My 5 Vegetable Musts

Hey guys,

I hope you are doing well and having a great week of workouts. Recently I was having a discussion with a client about adding vegetables into their diet. They never really enjoyed eating vegetables so they were basically getting none in. A few weeks ago I posted how you can add vegetables to your smoothies to get a serving in there without having to eat them. It will be tough to get all of your necessary servings of vegetables in smoothie form however. It is crucial to get your 3-5 servings of vegetables in each DAY. This may seem like a lot, but without them you are not getting all of the nutrients that your body needs to function. You can take a multivitamin or supplement if you are desperate, but I always recommend getting these vitamins and minerals from whole foods first.

When selecting what vegetables you should be getting it is important to pick dark colored vegetables. When vegetables are darker in color you can be sure they are filled with nutrients. Also, try and pick a variety of colors. It should look like a rainbow. Find green ones, purple ones, red ones, yellow ones... The more variety the better. Each with provide unique qualities that you will not get from eating the same thing over and over.

Here are my 5 Favorite Veggies that I will get each week:

1. Spinach

Spinach is very high in antioxidants when fresh or steamed. Spinach is also a great source of folic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. My favorite uses are to have it with an omelet or just in a salad.

2. Mushrooms

There are 100's of different types of mushrooms that have a variety of tastes and benefits. Even mushrooms that will make you hallucinate, but that is a discussion for another time. Mushrooms are a great source of selenium, riboflavin, potassium, and copper. Mushrooms have even been used in research for the possible ability to fight the development of breast cancer.

3. Zucchini

Zucchinis are a great source for manganese, vitamin C, and magnesium. Research is showing the possible benefits of zucchini and reducing the symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH. This occurs in men where the prostate gland becomes enlarged. When picking zucchini look for ones that are heavy for their size and have shiny rinds.

4. Cauliflower

Cauliflower contain a very high quantity of vitamin C as well as vitamin K and folate. They also contain sulfur containing phytonutrients which promote liver detoxification. These vegetables can help the liver's ability to neutralize potentially toxic substances in the body. One of my favorite dishes is mashed cauliflower. It's not quite the same as mashed potatoes, but a healthier alternative.
5. Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes are another great antioxidant due to there high doses of vitamin A and C. Sweet potatoes are almost like eating a healthy desert. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to your potato to receive the amazing blood sugar regulating abilities of cinnamon for the ultimate side dish.

Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Personal Trainer
My Workout Creator