Your Daily Tip from Living Well

February 18, 2008

Power Up With Veggies Powerhouse Foods are the most elite foods on the Living

Well With Montel program, and vegetables are at the top of the list. Veggies

(and fruits, another Powerhouse Food) are naturally low-fat, low-calorie sources

of antioxidants and phytochemicals, fiber, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Plus, since they are so filling, they displace less-healthy foods that you may

eat if you aren't full. There are so many different ways to enjoy vegetables —

raw in a salad, cooked in a casserole, even blended in a smoothie. Veggies of

different colors contain different phytochemicals that can help you fight

disease, and they may work best in combination with one another. That's why it's

important to get as many different-colored veggies into your meals as possible.

Going for the whole rainbow not only gives you a health boost, but it looks nice

on your plate, too. I include beans in the Rainbow Foods veggie category

because they're cheap, taste good, and

offer meatless sources of protein, fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. The U.S.

government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans urge us to eat at least three cups

of legumes — the category that includes beans, peas, and lentils — each week.

You can buy beans dried and cook them yourself or you can get them in a can —

just look out for high sodium levels in canned beans. It's getting easier now,

though, to find lower-sodium and no-salt-added canned beans. Can't find them?

Not to worry. Just rinse the beans before you use them to get rid of extra

sodium. Some (but not nearly all) of my favorite Powerhouse veggies are

carrots, purple cabbage, red peppers, zucchini, pumpkin, lentils, and leeks. How

many veggies of different colors can you include in your meals today?

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