Health & Fitness

5 Easy Ways to Add More Vegetables to Your Diet

Less than 20% of Canadians eat the recommended seven servings of fruit and vegetables each day. Here's how to make eating veggies a little easier

By Wellness Matters /

You should ideally consume four servings of vegetables every day

When 2,500 Canadians were asked if they eat the seven or more recommended daily servings of vegetables and fruit per day (ideally, a minimum four servings should be vegetables), less than 20% said yes.

But 64% of respondents said they would eat more veggies if they understood why
 they should.

Why You Need Seven Servings of Fruit and Vegetables Daily

Vegetables (and fruit) contain a wide range of vitamins, minerals and powerful disease-fighting plant chemicals that help defend against certain cancers and help control blood pressure. They are naturally low in fat and salt and are a great source of fibre, which helps keep you feeling full longer while also promoting regularity. 


5 Ways to Get More Vegetables into Your Diet

If you don’t naturally migrate toward vegetables, try these five ideas for easing them into your life.

  1. 

Texturize: Add grated raw vegetables to salads, wraps and pitas.


  2. Purée: Cooked, puréed zucchini, carrot or pumpkin can be added to pasta sauces, soups and even muffin batter.


  3. Spread: Mash an avocado, roasted red peppers or steamed asparagus and blend with a little mayo for a sandwich spread.


  4. Season: Drizzle black bean sauce over steamed green beans, or jazz up purple cabbage coleslaw with soy sauce and sesame oil. 


  5. Drink: Just half a cup (125 mL) of vegetable juice counts as one serving, but don’t rely on juices to meet your veggie quota. Whole vegetables and fruits offer more fibre and staying power.

Originally published in Wellness Matters, Canada Wide Media’s quarterly newsletter on health and wellness.