How does your pyramid stack up? Vegetable facts Each day your body uses more than 40 different nutrients to stay healthy. Foods are the cheapest and best way to get them. No one food is perfect. The wider the variety of foods that you eat every day, the better your chances are of getting what you need to stay fit. Most vegetables are rich in fiber. They differ in the amounts of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, folate, iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium they provide. They add color and "crunch" to our diets, and are low in fat. Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, and lettuce, average about 25 calories per serving. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, and peas, average about 80 calories per serving. Most adults should eat 3-5 servings of vegetables per day. Choose: Food Item Serving Size Healthful Hints Dark-green vegetables (broccoli, greens, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, Brussels sprouts) 1 cup raw 1/2 cup cooked Use low-fat or fat-free salad dressings. Deep-yellow vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, winter squash) 1/2 cup cooked or raw Season with nutmeg, ginger or parsley. Starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, hominy, green peas, lima beans) 1/2 cup cooked Season with herbs, spices or pepper; low-fat or plain yogurt. Other vegetables (asparagus, cauliflower, green beans, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes) 1 cup raw 1/2 cup cooked Use low-fat or fat-free salad dressings. Tomato or vegetable juice 3/4 cup Choose when other vegetables are not handy. Tips to improve your vegetable intake Try many different kinds of vegetables and vegetable juice. Try a new one each week. Raw vegetables make a good snack; low-fat dressings make good dips. Steam or stir fry vegetables until just tender but still crisp. (Use a cooking spray or 1/4 tsp. oil.) Add vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower to tomato sauce and serve with pasta, or add vegetables to soups, stews or casseroles. Add romaine, endive, greens or spinach to salads for more vitamin power. Top baked potatoes with other vegetables or low-fat cheese for a quick lunch. Buy fresh vegetables in season, when they taste best and cost less. Stock up with frozen or canned vegetables so you don't run out. As an initial goal, try one of these tips twice a week. Keep it up for 2 weeks. Sit back and see how you feel. As you feel comfortable with one tip, add another! Go slowly and keep track of your success! Let your doctor know you're trying. Small changes can make a big difference in the long run. What Counts as a Serving? Vegetable Group 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables 1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw 3/4 cup of vegetable juice Used with permission from the Learning Center at the American Dietetic Association.

These fact sheets or other similar patient education materials should be given to patients once the diagnosis and prescription have been discussed and agreed upon. One side of the fact sheet describes the food category and why it is important to consume particular amounts per day. The second side of the fact sheet provides dietary behavior change tips on how to achieve the goal.

Complex medical problems that require medical nutrition therapy may need referral to appropriate qualified nutrition professionals such as registered dietitians. Regardless of the level of simplicity or complexity, the physician needs to express concern about the importance of dietary behavior change to the patient as a first step in facilitating adherence.

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