A veggie is a veggie is a veggie, right? Nope! When I visited my nutritionist last year, she told me that I should be using veggies with greater nutritional value to not only help me get the most from what I eat, but also to help me feel more full and thus make weightloss easier. For instance, she suggested that I eat tomatoes in my cottage cheese in the morning instead of cucumbers, which have minimal nutrient value.

Perhaps reading about this from other sources will help us get a better feel for which veggies will help us be more healthy and lose more weight (because they fill us up better than things like iceberg lettuce...). Check out these resources:

http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php?...87072737eb99d1 (has a list of the healthiest foods, including veggies)

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ (from USDA...incredible, searchable database).

Just to give you an idea, check out this info for Spinach (from the website above) and compare it to this info on iceberg lettuce (put iceberg lettuce in the search box and follow the directions). Think about what a change it would make if you made your salads with baby spinach instead of iceberg!

This explains what the nutrients do and gives examples of where they can be found: http://www.nms.on.ca/Elementary/know_your_nutrients.htm

Don't boil your veggies...it leaches the nutrients out of them into the water! Try microwaving instead. Here's an article from Mayo Clinic on why this is better:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm...59F410&si=2765

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Thanks for all the info. I've been using iceberg lettuce for all my salads - now I'll definately use baby spinach or something else that's better for me.

Thanks! love reading up on this stuff!

Let's sticky this for a while and maybe copy it into FAQ. Good stuff - especially for folks who complain they are sick of salads!

Excellent info Laurie! The first link is my favorite. Who knew spicing up your foods made them taste better and be better for you!

Wow, glad you guys are interested! This stuff interests me too...I figure the healthier the food I'm putting into my body, the better. And I completely understand why people get sick of salads. There are so many yummy veggie recipes out there...we can enjoy them much more than a salad every day.

From Denise Austin's Morning Stretch, 5/9/05:

Ugghh... Iceberg salads make me sick. I always use Romaine, and occassionally try to get some Baby Spinach. Thanks for the info. My body has never liked Iceberg Lettuce - so I'm glad there is no reason really for me to eat it anyway!

Iceberg lettuce is a nutritional negative in my opinion!

Look for veggies with potassium! Not only does potassium help minimize the effects of salt on hypertension (high blood pressure), but it also keeps the heart at a steady beat (which may minimize the possibility of stroke) and reduces the calcium loss from bones (which may reduce the possibility of osteoporosis).

Check out this artcile from the Lean Plate Club called "Got Potassium?": http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...referrer=email (you may have to register to view it)

SoulBliss pointed out today that mushrooms, contrary to prior thought, have lots of nutrients! She recommended these two websites:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2001661,00.html

http://www.mushroom-uk.com/health_pr...-superfood.pdf

I didn't know about this myself until I read an article in Cooking Light earlier this year. So add mushrooms to your list of nutritionally-rich vegetables!

Eating vegetables with carotenoids? Include a little good fat! Studies show that you absorb more carotenoids when vegetables are eaten with some good fat than when they are eaten with a nonfat sauce/dressing. Here's more:

See this page from the RealAge website for more information and an easily SBD-adaptable recipe for sauce!

I continue to believe that microwaving retains the most nutrients of all cooking methods, but always thought eating raw veggies (with the exception of tomatoes) was the way we got the most nutrients from them. Turns out that's not true--or at least the studies show it may not be. I think in this case, microwaving would have the same effect--but I'm not a scientist, so who knows? Here's a quote from the article on RealAge:

I just read this RealAge tip. Love getting their newsletters. Who knew? I always steam my cauliflower and broccoli. Haven't tried it with carrots.