Get in those veggies!

Despite all the hype over getting enough greens (and reds, and oranges), most Americans continue to fall short on vegetables. Young children need about 1 cup a day and adults (on 1,800 – 2,000 calories/day) about 2-1/2 cups.

While there’s nothing wrong with simply loading up from time-to-time on one vegetable, such as broccoli, asparagus, or Romaine lettuce at one or two meals, you may find it much easier to spread veggies throughout the day. For example, throw some cut-up cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and/or mushrooms into your scrambled eggs or omelet in the morning; snack on carrot sticks and low-fat bean dip between meals; have a large salad filled with red and green lettuce leaves, sprinkled with chickpeas and corn (which also count as vegetables) at lunch; and enjoy a baked sweet potato as part of dinner. Before you know it, and with a little creativity, you’ll see how simple it is to meet your daily quota for veggies–not to mention reap all the nutritional and satiety benefits vegetables provide.
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Elisa Zied is a Registered Dietitian, author, and national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. You’ll often find her on the CBS Early Show and at MSNBC.com as the nutrition columnist. Get more great tips for your family from Elisa at http://www.elisazied.com/.