Vegetables are an important part of the Brook Healthy Plate, and for good reason! Low-carb veggies are low in calories and fat, but high in nutrients like fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C. People who regularly eat vegetables with their meals have reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and more.
According to the CDC, only 1 in 10 American adults eat the recommended 2-3 cups of vegetables each day. Here at Brook, we’d like to change that! If you’re not quite getting all those veggies in each day, here are 5 easy ways to boost your intake:
When you’re out to eat, consider asking if you can swap out a side with some steamed vegetables. Lightly steaming veggies is a great way to preserve their nutrients and cut calories at the same time since steaming does not require any added fat for cooking. You can always ask for extra veggies with your meal too!
Roasting vegetables in the oven is an easy and delicious way to add more veggies into your diet. To save time, roast a big batch of vegetables on a sheet pan and keep the leftovers in the fridge so you always have veggies to add to your meals for the rest of the week. Need inspiration? Check out this recipe for low-carb roasted veggies.
Stock up on your favorite frozen vegetables and add them to soups, frozen dinners, stir-frys, and spaghetti sauce for an extra serving of veggies. Frozen veggies are budget friendly, and they’re often flash frozen shortly after harvesting, so they generally contain as many nutrients as the veggies in the produce aisle.
Bonus: they usually don’t contain added salt like their canned counterparts.
Turn your meal into a salad! Start with a base of your favorite salad greens and then add meat, beans, grains, or other vegetables. For example, check out this recipe for shrimp fajita salad that serves the fajita filling on a bed of greens instead of tortillas. Greens are filling and nutritious, and you get an extra serving or two of veggies. Win-win!
Are you bored with the veggies you’re eating and not sure how to make them exciting again? We have some ideas for you! Check out our Pinterest board on low-carb veggies for tons of simple and delicious veggie packed recipes.
If you’re not a fan of the taste of veggies, check out 5 Easy Ways to Make Low Carb Veggies That Don’t Suck.
Need more ideas? Chat with us in your Brook app for more tips to increase those veggies!
on June 8th, 2020. Heather is a Certified Diabetes Educator, has been a Registered Dietitian for over 12 years, and is Brook's Health Director.