eat your veggies

With the growing number of health problems African Americans are faced with like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer and digestive problems, adopting a vegetarian lifestyle or adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet are healthy options to consider. Culturally, we fellowship with meals. Modifying our diets and eliminating meals that include fried foods, barbecue, gravy, sauces, homemade pies and cakes may seem difficult at first. But, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has a positive effect on blood sugar, and helps to control appetite and sugar cravings.

Nutritionists recommend a minimum of nine fruit and vegetable servings daily, which is equivalent to 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables. Dark leafy greens like spinach, arugula, collard greens, kale, and mustard greens are a good source of fiber and calcium as well as essential vitamins like A and C. Studies have shown that yellow vegetables such as corn and squash, protect women from developing age-related vision loss. Antioxidants are also abundant in both yellow and orange vegetables, which include acorn squash, butternut squash, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and yams.

Furthermore, research suggests that foods rich in carotenoids like corn, squash, egg yolks, broccoli, peas and leafy green vegetables are helpful in protecting aging eyes. Apples, watermelon, pink grapefruit and tomatoes contain phytochemicals that keep the heart healthy, while others such as cherries and strawberries improve memory. Additionally, red bell peppers are a rich source of beta-carotene and radishes, beets, guava, papaya, red chili pepper, raspberries and pomegranate protect your heart and help ward off cancer.

Choosing fruits and vegetables that complement each spectrum of the rainbow is the key to a healthy diet; in other words, no single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients and minerals your body craves — variety is vital. 

Here are some suggestions to ensure that eating fruits and vegetables becomes a regular part of your lifestyle.

Keep fresh fruit where you can see it.

Perishable fruit should be kept in the crisper compartment in the refrigerator.

At every meal, be sure to eat a good portion of vegetables including salads and stir-fry.

Snacks should consist of fruits and vegetables.

Replace potatoes with whole grains like brown rice, cornmeal, oats, whole wheat pasta or whole rye.

Potatoes should be eaten sparingly because they are categorized as a starch.

Find recipes where vegetables are central.
–yvette caslin