|
How
to Use Fruits and Vegetables to Help Manage Your Weight
Using more fruits and vegetables, along with whole
grains, lean meats, nuts, and beans, is a safe and healthy way to lose or
maintain weight. In addition, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce
the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and
vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other
substances that are important for good health.
To
lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body uses
This doesn’t necessarily mean that
you have to eat less food. You can create lower-calorie versions of some of
your favorite dishes by substituting low-calorie fruits and vegetables in place
of higher-calorie ingredients. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables
will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with
fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and
calories and are filling.
Simple
ways to cut calories and eat more fruits and vegetables
throughout
the day
Breakfast:
Start the Day Right
- Substitute spinach, onions, or mushrooms for
one egg or half the cheese in your morning omelet. The
vegetables will add volume and flavor to the dish with fewer calories than
the egg or cheese.
- Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl to make
room for some cut-up bananas, peaches, or strawberries. You can still eat
a full bowl, but with fewer calories.
Lighten
Up Your Lunch
·
Substitute vegetables such as
lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions for 2 ounces of the cheese and 2 ounces
of the meat in your sandwich, wrap, or burrito. The new version will fill you
up with fewer calories than the original.
·
Replace 2 ounces of meat or 1 cup of
noodles in broth-based soup with 1 cup of chopped vegetables, such as broccoli,
carrots, beans, or red peppers. The vegetables will help fill you up, so you
won’t miss those extra calories.
Dinner
·
Add in 1 cup of chopped vegetables such as
broccoli, tomatoes, squash, onions, or peppers, while removing 1 cup of the
rice or pasta in your favorite dish. The dish with the vegetables will be just
as satisfying but have fewer calories than the same amount of the original
version.
- Take a
good look at your dinner plate. Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains should
take up the largest portion of your plate. If they do not, replace some of
the meat, cheese, white pasta, or rice with legumes, steamed broccoli,
asparagus, greens, or another favorite vegetable. This will reduce the
total calories in your meal without reducing the amount of food you eat.
BUT remember to use a normal- or small-size plate — not a platter. The
total number of calories that you eat counts, even if a good proportion of
them come from fruits and vegetables.
Smart
Snacks
- Most healthy eating plans allow for one or two small
snacks a day. Choosing most fruits and vegetables will allow you to eat a
snack with only 100 calories.
About 100 Calories or Less
- a medium-size apple (72 calories)
- a medium-size banana (105 calories)
- 1 cup steamed green beans (44 calories)
- 1 cup blueberries (83 calories)
- 1 cup grapes (100 calories)
- 1 cup carrots (45 calories), broccoli (30 calories), or
bell peppers (30 calories) with 2 tbsp. hummus (46 calories)
Instead of a high-calorie snack from a vending
machine, bring some cut-up vegetables or fruit from home. A 1-ounce bag of corn
chips has as many calories as a small apple, 1 cup of whole strawberries, AND 1
cup of carrots with 1/4 cup of low-calorie dip. Substitute one or two of these
options for the chips, and you will have a satisfying snack with fewer
calories.
Remember:
Substitution is the key.
It’s true that fruits and vegetables
are lower in calories than many other foods, but they do contain some calories.
If you start eating fruits and vegetables in addition to what you usually eat,
you are adding calories and may gain weight. The key is substitution. Eat
fruits and vegetables instead of some other higher-calorie food.
More
Tips for Making Fruits and Vegetables Part of Your Weight Management Plan
Eat fruits and vegetables the way
nature provided—or with fat-free or low-fat cooking techniques.
Try steaming your vegetables, using
low-calorie or low-fat dressings, and using herbs and spices to add flavor.
Some cooking techniques, such as breading and frying, or using high-fat
dressings or sauces will greatly increase the calories and fat in the dish. And
eat your fruit raw to enjoy its natural sweetness.
Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables
are also good options.
Frozen or canned fruits and
vegetables can be just as nutritious as the fresh varieties. However, be
careful to choose those without added sugar, syrup, cream sauces, or other
ingredients that will add calories.
Choose whole fruit over fruit drinks
and juices. Fruit juices have lost fiber from the fruit.
It is better to eat the whole fruit because it contains the added fiber that
helps you feel full. One 6-ounce serving of orange juice has 85 calories,
compared to just 65 calories in a medium orange.
Whole fruit gives you a bigger size
snack than the same fruit dried—for the same number of calories.
A small box of raisins (1/4 cup) is
about 100 calories. For the same number of calories, you can eat 1 cup of
grapes.
Article
information taken from: www.cdc.gov
Submitted by: Cara O’Neill, MS, RD, LD
|
