Eating meat is addictive. For many, eating meat is no problem. The problem is eating enough veggies. Which is why in this article I want to show you how to eat more vegetables in your diet.
Studies have shown that meat contains a substance called hypoxanthine that causes stimulant effects similar to caffeine. It’s no wonder you experience withdrawal symptoms like loss of energy and tiredness once you switch to a nutrient-rich diet.
Before I tell you how to eat more vegetables, let me show you some of the health risks of eating too much meat, especially red meat.
Health Risks of Red Meat
1) Hardening of the Blood Vessels
It’s already bad enough that red meat contains a lot of saturated fat, which is very bad for your heart and blood vessels. It also contains the amino acid L-carnitine, which is delivered to the bacteria residing in your intestines. According to the Harvard Health Blog, These bacteria break down L-carnitine to form another compound, Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), which causes hardening of the blood vessel walls in human beings.
2) Increases Risk of Diabetes
In a nine-year study conducted by the Harvard Medical School and published in the Diabetes Care Journal, researchers learned that eating high amounts of red and processed meats will increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in women over 45 years old.
3) Increase Risk of Cancer
In a press release by the International Agency for Research of Cancer (IARC), it was revealed that not only are carcinogenic compounds present in raw meat prior to cooking; these same compounds are released and more carcinogens are produced when you cook meat.
In addition, in a Cancer.org article quoting the World Health Organization, there is an 18 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer when you eat processed meat. You also increase your risk of prostate and pancreatic cancer.
4) Increased Risk of Death
Eat too much meat, processed meat in particular, and you may die. A BMC Medicine study on 450,000 men and women determined if eating lots of meat is related to known causes of death, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and others. The study showed that there is a “moderate” association between meat intake and causes of death.
How to Eat More Vegetables
Okay, you’re probably thinking “You’ve scared me half to death already with all this medical stuff on meat. But I can’t stand the sight, much more the taste, of vegetables. I want to know how to eat more vegetables!
Now, don’t panic. Meat is still a part of a balanced diet. It contains a lot of great nutrients, like protein, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium. BUT, you should not overeat on your meats.
If you really hate veggies that much, there are sneaky ways to which you can add vegetables to your diet.
1) Add Veggies in Your Favourite Meat Dishes and Snacks
Let the meat hide the taste of the veggies you hate. For example, hamburger patties and ground meats are a great way to sneak in veggies. What you do is finely chop or grate veggies, like zucchini, parsley, and bell pepper, and mix them together in a large bowl with your ground meat. To prevent your ingredients from crumbling apart, add an egg or two. Take your ground meat and veggies mixture and flatten them into patties or roll them up into meatballs. Once ready, just cook it straight on your grill.
2) Make a Yummy Fruit and Veggie Smoothie
When preparing your favorite smoothie, add a cup of a leafy vegetable (one that is not bitter). Great veggies to add to smoothies are carrots, cucumbers, and spinach. Add your favorite fruits, like a banana, frozen blueberries or avocadoes. Let your base be a yummy beverage, like orange juice or soy milk. Put in some ice for that bit of crunch, and pop them all in the blender.
3) Switch Your Carbs With Veggies
Swap your mashed potatoes with mashed veggies instead. Some great veggies that you can mash include broccoli, squash, carrots, or butternut squash. Steam your veggie until it is soft. Add a little oil, garlic and butter and then mash them together. You can also use a blender for a smoother consistency. If you want more zing to your mashed veggies, add some salt or your favorite spices or cheese.
4) Swap Your Sauces and Gravies With Salsa
Salsa is a healthier alternative to your regular sauces and gravies. In fact, it tastes so good that you don’t even notice that you are eating actual veggies. Adding a few more veggies to your salsa won’t harm the taste one bit.
Try this quick salsa recipe…
Mix in a bowl the following ingredients…
- 2 cups, diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup, chopped onions
- A handful of chopped cilantro
Add lime juice, salt and/or pepper to taste. If you want your salsa spicy, add minced jalapeño. Blend all these ingredients together in a blender. Other great veggies to add to this salsa are beans, bell peppers and corn.
5) Spruce Up Your Scrambled Eggs With Veggies
Scrambled eggs can be bland if served as is. Make it healthier fare by adding steamed, grated or finely minced veggies like broccoli or cauliflower. You can also make a yummy veggie frittata.
6) Make Your Own Veggie Pasta
You have probably eaten a lot of delicious pastas with vegetables instead of meat as the main ingredients. What you don’t know is that you can go all out veggie by making noodles out of your fave veggies. You can make veggie noodles with your spiralizer using squash, zucchini, cucumber or asparagus.
Don’t let your addiction to meat prevent you from getting good nutrition. Try these nifty, sneaky methods of getting more veggies into your diet. I hope by reading this, you know how to eat more vegetables in your diet more naturally. Try it yourself!