A Vegetable-A-Week Plan That

Could Add Years to Your Life

Introduction

Doubtless you have been told to eat more fruits and vegetables since you were old enough to know what they were. Now, evidence proving the health benefits of produce is undeniable. Study after study has linked diets high in fruits and vegetables to lower risks of cancer, heart disease, and many other health problems.

Another plus: Eating lots of fruits and vegetables can help you maintain a healthy weight. That's because these foods are naturally low in calories and fat. Yet, they are full of fiber, which leaves you feeling full.

One way to increase your produce intake is to focus on a particular fruit or vegetable each week. For instance, one week you might try to eat more tomatoes and learn new and simple ways to fix them. The next week, you might do the same for carrots.

We make this easy for you for the first five weeks. Below, we've given you tips for buying, storing, and fixing five disease-fighting vegetables.

This challenge focuses on vegetables. If you have trouble getting enough fruits, substitute a fruit for a vegetable during some of the weeks.

Common Questions

Q. How should I wash fresh vegetables?

A. Rinse in warm water. You don't need soap. A small scrub brush can help remove dirt.

Q. Can vegetables lose nutrients during preparation and cooking?

A. In general, vegetables will lose nutrients when they are exposed to light or air. Cooking or soaking vegetables in liquid also causes some nutrients to dissolve into the fluid. These tips can help keep vegetables nutrient dense:

Employ healthy cooking methods that use no liquid or just a little. These include steaming, microwaving, stir-frying, baking, or broiling.

Don't overcook vegetables. When possible, serve them crisp tender rather than soft.

Q. Which vegetables are the most nutritious choice—fresh, frozen, or canned?

A. The best choice nutritiously is to eat fresh vegetables shortly after they've been harvested. But this is difficult unless you grow your own. The next best choice? It's a toss up.

Many people think fresh, store-bought vegetables taste and look more appealing than frozen or canned. But fresh vegetables may not be any healthier. That's because produce can sit for days—losing valuable nutrients—while in transit to the grocery store.

Frozen or canned varieties are often packaged immediately after harvest. But the canning and freezing process can cause a small loss of nutrients.

One note on canned vegetables: Many valuable nutrients are found in the canning liquid. So, heat and serve the vegetables in their liquid. Also, be sure to choose low-sodium varieties.

Quick & Easy ways to add vegetables

• Plan vegetarian meals, such as vegetarian chili or beans and rice, several times a week.
• Snack on sliced carrots, radishes, cherry tomatoes, celery, or pepper sticks.
• Drink tomato or other vegetable juices.
• Toss leftover or frozen vegetables into favorite entrees. For instance, add carrots to tacos.
• Mix onions, spinach, and mushrooms into omelets or scrambled eggs.
• Top a baked potato with bell peppers, onions, broccoli, or other vegetables.
• Order minestrone or vegetable soup with lunch.

Week 1

A diet high in tomatoes can lower the risk of certain cancers, including prostate, lung, and stomach cancers.

Tips for Buying and Storing Fresh:

• Pass up tomatoes that are refrigerated. Refrigeration prevents ripening and makes them less tasty.
• Store tomatoes stem side up on a countertop away from direct sunlight. To speed up the ripening process, put them in a paper bag along with an apple or banana. These fruits give off a gas that speeds up ripening.

Ideas for Easy Fixing:

• Cut firm tomatoes in half. Cover with breadcrumbs, herbs, grated cheese. Place under the broiler for five minutes.
• Eat sliced tomatoes topped with fresh basil.
• Pour ready-made salsa over scrambled eggs for a spicy breakfast.

Week 2

Broccoli is loaded with quercetin, a compound that helps keep cholesterol at healthy levels. It also has been shown to reduce the risk of breast and bladder cancers.

Tips for Buying and Storing Fresh:

• Look for dark green, purplish, or bluish florets with no soft spots. For best taste, choose broccoli with slender stalks.
• Store broccoli in a plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper. But keep the bag open—this gives broccoli the right balance of humidity and oxygen.

Ideas for Easy Fixing:

• For a side dish, stir-fry cut broccoli in a bit of olive oil for two minutes. Then, add a little water and cover. Lower the heat and cook for a few more minutes. Uncover and let broccoli breathe for 10 to 15 seconds. Serve with a simple sprinkling of lemon juice or Parmesan cheese.
• Add cooked broccoli to any pasta dish, casserole, or soup. Keep frozen broccoli on hand for when you don't have fresh.

Week 3

The darker the carrot's orange color, the richer it is in beta-carotene, which protects against heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

Tips for Buying and Storing Fresh:

• If you like your carrots sweet, look for older carrots with thick tops. Young carrots have a milder taste.
• Cut the tops off of loose carrots before refrigerating. Otherwise, the carrot greens will decay and wilt.

Ideas for Easy Fixing:

• Add grated carrots to meatloaf to add moisture and to make the meat go further. Or add them to quick-bread and muffin recipes for added moisture and sweetness.
• Cut carrots into one-inch pieces. Add a little orange juice. Then, microwave on high until the carrots reach desired tenderness. Season with honey.
• Steam sliced carrots along with green beans or cauliflower.

Week 4

Green bell peppers boast twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruit. And red bell peppers have even more than the green variety.

Tips for Buying and Storing Fresh:

• Hold a pepper in your hand before buying. For best taste, it should feel heavier than it looks.
• Store peppers in a plastic bag for up to a week in your refrigerator. Green peppers last somewhat longer than red ones.

Ideas for Easy Fixing:

• Liven up your sandwiches with this topping: Thinly slice zucchini, red pepper, and red onion. Add grated carrots. Toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
• Sauté strips of pepper in a small amount of olive oil. Use as a garnish for fish or meat.

Week 5

Spinach and other green, leafy vegetables are high in lutein, which may prevent cataracts and other diseases.

Tips for Buying and Storing Fresh:

• Pick spinach with small leaves that smell sweet. Thin stems usually indicate a better flavor.
• When buying bagged leaves, squeeze the bag lightly to make sure the spinach is not limp or wilted.

Ideas for Easy Fixing:

• Steam spinach for five to 10 minutes. To do this, place spinach in a colander or steamer over a boiling pot of water and cover. Flavor with lemon juice. Or, quickly stir-fry the steamed spinach in a little olive oil along with garlic and chopped onion.
• Defrost frozen spinach and add yogurt or tomato sauce for creamed spinach.
• Add sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, and onions to raw spinach. Top with salad dressing warmed in the microwave.