Healthy diet, no vegetables???

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Replies

  • MzzNkki
    MzzNkki Posts: 57
    bump i hate!! veggies lol
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    Cauliflower and broc cheese? I can eat that on it's own.

    Roasted butternut squash, parsnips or sweet potato chips?

    Sweede in your mash?
  • krissy_krossy
    krissy_krossy Posts: 307 Member
    You should eat more veggies. I would try cooking them differently. For example, my husband can't stand raw mushrooms but loves them cooked. I don't like cooked carrots or carrots IN things, but on their own I'll eat them. Try playing around with them to find what you like.
    If all else fails, cut them small and hide them in other food.
  • smit5852
    smit5852 Posts: 5 Member
    I have known people who for health, preventive, and/or weight reasons have been on zero carb diets. That would remove all your pastas and breads, however. Vegetables are really necessary, especially if you are eating foods that translate to high sugar impact on your blood (pastas, potatoes) to help mitigate oxidative damage.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Put them in a blender with tomato sauce. You can easily hide vegetables in pasta sauce and you won't even know they are in there. Completely puree them so you can't feel any chunks.

    You need vegetables. You need A LOT of vegetables.

    This. I also put them in soups (pureed), and I'll sneak a handful of spinach in a protein shake (can't tell). Stuff like that.
  • check out Dr. Greg Ellis' work at the following website:

    www.byebyecarbs.com

    I have had fantastic results without eating ANY vegetables. Lower BP, Cholesterol, glucose levels, and triglycerides, not to mention lower weight and bodyfat %.
  • jakidb
    jakidb Posts: 1,010 Member
    Never done it, but heard it's good...
    try "juicing" or smoothies and mix the fruits and veggies together. I agree with another fellow MFP member...there is no substitute for veggies so you have to be creative. They are NECESSARY :)
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    I have known people who for health, preventive, and/or weight reasons have been on zero carb diets. That would remove all your pastas and breads, however. Vegetables are really necessary, especially if you are eating foods that translate to high sugar impact on your blood (pastas, potatoes) to help mitigate oxidative damage.

    try going oober low carb for a month then tell us how the veggies taste
  • Dani_M_1984
    Dani_M_1984 Posts: 17 Member
    Any advice would be great! :)

    get over yourself and eat your vegetables would be my advice.

    I used to date a girl that would ***** and moan about how she wanted to lose weight but she wouldn't change the slightest thing in her diet. Then she'd turn around and yell at her son for not eating his veggies.

    I don't see anyone being sucessfull if they can't eat at least a few meals a day with the main focus being on fueling thier body rather then satifying thier palate.

    i appreciate all comments and advice but ur rudeness is just unnecessary!
  • herdthinner
    herdthinner Posts: 21 Member
    I make soups with lots of veggies and eat from it every day. I don't cook them for very long, to preserve some crunchiness.

    That's mostly because I can't get up early enough in the morning to have more than 30 minutes total to get ready for work, so I make heat-and-eat meals like soups and giant bowls of mixed berries to eat for breakfast and/or pack for work.
  • bridgetn85
    bridgetn85 Posts: 23 Member
    I totally get it - I used to hate vegetables too, but they really help fill you and it gets easier the more and more you incorporate them into your diet.

    Start small - maybe try carrots, onions and peppers to start. Cut them really, really small and incorporate into things like spaghetti sauce, etc and you won't really be able to tell that they're there.

    I also love roasting vegetables because they don't get mushy and are quite tasty! Cut up peppers, zucchini, onions and toss it with some olive oil and italian seasoning and roast in the oven at 400 degrees until done.

    You can also try raw veggies - although, I personally hate the taste of raw vegetables (except baby carrots and cherry tomatoes).

    There's also a book called "Deceptively Delicious" which is all about hiding vegetables in normal food in ways that aren't obvious.

    Goodluck!
  • culuriel
    culuriel Posts: 11 Member
    Try veggies that are loaded with water - celery, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes (I consider them vegetables), green beans, sweet peppers. They have the advantage of tasting slightly sweet. Enjoy them raw and either plain or with the tiniest serving of dip/dressing you need for taste. You'll see them as a light, pre-workout snack in no time.
  • Juice green leafy vegetables like spinach, swiss chard or kale and add fruit juice to cover the flavor of the greens. Celery and romaine lettuce are great too. That way you get your daily requirement. You can add pineapple, apple or carrots to sweeten the taste or a bit of lemon juice or ginger also gives them a great flavor. You can also make smoothies. You'd be surprised at how good they can taste. Check out some juice recipes: http://www.guidetobodycleansing.com/juicing.html
  • Step 1
    Increase your consumption of fruits. They are also high in fiber and vitamins and minerals, so they can give you most of the nutrients you are not getting from vegetables. Avoid fruit juices, which are high in sugars, and instead eat the whole fruit. The USDA recommends an intake of two to four servings a day.

    Step 2
    Eat more complex carbs. Whole grains are high in fiber (also found in abundance in vegetables), which keeps you full and helps you reduce cravings and hunger, so you eat less and still feel satisfied. Examples of complex carbs include brown rice, barley, bran, oatmeal and whole wheat. Avoid sweetened or highly processed carbs such as white rice, sugary cereals and white breads.

    Step 3
    Eat foods high in zinc, magnesium and potassium, which are usually found in dark leafy green vegetables. For example, zinc can be found in nuts, pumpkin seeds and raspberries. Magnesium is abundant in fish, dairy (especially cheese) and nuts. Wheat, bananas and soybeans are good sources of potassium.

    Step 4
    Add a multivitamin supplement to your diet. You might want to consult with your doctor if you have any medical condition or allergies, but otherwise a multivitamin can help you obtain the nutrients you're missing because you're avoiding vegetables.

    Step 5
    Eat fortified foods. Many breads, dairy products and even desserts now come fortified with a number of nutrients. These foods can be added to the diet as a way of providing nutrients you might otherwise be missing.

    Step 6
    Eat vegetable proteins instead of only meats and dairy. Soy, tofu and beans can provide not only protein but also other essential nutrients, including iron, calcium and potassium. They are also low in calories and a good source of fiber, which you might be lacking in your diet if you don't eat veggies.
  • gretchygirl32
    gretchygirl32 Posts: 48 Member
    I'm not a big veggie eater either, but I'm learning to like them. One of my favorites is sauteeing kale in some coconut oil with minced garlic, sea salt, and pepper and mixing in a few tablespoons of shredded parmesan cheese. It's really good, and you really taste the cheese over everything else. You could sautee a few big handfuls of kale doing this, but once cooked down it's not a lot to eat.
  • vaironika
    vaironika Posts: 36
    A healthy diet ALWAYS includes veggies. They provide a great amount of nutrition, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water and are very low calorie so they are great for weight loss. They also do wonders for your skin and hair! Ever since i switched my diet to mostly eating raw veggies and greens my skin completely cleared up and my hair has never been softer and shinier! Try eating more greens like spinach, romaine lettuce and kale by blending them into smoothies sweetened with your favorite fruit. It might taste strange at first, but trust me you'll acquire the taste and the benefits you will see will completely change you! For beginner green smoothies i recommend you blend the greens with a banana, apple and/or pear as they are the sweetest fruit and will help tone down the taste of the greens. You can also blend in some veggies such as cucumber, celery and carrot if you don't like eating them on their own. Cucumbers and broccili are my faves to eat on their own because they have a nice texture and taste. Try out a bunch of different veggies and see which ones you like and try eating them with guacamole or hummus for added nutrition and flavor. Bell peppers, radish and zucchini are also great too!
  • Renesamora
    Renesamora Posts: 3 Member
    I'm doing my google reasearch on the very subject. I came across this which is interesting http://www.lacesoutblog.com/colin-kaepernick-says-eating-vegetables-will-make-you-weak/. the man is ripped so maybe he's on to something.
  • mrmagee3
    mrmagee3 Posts: 518 Member
    You could likely get away without vegetables, but you'd have to get the vitamins and minerals from somewhere. That usually involves supplementation and/or eating a lot of offal, which is less palatable to most than just eating some broccoli occasionally.
  • rtb417
    rtb417 Posts: 1
    I hate vegs too! I eat raw cartots and raw green beans. That's it!! I Will eat seasoning if cut up VERY small but again. .. that's it!! I will eat salad but my salad consists of lettuce (iceberg or romaine) with carrots and a few tiny shreds of radish. But I will only eat salad with sweet pickles or relish! Itsvery hard to eat healthy when you don't eat veggies!
  • I am exactly the same!! i hate all veggies! its not just being picky, i physically retch when I try! so some helpful hints would be great as not everyone is just fussy!!
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
    I only eat vegetables, grains, beans, and fruit!
    My tips for anyone who hates vegetables is to experiment with different types of vegetables and get yourself a good cookbook.
    I recommend Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian Cooking.
    Also, one night go to a good Thai restaurant and select from the vegetarian section.
    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
  • Crohns2013
    Crohns2013 Posts: 57 Member
    Try talking to someone with Crohn's disease or colitis. They have digestive problems that prevent them from being able to process most vegetables (or anything that' constitutes a significant source of fiber) naturally or safely. They have to find ways around it. It's not recommended and frankly I think you're being stupid for not trying to accept that learning to love veggies is part of a healthy and active life, but to say there are no ways around it is almost as stupid because there ARE people who--due to medical reasons--have to find ways around it. It's not ideal, it's expensive, and it's a pain, but it CAN be done.



    The two most common ways that people with Crohns or Colitis eat our veggies is to either steam them until they are almost mush, or juice them. I juice them because even the mush causes issues. And some people with IBD have no issues at all and can eat as many veggies as they want.

    There is no excuse to not eat some veggies, in some form. Raw, steamed, boiled, roasted, pureed in sauces, soups, juiced, in a smoothie, with dip, on a sandwich/sub, covered in cheese sauce....tons of options. It takes me less then 10 minutes to make a green juice and clean the juicer. Then I have a big glass of juice containing 1/3 of a cucumber, 2 celery stalks, 3 huge handfuls of spinach/kale, 1 apple, 1 lemon and some zucchini. Breakfast is usually 2 apples and 4 carrots.

    Don't just write them off though. There has to be some form in which you can tolerate them, even a little bit is better then nothing.
  • Phobia42
    Phobia42 Posts: 2 Member
    I've been reading these responses, and while I can appreciate people's view that vegetables are essential to healthy eating, as someone who only likes a few vegetables, I can understand the OP's concern. I would hope that some people could offer some advice on how to eat BETTER, not necessarily perfect. My experience for people struggling with their diet is if they try too hard to make too many changes, they run the risk of saying "screw this" and going back to old ways. My philosophy is change can come slowly and that any improvement in eating is better than no improvement.

    I for one lost almost 40 pounds in college with almost no vegetables. I'll offer a few tips I found worked for me, and would welcome more people's input (more than just "sorry, you must eat vegetables"). These won't provide all the nutrients you need, but if your goal is reduce cholesterol / lose weight, it should help (note, I am NOT a nutritionist and these are just advice from my personal research and experience):

    1) One of my primary, quick and dirty criteria for evaluating food is protein to fat ratio. An item that has 1 gram of fat and 12 grams of protein is probably a good food to add to your diet.

    2) Lean chicken (boneless / skinless) is a fantastic source of protein and has very few calories. The same goes for fish and shrimp (although watch the cholesterol levels in that last one).

    3) Be careful what you add in your cooking. I like to cook my proteins in a little olive oil and garlic for flavor, but too much oil can provide a lot of fat.

    4) I like panko (japanese) breadcrumbs on my porkchops and chicken. They add a little extra fat and calories, but enough flavor to possibly make your panko porkchop actually stand a chance against that steak or burger you might be considering instead.

    5) I substitute low or non-fat versions for certain foods. They can take a little getting used to, but make a huge difference. For example, I buy non-fat milk, reduced fat cheese (although I eat small amounts), etc. Little substitutions can add up.

    6) Drinking plenty of water is vital, but if you're like me, I don't particularly like the taste of plain water, so I'm often under-hydrated. One option some people like is adding lemon to their water for flavor. Personally, I am addicted to adding Crystal Light to my water (5 calories per serving). I'm sure some people will complain about how unnatural that stuff is, but my view is drinking it is overall better than not drinking enough water, so it's a trade off.

    I agree with the other posters that if you want a "healthy" diet, not really going to be able to avoid vegetables, but if you want to eat "healthier", there are lots of ways to start making little changes that can make a big difference. Hope this helped.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    You are an omnivore. Eat the vegetables.
  • I completely understand where you're coming from. I absolutely can't stand most vegetables. To the people out there who are saying "suck it up" and "tastebuds change after so many years," its not all about taste. The texture of almost every vegetable is an immediate gag reflex for me. It's simply not that easy to just suck it up.

    I have been experimenting with different ways to prepare vegetables and found a few that I like. I realized the more I steam them, or get them as mushy as possible, the more I like them. I cannot stand the crunchy, juicy texture. Yuck.

    I also realize, while preparing them the way i do, i am losing a lot of the valuable nutrients that they contain when they're fresh.

    I think the people that have suggested the v8 juice, and the juicing in general are definitely on the right track. This is probably a great way to get the most valuable nutrients out of the vegetables, while not having to deal with the texture.
  • I am loving some of these ideas for hiding vegetables. I eat like a million pounds of broccoli a day and I hate every minute of it. Blenderveggies, here I come!
  • redversustheblue
    redversustheblue Posts: 1,216 Member
    Green smoothies are a great way to "sneak" veggies into your diet.

    There are a ton of recipes on this site: http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/green-smoothie-recipes/

    The more your taste buds adjust the more veggies you can add. Most of these recipes are so fruit heavy, that's all you taste.

    This is exactly the type of site I've been looking for in regards to green smoothies. I just started getting into them and was finding the options a little overwhelming. These recipes seem easy and like products I'll either have in my house or be able to buy easily at the store. Thanks!
  • caversmom
    caversmom Posts: 9 Member
    I love the "suck it up" response. Okay, I have really forced myself to try all kinds of veggies cooked all kinds of ways. I've been to nutritionists, psychiatrist, M.D.s.. Considering hypnotherapy next. No matter what I've tried, I simply have an aversion to vegetables. I'm not saying "I hate veggies, but I can eat corn or peas", no, I'm talking any and ALL veggies. Whether it's psychological or physical, it's been hard to live with.
    I have lost 1/4 of my size, run about 30-40 miles a week and would love it if I could find something I could keep down. I've maintained my weight loss for about 2 years. Some really good advice on this post with good ideas besides just suck it up. Thank you to those actually offering thoughtful ideas!
  • Hahahaha! Boy you're getting blown up! I put the veggies in a food blender/processor and kneed it into meats like meat loaf. you can also add spinach, kale and any other greens to your fruit smoothies without even tasting it. when you blend your veggies into a paste then you can hide it in just about anything. Example:

    onion
    bell pepper
    celery
    tomato
    garlic
    cilantro

    Blended, can be added to:

    meatloaf
    meatballs
    hamburgers
    dirty rice
    lasagna
    stew (any kind)

    And more!!! Just a few helpful hints ;)
  • _MG_
    _MG_ Posts: 453 Member
    Veggie hater here but I'm trying to learn.

    So far it's only raw veggies I can eat: Spinach, Sprouts, Carrots. I'm trying to see what else I can add. I'm not a smoothie person either.

    Hoping the ideas keep flowing here. Maybe if I dip them in chocolate?