Nutritional benefits
Vegetables should represent, in quantity, a major part of our diet, as is the case in Mediterranean and Asian dietary models. At each meal, whether working from home or outside, their consumption must be substantial and regular, so that they have effects on our long-term health.
Some nutrients are specific to plants, which is why no other food can replace them – they contain anti-cancer sulfur substances, certain polyphenols, etc. Vegetables are essential because of their nutritional profile which balances our diet.
> Their energy intake is low (15 to 25 Kcal/100 g on average) which promotes maintaining a healthy weight and weight loss, if necessary. They provide water, very little carbohydrates, proteins or lipids.
> Their intake of various dietary fibers satiates and balances transit; they contain cellulose and lignin, which increase the speed of transit, as well as pectin and hemicelluloses, which swell like sponges and create a natural appetite suppressant effect.
> These plants are rich in vitamin C – which partly disappears during cooking – and other antioxidants: carotenes (carrot, broccoli, pepper, etc.), sulfur substances (cabbage, turnip, garlic, onion, leek, etc.), polyphenols of all kinds (anthocyanins from red cabbage, flavonoids from onion, etc.).
> They are very low in fat, and some contain a small amount of omega-3, like lamb’s lettuce.
> Finally, they contain a good quantity of minerals, which is a benefit during the growth period. Calcium and magnesium are particularly abundant there, and their richness in potassium gives them diuretic properties. Than preparing a dish of shells… But we gain in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
Express vegetables instructions for use
> Choose vegetables that can be prepared in just a few minutes: zucchini, pepper, endive, cauliflower and broccoli, white cabbage and Chinese cabbage, tomato, cucumber and carrot, young shoots, etc.
> Reduce the cooking time to keep them al dente: they will keep their flavors, their color and their vitamins will still be present.
> Do not peel zucchini, thin-skinned potatoes and carrots, cucumber, etc. Buy them organic, to limit the presence of pollutants.
> Cook the vegetables in a wok or pan (5 to 10 minutes) or quickly blanch them in steam (3 minutes) to soften them.
> Cut them in a food processor or by hand if you are preparing small quantities (2 people), with a good thin-bladed knife.
How many vegetables per day?
It is desirable to consume at least 300 to 400 g of vegetables every day, which represents:
• a portion of raw vegetables
• a portion of cooked vegetables
• a soup or salad in addition.
For children, the plan is the same, only the quantities must be adapted to their appetite (200 to 300 g/day minimum).
Vegetables, the basis of the menu
Build your vegetable plate:
> The ideal is to mix several vegetables, for color and taste, but also because each of them has a specific nutritional profile in terms of micronutrients. Without knowing the nutritional composition of each vegetable, simply have the reflex to mix the colors and different types: leaves (cabbage, lettuce, spinach), roots (turnip, carrot, radish) and fruiting vegetables (zucchini, tomato, pepper), because they do not provide the same nutrients.
> Add a starchy food (chickpeas, lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, bulgur, etc.) or provide bread, which is essential for providing the dish with complex carbohydrates.
> Complete – or not – with cheese, fish, an egg, etc. but this remains optional.
> Take care of the seasoning: garlic, shallot and onion rich in sulfur substances, fresh herbs which provide vitamin C and carotenes. Oilseeds (sesame, pine nuts, walnuts, etc.) supplement the intake of unsaturated fatty acids beneficial to circulation and cardiac functioning.
> Don’t forget the fat: butter (vitamins A and D), vegetable creams (soy, almond, oats) or virgin oils (olive, sesame, rapeseed, nuts).
Raw or cooked?
Alternate raw – richer in vitamins – and cooked, more digestible. The ideal is flash cooking (3-4 minutes in the wok) to make the vegetables more digestible without destroying the micronutrients.
