What veggies should i add to my diet ?

nvb2xg4xsh
nvb2xg4xsh Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Im at the beginning of my healthy eating journey, and im falling in love with anything fruits & veggies. the problem is i only have a select few of veggies to incorporate into meals, i havent tried many vegetables in my life honestly. i thought it would be a good idea to come onto this forum and ask yall. any veggies that yall rave about ? what are some vegetables that you swear by because of the health benefits?? fill me in guys let me know !!<3
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  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,984 Member
    edited August 2023
    I eat lots of veggies because I like them. Nothing specific but whatever fits my dish. I cook a lot of Asian or Indian food and it’s easy to add all sorts of veg. Just s slab of meat and potatoes… I’d not know what to do with it to be honest.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,879 Member
    Each vegetable has a different nutritional profile, ideally you aim for an intake that is as varied as possible.
    If you're going to experiment with vegetables to see which ones you like, try to prepare them in different ways: taste and texture can vary a lot.

    Some of my personal favorites are:
    - cherry tomatoes (rinse and eat, perfect for when you feel lazy :smile: )
    - oven-roasted root vegetables and oven-roasted pumpkin
    - beetroot, which I always use in a risotto
    - carrots and (red) bell peppers for sweetness
    - I love sweet potatoes, but don't eat them frequently (higher calorie and not very filling for me, too easy to overeat)
    - mushrooms: great in risotto, but nice raw too (very different from cooked)
    - (canned) chickpeas: easy way to bulk up a vegetable stir-fry or curry with some extra protein

    I love nearly all vegetables, hard to list them all!
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,783 Member
    nvb2xg4xsh wrote: »
    Im at the beginning of my healthy eating journey, and im falling in love with anything fruits & veggies. the problem is i only have a select few of veggies to incorporate into meals, i havent tried many vegetables in my life honestly. i thought it would be a good idea to come onto this forum and ask yall. any veggies that yall rave about ? what are some vegetables that you swear by because of the health benefits?? fill me in guys let me know !!<3

    My favorite is bell peppers. Stir fry them into anything. Oh, and roast Brussels sprouts.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    All of them. I think just about any vegetable is fine if prepared right. Even kale.


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  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    what are some vegetables that you swear by because of the health benefits??


    For health, I focus on getting a variety of veggies, from different categories (e.g., leafy greens, brassicas, squashes, beans/legumes) and different colors (white, yellow/orange, green, red -- for blues, I think you have to go to fruits).

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,596 Member
    Yup, all of the veggies. I don't like seaweed or lima beans, personally, but all the others are worth eating, in one form or another.

    Since others have had suggestions of veggies, I'll suggest a tactic: One thing I did when trying to eat more kinds of veggies/fruits was go to the farmers market or a local big produce market, and notice things I'd never tried. Right there on the spot, I'd use my phone to look up how to cook/eat the mysterious new thing. If it sounded manageable, I'd buy it and try it. I discovered some really yummy things that way.

    What's the worst that could happen? One less than enjoyable meal, probably. No big deal. Pretty great potential up-side, though.
  • PAPYRUS3
    PAPYRUS3 Posts: 13,259 Member
    You might like this community:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10726786/for-the-love-of-produce/p1
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,261 Member
    This video is interesting where it rates vegetables into nutritional tier list showing most of the vitamins, minerals and possible benefits from each one.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=fD07raxrJVo
  • history_grrrl
    history_grrrl Posts: 216 Member
    I agree with the suggestion to go to a farmers market, partly because the produce often looks so appetizing compared to the store.

    There’s such a bounty of possibilities that it’s worth experimenting to see what you enjoy eating. For me, I have always loved peas and Brussels sprouts and mushrooms, though I grew up in the ‘60s and ‘70s when everything was canned or pre-cooked in a frozen package. My first time stepping into a food coop in the late ‘70s was so eye-opening, as I had seen very little fresh produce before. So give yourself a chance to explore.

    My faves are still the three above mentioned plus asparagus, cucumbers, radishes, and cherry tomatoes. Some veggies I get for specific recipes: mushroom asparagus risotto, chicken coconut sweet potato curry, cauliflower-cheese pie, sesame noodles with shrimp and broccoli. But you can also try things out steamed or roasted or in a big salad bowl. I used to get bored with veggies when I just used them for snacks or a bland plain side dish, before I really started cooking. But at least it helped me figure out what I liked to eat. Now I see how much potential they have for making delicious food.
  • xrj22
    xrj22 Posts: 218 Member
    My favorite for summertime is salads that incorporate some fruit and greens: like star-fruit on a lettuce or spinach salad, spinach strawberry salad, recipes that incorporate blueberries in a salad or slaw, watermelon with mint.
  • deejoan
    deejoan Posts: 52 Member
    nvb2xg4xsh wrote: »
    Im at the beginning of my healthy eating journey, and im falling in love with anything fruits & veggies. the problem is i only have a select few of veggies to incorporate into meals, i havent tried many vegetables in my life honestly. i thought it would be a good idea to come onto this forum and ask yall. any veggies that yall rave about ? what are some vegetables that you swear by because of the health benefits?? fill me in guys let me know !!<3

    I love to roast in the oven: Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus. You can spray with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings and/or parmesan cheese. They are all delicious. Now that the fall is coming all the squashes (butternut, acorn, etc.) are delicious! Just be adventurous and try a bunch. I do find roasting in the oven improves the taste immensely versus boiling in water or microwaving.
  • Morgan_1893
    Morgan_1893 Posts: 30 Member
    Keep trying different ones and experiment with cooking techniques.
  • no1racefan2
    no1racefan2 Posts: 90 Member
    nvb2xg4xsh wrote: »
    Im at the beginning of my healthy eating journey, and im falling in love with anything fruits & veggies. the problem is i only have a select few of veggies to incorporate into meals, i havent tried many vegetables in my life honestly. i thought it would be a good idea to come onto this forum and ask yall. any veggies that yall rave about ? what are some vegetables that you swear by because of the health benefits?? fill me in guys let me know !!<3

    Which veggies are you familiar with? I grew up not eating a variety of vegetables and always said I didn't 'like' most others. Mostly that was because I never tried them. You just have to be willing to try them to find what you like--and it sounds like you are!

    These are some of my favorite vegetables that I never ate until I was in my 20s/30s--roasted or steamed broccoli, cauliflower (riced is great to add 'bulk to dishes), asparagus, butternut squash, zucchini, mushrooms not out of a can, cabbage, sweet potatoes, bell peppers (but not green ones, yuck)

    You should also give yourself permission to not like some vegetables after giving them a decent shot--I've decided I don't care for purple cabbage, brussels sprouts, avocadoes, onions, and probably some others I'm not remembering. But I tried them a few times before I could actually continue saying I didn't like them!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I haven't yet met a veg that I didn't like. As far as "health benefits" go, eating a variety and various colors is optimal. My staples are:

    Mixed greens, cucumber, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes (for salads)
    Onions (white for cooking, red for raw toppings or to pickle)
    Broccoli
    Asparagus
    Carrots
    Green peas
    Cabbage
    Brussels sprouts


  • Sett2023
    Sett2023 Posts: 158 Member
    edited December 2023
    (ETA: I noticed now this thread is dated August)

    My tip is: if you don't like a certain vegetable cooked in a certain way, give it a chance in a different way. My experience: I don't like zucchini as stand alone, but I really love them in omelettes, or patties; I don't like eggplants as stand alone, but really adore them in loaves; my husband passed 50 years of his life convinced that he hated red beetroots, only to discover little ago that he loves them, but raw (in salads) and not boiled, as we usually had them; when he was a child, my son didn't like veggies, so I used to made zucchini patties, or dice them and "hide" in pasta's sauce or lasagna, etc etc. Once a teenager, he became a veggies glutton :smile:

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