Vegetables are strongly recommended because they offer a wide category of health benefits. Veggies are leading sources for many essential nutrients, such as vitamins A and C and folate. In addition, vegetable diets may prevent risk of several chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some of the major cancers of the Western world such as cancer of the stomach , lung, mouth, esophagus , colon and rectum.

By nature most vegetables are low in calories. They are great in salads because people can eat them in their natural low-fat, low-calorie form.

Cooking vegetables properly is very important. Their weight control value depend on how they are prepared. If you want to loose weight you must avoid fried potatoes. The best for a healthy life style is to lightly steam vegetables in the microwave on the top of the stove. It is important to use as little water as possible to preserve their maximum nutrition power.

In order to rise the vegetable consumption, here are some ways you may follow:

1. Keep your meat on your dinner plate no more than 3-ounces (about the size of a woman's palm) and make the vegetable portions at least twice the size of your meat portion.

2. To avoid a grain calorie overload, eat equal portions of vegetables and grains at dinner. A cup of cooked rice or pasta has about 200 calories, whereas a cup of cooked veggies doles out a mere 50 calories.

3. If you use a sandwich for your lunch, make it half as usual and add a veggie salad to create a more satisfying, higher volume mid-day meal.

4. If you need a fast snack, build a sandwich that has more lettuce and tomato than meat. Be creative and try to eliminate meat and bred from your snacks.

5. If you are a pre-dinner muncher, try a plate of veggies before dinner to help curb your appetite.

Valerian D is a freelance writer specialized in health issues like obesity. This condition may shorten life expectancy

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