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Using more fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, lean meats, nuts and beans, is a safe and healthy way to lose or maintain weight.

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber and other substances that are important for good health.

To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body uses.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to eat less food. You can create lower-calorie versions of some of your favorite dishes by substituting low-calorie fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients.

The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories.

Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling.

There are simple ways to cut calories and eat more fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

 

Breakfast: Start the day right

— Substitute spinach, onions or mushrooms for one egg or half the cheese in your morning omelet. The vegetables will add volume and flavor to the dish with fewer calories than the egg or cheese.

— Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl to make room for some cut-up bananas, peaches or strawberries. You can still eat a full bowl, but with fewer calories.

 

Lighten up your lunch

— Substitute vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers or onions for two ounces of the cheese and two ounces of the meat in your sandwich, wrap or burrito. The new version will fill you up with fewer calories than the original.

— Replace two ounces of meat or one cup of noodles in broth-based soup with one cup of chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, beans or red peppers. The vegetables will help fill you up, so you won’t miss those extra calories.

 

Dinner

— Add in a cup of chopped vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, squash, onions or peppers, while removing a cup of the rice or pasta in your favorite dish. The dish with the vegetables will be just as satisfying but have fewer calories than the same amount of the original version.

— Take a good look at your dinner plate. Vegetables, fruit and whole grains should take up the largest portion of your plate. If they do not, replace some of the meat, cheese, white pasta or rice with legumes, steamed broccoli, asparagus, greens or another favorite vegetable. This will reduce the total calories in your meal without reducing the amount of food you eat. Remember to use a normal or small plate, not a platter. The total number of calories that you eat counts, even if a good proportion of them come from fruits and vegetables.

 

Smart snacks

— Most healthy-eating plans allow for one or two small snacks a day. Choosing most fruits and vegetables will allow you to eat a snack with only 100 calories.

Here are some fruits and vegetables that are 100 calories or less:

— a medium-size apple (72 calories)

— a medium-size banana (105 calories)

— one cup steamed green beans (44 calories)

— one cup blueberries (83 calories)

— one cup grapes (100 calories)

— one cup carrots (45 calories), broccoli (30 calories) or bell peppers (30 calories) with two tablespoons of hummus (46 calories)

Instead of a high-calorie snack from a vending machine, bring some cut-up vegetables or fruit from home. A one-ounce bag of corn chips has as many calories as a small apple, a cup of whole strawberries and a cup of carrots with 1/4 cup of low-calorie dip. Substitute one or two of these options for the chips, and you will have a satisfying snack with fewer calories.

 

Remember: Substitution is the key

It’s true that fruits and vegetables are lower in calories than many other foods, but they do contain some calories. If you start eating fruits and vegetables in addition to what you usually eat, you are adding calories and may gain weight. The key is substitution. Eat fruits and vegetables instead of some other higher-calorie food.

 

More tips

Eat fruits and vegetables the way nature provided or with fat-free or low-fat cooking techniques.

Try steaming your vegetables, using low-calorie or low-fat dressings and using herbs and spices to add flavor.

Some cooking techniques, such as breading and frying, or using high-fat dressings or sauces will greatly increase the calories and fat in the dish.

Eat your fruit raw to enjoy its natural sweetness.

Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options.

Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as the fresh varieties. However, be careful to choose those without added sugar, syrup, cream sauces or other ingredients that will add calories.

Choose whole fruit over fruit drinks and juices. Fruit juices have lost fiber from the fruit.

It is better to eat the whole fruit because it contains the added fiber that helps you feel full. One six-ounce serving of orange juice has 85 calories, compared to just 65 calories in a medium orange.

Whole fruit gives you a bigger size snack than the same fruit dried for the same number of calories.

A small box of raisins (1/4 cup) is about 100 calories. For the same number of calories, you can eat a cup of grapes.

 

Clark County Health Department provides programs for the entire family, including Medical Nutrition Therapy (weight-loss counseling, diabetes management, etc.), diabetes classes, diabetes support Group, Diabetes Prevention Program, WIC, HANDS, family planning and well-child/immunizations.  For more information, call 744-4482, like us on Facebook or visit our website at www.clarkhealthdept.org.