Fries Don't Count

By Christine Gorman

 

You know you should eat your vegetables. You know they help protect you against cancer and heart disease. Trouble is, we're still not eating enough of the leafy green vegetables, like spinach, brussels sprouts and broccoli, that do the most to promote good health. Instead half of all the vegetable servings we consume are potatoes--and half of those are French fries.

Don't get me wrong. Potatoes are a fine source of complex carbohydrates and fiber--as long as you eat them in moderation and lay off the sour cream, butter and bacon bits. Researchers determined that women who daily consumed at least 400 micrograms of folic acid--one of the B vitamins--in either leafy green vegetables or multivitamin pills reduced their risk of colon cancer as much as 75% over 15 years. Before you decide to replace broccoli with vitamins, however, remember that there are thousands of healthful compounds in fresh vegetables that simply can't be duplicated in a pill.

Buy fresh produce if at all possible. Pay attention to serving sizes. When nutritionists talk about eating four to five servings of vegetables a day, they mean half-cup portions. It's not hard to get several servings in a single meal, especially if you add a green salad (the darker the green, the better). But go easy on the dressing or you'll be eating a leafy version of French fries. Add vegetables and beans (full of protein and fiber) to your favorite soups and stews, and try new ones.

Damn Boner, I thought you were going to say it was O.K. to eat Fries. I was going to nominate you into my hero hall of fame. Scott

 Scott, that would be pretty deceptive to drum up some catchy thread title just to get men to read about the importance of eating their veggies, wouldn't it? Boner

All we are saying is GIVE PEAS A CHANCE

Peas are good and so was John Lennon.

Great Post, Boner:

I have to have a couple of times a week when I eat anything I want. Keeps me from feeling deprived and I think it speeds the metabolism. I do make sure, though to get in lots of fresh veggies and berries. I have one big salad a day and some soy bean pulp (Okara) and then on carb load days I make sure to get in blueberries, raspberries, dried fruit and some steel-cut oats. Sometimes I have fries, but it's more likely cheese-covered chips with black bean salsa.

Bloodwork just gets better and better. No doubt in part to the fresh veggies that you're recommending.

Best Wishes,

Dave

Thanks Dave. You're right that sometimes we all get so hung up on PROTEIN FIRST that we forget about the positive impact that fresh fruits and veggies have on our health. Ain't no magic pill out there to keep you healthy and energetic but GREEN POWER along with exercise makes you feel like a youngster again.  Boner

Hmmmm, I wonder how deep fried brussles sprouts taste?

But seriously though, now that stuff from my garden is coming in I'm eating or trying to eat more veggies.

I tried to plant as many dark green and leafy vegetables as I can. And I'm planning on freezing as much as possible for next winter.