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Old 06-15-2014, 12:29 AM   #1  
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Talking Calling it "rabbit food" actually sometimes helps

I may be the only one who feels this way; we'll see. But as a picky eater who has learned to like some vegetables but still doesn't routinely prepare any and can go for long stretches without eating them and not even notice, I have to do anything I can to psych myself.

And with that in mind, sometimes I've found it helps to take a humorous approach and just go ahead and call it "rabbit food" (I also have pet rabbits, so we could "share" LOL) especially the raw salad vegetables. Raw vegetables in general are easier for me to deal with in most cases, because they can just be eaten (rabbitlike!) as a munchy snack. For me, with one or two exceptions, cooking vegetables is unappealing - it's like the emotional energy just to eat them is taxing enough, and to try to figure out some way to cook them and take the time to prep and cook, just seems like way more time than I care to spend on them.

Does this make sense to any other veggie-challenged, or am I the only one?
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Old 06-15-2014, 01:01 AM   #2  
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I am not that disciplined and never will be. Plus I'm a supertaster, which is a lot of the reason I'm picky. But I don't just sit and inhale Twinkies. I have some sweet things and yes, I do eat breads (whole grain) and pasta (often whole grain, once in awhile white). And similar things. And I eat dairy. Not going to apologize for that. If my progress in losing is slower than that of the vegetable enthusiasts, so be it.

My point was simply that if humor helps me get past my reluctance, why not make use of it . . .
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Old 06-15-2014, 05:05 PM   #3  
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Hi I hope I didn't sound too defensive - apologies if I did. With my issues sometimes it's hard to find people who can relate.

A "supertaster" is a scientific term for a person who has the ability to taste a certain bitter chemical and is generally sensitive to bitterness more than the average person. I am pretty sure I'm a supertaster, though I haven't been tested.

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Testing a person's sensitivity to a bitter chemical called 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) is a more definitive way to determine if he or she is a supertaster; non-tasters can't taste PROP, but supertasters can and really don't like its bitter taste! Average tasters can taste it too, but its bitter taste is not strong enough to bother them. -- Super-Tasting Science: Find Out If You're A 'Supertaster'!" -- Scientific American December 27, 2012 http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...a-supertaster/
I might feel guilty that I don't eat more vegetables, but it's a huge struggle for a number of reasons. Sorry if that sounds whiney, I'm trying to get out of feeling that way, but it's going to take some time. I do appreciate advice and at least some of it will be useful even if not all - so I don't mind, and I thank you.

This "Veggie Challenged" forum seemed like just what I needed when I first saw it but I've come to realize my challenges might be beyond its scope. Still, I'll hang around for that tidbit of advice that just might "click." Can't hurt, right?
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Old 06-18-2014, 01:53 PM   #4  
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I was curious which veggies were associated with the PROP chemical you named, so I googled a bit... found this study instead, yikes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15810630

Good for you for tackling this and trying to work on it. I don't have veggie issues, but if I am having a particularly low-energy day, taking more time to make a veggie side sometimes feels like too much, so I understand the frustrations with preparation time, at least. Sometimes I help this by roasting huge batches of veggies and having them in the fridge to munch on (mix of things like carrots, onion, bell peppers, zucchini, maybe some brussel sprouts). Roasting also makes veggies much sweeter! That's probably not a very useful idea in the summer, though.

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Old 06-18-2014, 03:51 PM   #5  
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Originally Posted by Desiderata View Post
That's probably not a very useful idea in the summer, though.
You can roast in a toaster oven or grill for a similar effect.

To the OP, I know that it's tough to get in vegetables if you're not used to them. I like to mix shredded, pureed, or small cut vegetables into nearly everything (sneaky parent style).

My boyfriend has IBS and certain issues with specific vegetables/food items, so I swap ingredients often - for example, I take beans out of any "tex-mex" meal and replace it with tiny chopped zucchini, or I use mushrooms, spinach, and peppers in lieu of broccoli or cabbage.
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Old 06-19-2014, 06:48 PM   #6  
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Quote:
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I was curious which veggies were associated with the PROP chemical you named, so I googled a bit... found this study instead, yikes: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15810630

Good for you for tackling this and trying to work on it. I don't have veggie issues, but if I am having a particularly low-energy day, taking more time to make a veggie side sometimes feels like too much, so I understand the frustrations with preparation time, at least. Sometimes I help this by roasting huge batches of veggies and having them in the fridge to munch on (mix of things like carrots, onion, bell peppers, zucchini, maybe some brussel sprouts). Roasting also makes veggies much sweeter! That's probably not a very useful idea in the summer, though.
Thanks for taking my concerns seriously and not shaming or judging.

That study - I never made that connection but it makes sense. What a scary thought. I haven't had a colonoscopy yet and I'm past 50, need to get on that I guess. The Prop chemical is the bitter one - I've also started seeing articles just mentioning "brassica" taste as what people tend to love or hate . . . it's the sulfurousness of things such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. that you can smell when they're cooking.

I'm glad you found a time-saving idea that works for you. I'm not sure if it would for me, as first-time-round vegetables are difficult enough; leftovers tend to acquire more of the qualities (mushiness, "off" flavors) that I have so much struggle with as a picky eater. Once in awhile I can deal with reheated Chinese food - but that's a mix of stuff, not an all-vegetable version . . . But Munchy might have an inspiration for me with this:

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Originally Posted by Munchy View Post
You can roast in a toaster oven or grill for a similar effect.
That would be worth trying, since I'm single, only need a portion at a time, and it'd be quick. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Munchy View Post
To the OP, I know that it's tough to get in vegetables if you're not used to them. I like to mix shredded, pureed, or small cut vegetables into nearly everything (sneaky parent style).
For me the puree' idea is probably the best - if I don't like a vegetable and it's identifiable I'll pick it out or pass on the dish, depending on what it is.

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Originally Posted by Munchy View Post
My boyfriend has IBS and certain issues with specific vegetables/food items, so I swap ingredients often - for example, I take beans out of any "tex-mex" meal and replace it with tiny chopped zucchini, or I use mushrooms, spinach, and peppers in lieu of broccoli or cabbage.
I have IBS too, but it doesn't flare up too often. The only kind of pepper I can tolerate the taste of is Jalapeno, and then only the juice in nacho sauce (which I probably shouldn't eat much of anyhow). Bells are out (see my Bell Pepper Rant thread! ) I can handle broccoli and cabbage especially in Chinese food - and they don't give me IBS unless I suddenly eat a ton of them after not having any for a long period of time. It seems that some kind of meat marinade sets mine off. I had to give up Arby's roast beef, for example. Also too much Spirulina soy powder mix, which has been one way I get nutrients into my picky self - if it's in a fruit smoothie I guess it digests slower, but when I tried just mixing it with ricemilk it was not good.

Sorry I got to rambling . . . carry on . . .
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Old 06-22-2014, 02:16 PM   #7  
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I love vegetables and I eat a LOT of them. I have them at every meal and also as snacks. I have never even been tempted to pick a particular vegetable out of my food, or push it to the side of the plate. Having said that, my weight loss is so slow it's almost non-existant, so although vegetables have a lot of nutrients, they are not a guarantee to weight loss. I am not vegan, so I do eat other foods, and apparently I eat too much and move too little.

My husband doesn't like vegetables and has lived most of his life only eating peas or corn, and very little at that. He has never had a weight problem and at 71 years old has never had a health problem other than high blood pressure. I, the vegetable queen, am overweight, have heart disease and diabetes, and take more pills that I care to admit. So if you like vegetables, by all means eat them. If not, do the best you can to get some into your diet. The posters here had a lot of good suggestions for adding them to your meals, but if your concerned, pop a few vitamin pills.
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