The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that only 10% of adults consume enough veggies each day, and just 12% eat the recommended amount of fruit.[1] Plant foods are rich in key micronutrients, including essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which play critical roles in countless biological processes, including reducing oxidative stress and cellular damage from free radicals which are known to contribute to numerous health disorders.
In other words, if you want to support your overall health and well-being, not to mention your fitness and physique goals then you want to consume enough fruits and veggies each day.
The good news is that there are plenty of simple and easy ways to incorporate veggies into your daily meal plan.
Here are 5 can’t miss strategies from our team of experienced coaches and trainers on how to eat more vegetables (and fruits, too).
Why Veggies Are Important
They Provide Essential Micronutrients
As we’ve already mentioned, veggies and fruits are abundant sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which are critical for optimal performance and overall health. Not consuming enough of these plant foods can lead to the development of nutrient deficiencies, including (but not limited to):
- Vitamin C
- Magnesium
- Folate
- Iodine
- Iron
- Vitamin A
They Support Gut Health
Vegetables are high in fiber, which serves as an important source of nutrition for the good gut bacteria that populate our digestive tract. A healthy gut supports proper digestion and nutrient absorption as well as helps maintain regularity.
Gut health is also known to significantly impact other facets of daily living, including mood, athletic performance, cognitive function, sleep, and skin health.
The fiber in veggies (as well as fruits and other plant foods) can help your food to digest more slowly which increases satiety and promotes more stable blood sugar and energy levels throughout the day, which is good for weight loss!
They May Help You Live Longer
A 2015 meta-analysis of 23 studies identified a link between eating 400 grams (14 ounces) of veggies per day and an 18% lower risk of developing heart disease (the leading cause of death worldwide).[2]
A separate decade-long study noted that individuals who consumed 375–500 grams of fruits and vegetables per day were 22% less likely to die during the study compared to those who consumed less daily fruits and veggies.[3]
On the flip side, diets that are deficient in veggies (and the polyphenols/antioxidants they provide) are associated with an increased risk of multiple chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and certain cancers.
How Many Servings of Vegetables Should You Aim for Every Day?
Experts generally recommend shooting for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Usually we split this between three servings of non-starchy veggies (broccoli, leafy greens, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.) and two servings of fruit.
Keep in mind that if you’re hitting the gym frequently and/or have a physically demanding job, then you likely have higher nutrient needs compared to someone who is sedentary. In that case, you may want to include an extra serving or two of fruits and veggies throughout the day as well as supplement with a 25 multivitamins and minerals, such as our Vegan Greens & Reds Superfoods Plus to make sure your diet isn’t lacking in any of the essential micronutrients the body requires.
How to Eat More Vegetables
Eating enough vegetables is important for your health—that’s not surprising. What may be surprising, however, are all the easy ways you can squeeze more produce into your daily diet. Here are a few dietitian-loved tips for eating more veggies every day:
1. Break Out the Blender
Smoothies are one of the easiest ways to add more veggies to your diet, especially if you’re not fond of the flavor. Spinach (fresh or frozen) works exceedingly well in a fruit smoothie. Other veggies that work well include frozen peas, frozen carrots, frozen kale, and frozen sweet potatoes.
Don’t forget to include a scoop of protein powder, such as 1UP Whey Protein or Vegan Protein, in your fruit smoothie. Protein plays a critical role in helping your body recover from hard workouts.
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Crack a Few Eggs
Eggs are one of the best, most bioavailable sources of protein. They’re rich in numerous vitamins and minerals, including choline -- an essential nutrient for cognitive health and make a great vehicle to sneak in some more veggies into your diet.
Omelets, scrambles, quiches, frittatas and egg muffins all work splendidly.
The veggies that we’ve found that work best with eggs, include red bell pepper, mushrooms, onions, spinach, zucchini, green onions, and broccoli. Make sure to saute the veggies and let them cool slightly before adding them to your eggs for best results.
Up the protein (and flavor) by adding in some additional leftover meat or cheese!
3. Rethink Your Pasta
Few things are as comforting as a bowl of al dente pasta tossed in a luxurious sauce (accompanied by a savory protein, of course). Spaghetti and meatballs, pasta carbonara, cannelloni, lasagna, etc. These dishes are indulgent, delicious and packed with calories, which may or may not jive with your nutrition plan.
Fortunately, there are many low-carb pasta options thanks to different veggies. A few of our favorite veggie pastas are zucchini noodles (zoodles), spaghetti squash, or thin-sliced eggplant which works great for lasagna noodles. When prepared properly, these make a suitable stand-in for traditional durum wheat pasta and allow you to satisfy that craving for something rich and comforting without blowing your calorie budget for the day.
4. Cauli-Rice to the Rescue
Rice is another staple in most nutrition plans. It’s affordable, easy to prepare, and works as a blank canvas for many different cuisines.
It’s also higher in carbohydrates, which (again) may not be suitable for your physique goals.
Riced cauliflower (Cauli-Rice) offers a low-carb rice option that delivers a similar texture to rice and helps up your veggie intake.
On the other hand, if you’re not worried about lowering your carb intake, then keep your standard serving of rice and incorporate a serving of cauli-rice!
5. Sneak Them In
We understand that veggies may not be the most craveable things on the menu, but we’d push back and offer that maybe the veggies you have tried haven’t been prepared as best as they could have.
Trust us, we’ve had our fair share of canned asparagus, boiled cabbage, and more insipid offerings of veggies than you could shake a stick at. But, when you do finally come across a well-prepared chopped salad, a tray of grilled asparagus, or perfectly roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon, you’ll come to realize that veggies can be damn delicious (lest we say craveable?).
If you’re still working your way to embracing veggies, that’s totally fine!
In the meantime, to up your veggie intake, try sneaking them into some of your favorite foods. Meatballs, meatloaf, soups, sauces, and casseroles all represent great options for sneaking veggies in without atlerting the flavor profile.
Yet it will increase the overall fiber, vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content of your favorite meals!
Takeaway
Far too many people around the world don’t consume enough veggies, which can lead to overeating and unfavorable health outcomes. Veggies are nutritious and (when prepared properly) can be extremely delicious.
If you’re working your way to eating more veggies, try some of the tips outlined above to help increase your veggie intake today!
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References
- Lee SH, Moore LV, Park S, Harris DM, Blanck HM. Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations — United States, 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:1–9. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7101a1
- Gan Y, Tong X, Li L, Cao S, Yin X, Gao C, Herath C, Li W, Jin Z, Chen Y, Lu Z. Consumption of fruit and vegetable and risk of coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Int J Cardiol. 2015 Mar 15;183:129-37. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.01.077. Epub 2015 Jan 27. PMID: 25662075.
- Miller V, Mente A, Dehghan M, Rangarajan S, Zhang X, Swaminathan S, Dagenais G, Gupta R, Mohan V, Lear S, Bangdiwala SI, Schutte AE, Wentzel-Viljoen E, Avezum A, Altuntas Y, Yusoff K, Ismail N, Peer N, Chifamba J, Diaz R, Rahman O, Mohammadifard N, Lana F, Zatonska K, Wielgosz A, Yusufali A, Iqbal R, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Khatib R, Rosengren A, Kutty VR, Li W, Liu J, Liu X, Yin L, Teo K, Anand S, Yusuf S; Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study investigators. Fruit, vegetable, and legume intake, and cardiovascular disease and deaths in 18 countries (PURE): a prospective cohort study. Lancet. 2017 Nov 4;390(10107):2037-2049. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32253-5. Epub 2017 Aug 29. PMID: 28864331.
