Opinions on fruit, difficulty eating enough vegetables
kiela64
Posts: 1,447 Member
I went to a nutritionist today, and was told to eat less cheese, replace white crackers with whole wheat ones, eat more vegetables, and eat less fruit - because it's high in sugar.
I do not even eat fruit every day, but I'd been making an effort to eat more fruit because I thought it was healthy. I found frozen fruit such as mangoes and cherries was a satisfying alternative to sweets and chips and things, which I'm working really hard to not buy. Now I'm a bit worried, because I don't know how to replace these things.
I am an extremely picky eater to begin with because of texture issues. I do not eat lettuce, celery, or kale. I can enjoy one carrot and the next can make me feel extremely ill because they vary so much in taste from sweet to bitter. I cannot eat mayonnaise, salad dressings, or onions without gagging. Increasing vegetable consumption is a challenge for me (it's not that I just don't like these foods, it's that attempting to eat them will make me sick to my stomach).
If anyone has suggestions, I'm open to them!
I do not even eat fruit every day, but I'd been making an effort to eat more fruit because I thought it was healthy. I found frozen fruit such as mangoes and cherries was a satisfying alternative to sweets and chips and things, which I'm working really hard to not buy. Now I'm a bit worried, because I don't know how to replace these things.
I am an extremely picky eater to begin with because of texture issues. I do not eat lettuce, celery, or kale. I can enjoy one carrot and the next can make me feel extremely ill because they vary so much in taste from sweet to bitter. I cannot eat mayonnaise, salad dressings, or onions without gagging. Increasing vegetable consumption is a challenge for me (it's not that I just don't like these foods, it's that attempting to eat them will make me sick to my stomach).
If anyone has suggestions, I'm open to them!
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Replies
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I went to a nutritionist today, and was told to eat less cheese, replace white crackers with whole wheat ones, eat more vegetables, and eat less fruit - because it's high in sugar.
I do not even eat fruit every day, but I'd been making an effort to eat more fruit because I thought it was healthy. I found frozen fruit such as mangoes and cherries was a satisfying alternative to sweets and chips and things, which I'm working really hard to not buy. Now I'm a bit worried, because I don't know how to replace these things.
I am an extremely picky eater to begin with because of texture issues. I do not eat lettuce, celery, or kale. I can enjoy one carrot and the next can make me feel extremely ill because they vary so much in taste from sweet to bitter. I cannot eat mayonnaise, salad dressings, or onions without gagging. Increasing vegetable consumption is a challenge for me (it's not that I just don't like these foods, it's that attempting to eat them will make me sick to my stomach).
If anyone has suggestions, I'm open to them!
Is this one of those nutritionists that bought a certificate off the internet?
This is not good sense.
What is wrong with cheese?
With white crackers?
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My advice: Ignore the recommendations and don't go back.
If you want real advice go to someone with a degree that is certified-like a registered dietitian.0 -
I went to a nutritionist today, and was told to eat less cheese, replace white crackers with whole wheat ones, eat more vegetables, and eat less fruit - because it's high in sugar.
I do not even eat fruit every day, but I'd been making an effort to eat more fruit because I thought it was healthy. I found frozen fruit such as mangoes and cherries was a satisfying alternative to sweets and chips and things, which I'm working really hard to not buy. Now I'm a bit worried, because I don't know how to replace these things.
I am an extremely picky eater to begin with because of texture issues. I do not eat lettuce, celery, or kale. I can enjoy one carrot and the next can make me feel extremely ill because they vary so much in taste from sweet to bitter. I cannot eat mayonnaise, salad dressings, or onions without gagging. Increasing vegetable consumption is a challenge for me (it's not that I just don't like these foods, it's that attempting to eat them will make me sick to my stomach).
If anyone has suggestions, I'm open to them!
What is your goal and why did the nutritionist recommend these things? There is nothing wrong with crackers, cheese or fruit if they fit into your macros and calories. Demonizing foods like that (unless you have some sort of medical reason to avoid them or an allergy) sets people up for failure, IMO.0 -
There are so many veggies and so may ways to prepare them. The whole "texture" thing is a cop-out. Not all veggies have the same texture and the texture changes depending on preparation.
Re: carrots. Parsnips are in the same family. They are sweeter than carrots (they look like white carrots). Look for smaller ones.
Also - veggies are really good roasted. Root veggies especially. You can change the flavor. Toss in oil, salt and garlic. Roast in a hot oven.
Jerry Seinnfeld's wife put out a cookbook about getting children to eat veggies. There are lots of ideas to try. Something will stick.
You won't like all veggies, that's ok. But try to make an effort. Keeping the weight from coming back will require some permanent changes.0 -
White crackers are mostly processed ingredients and the nutritionist is trying to reduce your carb intake. Whole wheat crackers may be a better option. I only eat oatmeal for the most part. Other carbs come from fruits and vegetables. Try different vegetables and try them in different ways. I find that I love roasting them. A little sea salt and/or rosemary and no dressing or dips are necessary. Cheese is high in sodium and fat. There is some reason that you saw a nutritionist. Try listening to him/her and see what happens. I eat one portion of fruit a day. Tropical fruits are high in sugar too. They spike your blood sugar faster.My husband and daughter are super picky too but my husband recently started eating kale salads pretty often. I am trying to get them to see food as medicine. Good, clean food can heal a lot of what is wrong with our health. Sometimes we have to do some thing we don't like to get healthy. Giving up our favorites may be part of it; eating things we are fond of may be another part. I wish you all the best in your journey. Fiend me if you want some support. i am currently trying to lose weight and get out of pre-diabetes.0
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White crackers are mostly processed ingredients and the nutritionist is trying to reduce your carb intake. Whole wheat crackers may be a better option. I only eat oatmeal for the most part. Other carbs come from fruits and vegetables. Try different vegetables and try them in different ways. I find that I love roasting them. A little sea salt and/or rosemary and no dressing or dips are necessary. Cheese is high in sodium and fat. There is some reason that you saw a nutritionist. Try listening to him/her and see what happens. I eat one portion of fruit a day. Tropical fruits are high in sugar too. They spike your blood sugar faster.My husband and daughter are super picky too but my husband recently started eating kale salads pretty often. I am trying to get them to see food as medicine. Good, clean food can heal a lot of what is wrong with our health. Sometimes we have to do some thing we don't like to get healthy. Giving up our favorites may be part of it; eating things we are fond of may be another part. I wish you all the best in your journey. Fiend me if you want some support. i am currently trying to lose weight and get out of pre-diabetes.
I respect that you're trying to utilize good nutrition to promote health, but beyond that I have to disagree. Whole wheat crackers can have just as high a carb content as white crackers and can be just as processed. Their biggest difference will actually be in fiber content. Sure, cheese has fat and sodium- both things we need to live. Again, moderation is key. You don't have to give up all the things you love to be healthy unless a doctor diagnosed you with a medical condition or allergy that requires complete avoidance. I want to enjoy my food and fueling my body, not see it is a scientific chore.0 -
Cooking vegetables in the oven is definitely something I really like, but often it includes butter or oil which is bad. Thanks for the suggestions!
Oh, yes it was a registered dietician, I just used the wrong word sorry! She was going over my food intake and it was not to cut out cheese completely but to just limit it to one portion (1oz)/day because it's high in fat, etc. It really is more the vegetable/fruit issue I'm interested in, though eating less cheese will be hard I can at least see it happening.
Yes, I thought oily, salty crackers like triscuits (though they have "reduced" salt) would be worse than plain white soda crackers with no extra salt. But apparently I'm incorrect and it's the opposite. I was surprised about that one too...0 -
Yes, I also think you should make an effort to try different vegetables. You should be able to find some you like. They are so nutritious, you should keep trying them until you find ones you like. Sometimes you have to develop the taste for them, especially if you have grown up not eating vegetables.
If you want to try roasting them, that is an excellent suggestion. Try it. You can add a small amount of olive oil, a good fat, to large variety and amount of chopped and cubed vegetables. I also add balsamic vinegar and spices that I like. A variety of Italian spices is what I like best.
Are you tracking, logging, your food? Watch the numbers at the bottom and stay within your recommended sugar allotment. That probably means you will have to limit your fruit, but you can have some.
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I prefer whole wheat over white cos it keeps me full for longer,and I prefer low IG food but other than that... less fruit? Yes it has "sugar" but it has fiber and vitamins and stuff,it's not like a soda can :P gee
I suggest you find another person,like I've chosen to exchange regular bread for whole wheat, fries for home made potatoes, it's not like you must say NOOO to a certain food
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You can't roast veggies cause the oil is bad? But you'd still eat a lot of cheese if the dietitian wasn't suggesting less? Hows about the 1 ounce of cheese on whatever (a half and half mix of a few crackers and raw veggies) plus roasting veggies in a small amount of good oil. You only need a tiny bit of oil to roast them--like just put a quarter sized drop in your palm, rub it around, then rub that on the veggies with your hands. You can get a whole cookie sheet of veggies sufficiently oiled for roasting that way. Then add plenty o tasty seasonings some salt and pepper. Done! And delicious! Also, yes, I agree with others that it's worthwhile to try the many many different veggies out there and the many many ways to prepare them. Sounds like you have some exceptional aversion or something, but I gotta say picky eating is something I don't really understand or sympathize much with.0
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initialsdeebee wrote: »Also, yes, I agree with others that it's worthwhile to try the many many different veggies out there and the many many ways to prepare them. Sounds like you have some exceptional aversion or something, but I gotta say picky eating is something I don't really understand or sympathize much with.
Picky eating when it comes to vegetables is something I don't understand either, especially when people lump all vegetables together as one group.
Vegetables are different ... I don't like the flavour of peppers, especially green peppers. But thankfully snap peas don't taste anything like peppers. My husband doesn't like the texture of peas, but fortunately broccoli has a completely different texture.
When it comes to veggies, buy one, try it several different ways, and then decide if it's a keeper or not. Don't buy a whole drawer full of the things. Just one at a time. Try it raw, try it steamed, try it roasted, try it with salt and pepper.I cannot eat mayonnaise, salad dressings,
And what do mayonnaise and salad dressings have to do with eating vegetables?
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The only way I can eat the majority of veggies is in stir-fry, but once I make the stir fry I eat the chicken and veggies like they're a gourmet dish. I'm one of those picky eaters.0
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Steam some frozen broccoli....
Take a pan and brown some chopped onions, EVOO (extra virgin Olive oil) or EV coconut oil with minced garlic as well.....
Drain the broccoli and sautee it in the garlic/onions/oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, cumin and chili powder.
Add almond slivers if you want.
If you can't eat something that tasty give up or switch veggies.0 -
It is easier to get suggestions if you also tell us what you DO eat.
Make a list for yourself:
~frozen mangoes and cherries
~whole wheat crackers
Can you eat these:
corn
green beans
peas
pinto beans
cauliflower
cucumbers
asparagus
What CAN you eat?
1
2
3
4
5
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I don't like salad ingredients, but I like vegetables. That is my own random distinction but it works for me. A bowl of lettuce and crispy things with sauce on it is revolting to me, but give me pumpkin cooked and mashed with cinnamon (I don't need it to be sweet), sweet potato, cauliflower and broccoli any day.
Veggies which are boiled or steamed - microwave steaming is quick and easy - are warm and comforting and some of them are as good as pudding.
Roast veggies are bitter to me - not everyone is a fan.
The point really is that you need to try out different cooking styles and see what works for you.0 -
What about vegetables in a curry or slow cooked with different spices? Have you tried putting vegies in smoothies? I put baby spinach in choc-banana smoothies - you can't taste a difference and there's no difference to texture. If you like mango, it would be easy to make a smoothie with banana, mango, milk and some baby spinach hidden in there. If you can tolerate the texture of mash then consider steaming vegies like cauliflower and then blend them in mash. Can you hide vegies in things that you like? I've made a bolognese sauce today with plenty of vegies in it - carrot, celery, zucchini (all grated), finely chopped mushrooms and onions, and cooked down before combining with the mince and fresh tomatoes.0
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Sounds lke dogdy advice
Nothing wrong with cheese it has fat which u need to burn fatand full of protein.
Best thing is cut out Crackers full stop, give up Fruit (its full of sugar which makes insulin spike and gives u cravings)
Next only eat veggies that are grown above ground as they have less sugar and starch.
Dont have anything "low fat" "diet" they take the good fats out and fill with evil sugar
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louise13dunstan wrote: »Sounds lke dogdy advice
Nothing wrong with cheese it has fat which u need to burn fatand full of protein.
Best thing is cut out Crackers full stop, give up Fruit (its full of sugar which makes insulin spike and gives u cravings)
Next only eat veggies that are grown above ground as they have less sugar and starch.
Dont have anything "low fat" "diet" they take the good fats out and fill with evil sugar
No, that's dodgy advice. If the OP has seen a registered dietitian who has looked over her food intake and is aware of her stats, then that professional is more qualified to comment on her intake than you are. She wasn't told to cut out cheese, she was told to limit her intake which is perfectly reasonable. If the OP is transitioning away from junk food and crackers are helping her do that, then fine.
And give up fruit? Really? Fruit does have sugar but has also fibre and nutritional benefits (potassium, vitamin C, folate etc). Everything in moderation. And there is nothing inherently wrong with vegetables which grown under the ground - beets, parsnips, carrots, celeriac, potatoes etc are all healthy and have many nutritional benefits. A potato is hardly the devil.0 -
louise13dunstan wrote: »Sounds lke dogdy advice
Nothing wrong with cheese it has fat which u need to burn fatand full of protein.
Best thing is cut out Crackers full stop, give up Fruit (its full of sugar which makes insulin spike and gives u cravings)
Next only eat veggies that are grown above ground as they have less sugar and starch.
Dont have anything "low fat" "diet" they take the good fats out and fill with evil sugar
Sugar is not evil. Too much of anything is never good, but cutting out fruit to avoid natural sugar is not good advice. Fruit is an excellent source of fiber and the glucose your body prefers to utilize. Eating fruit does not necessarily induce cravings OR spike insulin.
Also, OP - there is nothing wrong with olive oil on your veggies. It's good fats.0 -
Steam some frozen broccoli....
Take a pan and brown some chopped onions, EVOO (extra virgin Olive oil) or EV coconut oil with minced garlic as well.....
Drain the broccoli and sautee it in the garlic/onions/oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, cumin and chili powder.
Add almond slivers if you want.
If you can't eat something that tasty give up or switch veggies.
^^This is how I cook green beans and it's fantastic! I will have to try broccoli soon.0 -
initialsdeebee wrote: »You can't roast veggies cause the oil is bad? But you'd still eat a lot of cheese if the dietitian wasn't suggesting less? Hows about the 1 ounce of cheese on whatever (a half and half mix of a few crackers and raw veggies) plus roasting veggies in a small amount of good oil. You only need a tiny bit of oil to roast them--like just put a quarter sized drop in your palm, rub it around, then rub that on the veggies with your hands. You can get a whole cookie sheet of veggies sufficiently oiled for roasting that way. Then add plenty o tasty seasonings some salt and pepper. Done! And delicious! Also, yes, I agree with others that it's worthwhile to try the many many different veggies out there and the many many ways to prepare them. Sounds like you have some exceptional aversion or something, but I gotta say picky eating is something I don't really understand or sympathize much with.
Thanks for the recipe idea! I'm going to make a note of that, because that is new information for me. Tbh I thought oil had to be drizzled on things, and that way it adds up to a lot, like multiple tablespoons. Which is probably equal to the cheese, haha.
Yeah, it's not a sympathetic thing, I'm hoping to overcome it. It was much worse as a kid, which is why I'm not used to vegetables. It's not all vegetables (I really like steamed broccoli) and it's not only vegetables. Sometimes eating meat is okay, sometimes I want to vomit for a whole day after eating a piece of chicken. It's weird and stressful, so that's why I wanted some input on veggie ideas - because a lot of the time, eating a raw vegetable is a toss up between feeling extremely ill for a long time or feeling fine. Though I recently found out that those little orange grape tomatoes taste 1000x better than the regular red ones so!!!!!It is easier to get suggestions if you also tell us what you DO eat.
Make a list for yourself:
~frozen mangoes and cherries
~whole wheat crackers
Can you eat these:
corn
green beans
peas
pinto beans
cauliflower
cucumbers
asparagus
What CAN you eat?
1
2
3
4
5
That's a really good idea, thanks!
I can usually eat:
Potato
Steamed broccoli
Steamed cauliflower (maybe raw as well, should attempt)
Cucumber slices
Green peas from frozen
Corn
Red peppers raw or cooked!!!
Carrots roasted in butter (there is a lot of butter in the recipe, so I should try with less and see)
Parsnips as above
Steamed spinach (in small amounts, with other things eg 5 leafs in an omelette)
Fried zucchini
Fried mushrooms
Now that I write it all out, it sounds like a more substantial list. The not eating lettuce/raw leafy greens thing makes salad a not-option, which is super weird and made me worry. But this looks like a more workable list than I was imagining.oh_happy_day wrote: »What about vegetables in a curry or slow cooked with different spices? Have you tried putting vegies in smoothies? I put baby spinach in choc-banana smoothies - you can't taste a difference and there's no difference to texture. If you like mango, it would be easy to make a smoothie with banana, mango, milk and some baby spinach hidden in there. If you can tolerate the texture of mash then consider steaming vegies like cauliflower and then blend them in mash. Can you hide vegies in things that you like? I've made a bolognese sauce today with plenty of vegies in it - carrot, celery, zucchini (all grated), finely chopped mushrooms and onions, and cooked down before combining with the mince and fresh tomatoes.
I love curry, but I don't know how to make it. I'm pretty limited at cooking, but I'm hoping to get more comfortable in the kitchen. I have put spinach in smoothies before, and as long as I only put in a little it tastes fine. The problem is I couldn't finish a small bag from the grocery store in the 4 days before it wilts and gets mushy, so it seemed wasteful to get it and only use 4 leafs in a smoothie for a couple days. No one else will eat it
Thanks so much everyone!!!0 -
I'd suggest eating more of your vegetables cooked. That will change the texture. Try a variety of vegetables and cooking methods. You don't have to eat vegetables raw or plain. Add them to soups, stews, casseroles, chili, sauces, etc. Even greens can be finely shredded and added to something like a pasta sauce, omelet or soup without changing the taste or texture much.
I'm not sure why the nutritionist told you to eat less fruit, but if it was a licensed professional I'd suggest following the advice or at least seek a second opinion before ignoring it. If you want to know why they gave the advice they did, ask. You might try lower sugar fruits like berries, if sugar is the issue.0 -
Hey - lots of good ideas here- as for not knowing how to cook curry- try using You-tube0
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Curry is easier than you'd think! Google some recipes - you can do it!0
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Don't go bad mouthing them fruits,they'll feel bad.
They do have a form of sugar but thanks to the fiber they contain they won't cause maniac spikes,unless you just drink the juice, that's another story.
Fruits be good!!!
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You may be able to put more spinach in a smoothie than you think. Especially as you get more used to the flavor over time. A couple good recipes that I like that include spinach:
1-2 cups almond milk
1/2 banana
2 tbsp peanut butter
1-2 cups spinach
2-4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 small package of berries (blackberry or raspberries work well)
1" fresh ginger
4-6 mint leaves
1-2 cups spinach
1-2 cups almond milk/water/whatever
For me, it's about the spicing. Adding the ginger and mint to the one smoothie makes the spinach a lot more palatable.
Have you done veggie chips of any kind in the oven? Kale chips are totally different from fresh kale. You could also try spinach chips, zucchini chips, etc.
Not every salad is based in green leafy veggies. Try looking up salads that include some of your favorite veggies. I bet there are some red pepper salads! Perhaps a black bean and corn salad/salsa? I really like a tomato and cucumber salad dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
My main suggestion is check out new methods of cooking and use that spice cabinet! You can do it!0 -
Katzedernacht wrote: »Don't go bad mouthing them fruits,they'll feel bad.
They do have a form of sugar but thanks to the fiber they contain they won't cause maniac spikes,unless you just drink the juice, that's another story.
A fairly similar story.0 -
louise13dunstan wrote: »Sounds lke dogdy advice
Nothing wrong with cheese it has fat which u need to burn fatand full of protein.
Best thing is cut out Crackers full stop, give up Fruit (its full of sugar which makes insulin spike and gives u cravings)
Next only eat veggies that are grown above ground as they have less sugar and starch.
Dont have anything "low fat" "diet" they take the good fats out and fill with evil sugar
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Veggies give you nutrients, too. If you limit yourself to fruit, you miss out on some of the goodness from the veggies. IMO, fruit tastes much better, but we need our veggies, too. It's probably less about sugar and more about nutrients.
What you ought to do is ask the person who gave you this info what it was about. It's unfortunate that you didn't ask while you were there, but you can call them up and get your answers.
There are so many ways to get veggies in. Alton Brown devoted entire shows to teaching people to make veggies in ways they might actually like (as well as sneaking them in on kids.) Try watching "Give Peas A Chance", "Field of Greens" other shows he did. They're on the Cooking channel. Maybe Netflix?0 -
You may be able to put more spinach in a smoothie than you think. Especially as you get more used to the flavor over time. A couple good recipes that I like that include spinach:
1-2 cups almond milk
1/2 banana
2 tbsp peanut butter
1-2 cups spinach
2-4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 small package of berries (blackberry or raspberries work well)
1" fresh ginger
4-6 mint leaves
1-2 cups spinach
1-2 cups almond milk/water/whatever
For me, it's about the spicing. Adding the ginger and mint to the one smoothie makes the spinach a lot more palatable.
Have you done veggie chips of any kind in the oven? Kale chips are totally different from fresh kale. You could also try spinach chips, zucchini chips, etc.
Not every salad is based in green leafy veggies. Try looking up salads that include some of your favorite veggies. I bet there are some red pepper salads! Perhaps a black bean and corn salad/salsa? I really like a tomato and cucumber salad dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
My main suggestion is check out new methods of cooking and use that spice cabinet! You can do it!
Okay thanks! I might give it another shot, I never thought about peanut butter or ginger in a smoothie. I know very little about spicing, so it's fair enough to say I wasn't doing it right. I did attempt to make kale chips once but it turned out really weird and gross (mostly just burnt tasting), but again I probably did it wrong.0
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