT of frozen stir fry veg. I steam most stuff. We do steam fresh asparagus, broccoli & cauliflower, but I don't know that those are the best way to ease someone into veg, as they are all pretty strong one way or another. We also get the Green Giant (don't know if you have that brand) frozen microwaveable brussels sprouts in butter sauce. I am not a huge fan, but the sauce makes them bearable & the nutritional content outweighs the added cals. I am going to try this "roasting fresh veg w/ olive oil & tasty spice" thing. Do you think you might try that, OP, or does it not sound good to you?

RodaRose

taffyapple87 wrote: »

I'm fine with fruit - reckon it's because they're sweet enough for my sweet tooth.

But I cannot substitute veg with fruit due to the amount of sugar involved.

Also, I probably should have mentioned before but at the moment, I'm only keeping tinned or frozen veg in my kitchen.

I was experimenting with fresh but as its just me, I was finding I was wasting a lot as it is was rotting before I used it all up.

Because you are not eating veggies try to work it out so that you eat some fruit a few times a week. Blue berries and strawberries are relatively low cal/ low sugar. I often buy them frozen.