Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

There are so many out there that you may not even know that you like! I like to buy a different fruit that is in season every week. Especially when they are on sale....

Try to eat a vegetable at every meal. The healthy fiber will fill you up and help you eat less.

Go for Color!

Fruits and vegetables come in all colors of the rainbow. From deep red and green to vibrant orange and yellow, these colors correlate with the natural phytochemicals found inside the fruits and vegetables. The phytochemicals not only give fruit their color, they also give them health-promoting properties. Eating a wide variety of colors each day helps you enjoy the many health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Try see how many colors you can get in your every day.

RED

Red fruits and vegetables are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that can reduce the risk of many types of cancer including prostate cancer.

GUAVA

PINK GRAPEFRUIT

TOMATOES

WATERMELON

RED/PURPLE/BLUE

These fruits and vegetables contain anthocyanins powerful antioxidants that can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

BEETS

BLACKBERRIES

BLUEBERRIES

CHERRIES

CRANBERRIES

EGGPLANT

PLUMS

PRUNES

PURPLE GRAPE JUICE

RED GRAPES

RASPBERRIES

RED APPLES

RED CABBAGE

RED PEARS

RED PEPPERS

STRAWBERRIES

ORANGE

These fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene, which protects eyes and skin and can reduce the risk of certain cancers.

ACORN SQUASH

APRICOTS

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

CANTALOUPE

CARROTS

MANGOS

PUMPKINS

SWEET POTATOES/YAMS

ORANGE/YELLOW

These fruits and vegetables are rich in beta cryptoxanthin another antioxidant that protects cells from the harmful effects of pollutants such as cigarette smoke.

NECTARINES

ORANGES

ORANGE JUICE

PAPAYAS

PEACHES

PINEAPPLES

TANGERINES

YELLOW GRAPEFRUITS

YELLOW/GREEN

These fruits and vegetables contain lutein and xeazanthin types of carotenoids that protect eye health by reducing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration which can cause loss of vision.

COLLARD GREENS

CORN

CUCUMBERS

GREEN BEANS

GREEN LEAF LETTUCE

GREEN PEAS

GREEN PEPPERS

HONEYDEW MELON

KIWIFRUIT

MUSTARD GREENS

ROMAINE LETTUCE

SPINACH

TURNIP GREENS

YELLOW PEPPERS

ZUCCHINI

GREEN

These fruits and vegetables contain sulforaphane, isothiocyanates and indoles which all boost the body's cancer-fighting ability.

BROCCOLI

BROCCOLI SPROUTS

BRUSSEL SPROUTS

GREEN OR WHITE CAULIFLOWER

CHINESE CABBAGE

GREEN CABBAGE

KALE

SWISS CHARD

GREEN/WHITE

These fruits and vegetables offer a variety of benefits. Garlic and onions contain a tumor fighter called allicin, mushrooms may reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer, and the others contain flavanoids and other antioxidants that protect cells.

APPLE JUICE

ARTICHOKES

ASPARAGUS

CELERY

ENDIVE

GARLIC

MUSHROOMS

ONIONS

A major reason to eat more fruits and vegetables is their nutritiousness. Unless baked in a pie or dripping in butter, most are low in fat and calories - except avocados, coconuts an olives, all of which contain fat naturally. Many are excellent sources of the Vitamins A & C and provide ample fiber.

In addition, many fruits and vegetables, particularly dried beans and peas, are significant sources of folate, a B vitamin that can help reduce the risk of certain serious and common birth defects.

Produce has other positive qualities. Many items, such as raisins, grapes, cherry tomatoes, and bananas, can be eaten on the spot, with minimal preparation. They are just as easy to pick up as fast food. Unlike other types of foods we don't need to restrict the amount we eat of fruits and vegetables. They are something you can add to your diet rather than taking something away.

You can determine the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables by looking at the Nutrition Facts panel on the side or back of labels of frozen and canned items. Nutrition information is usually posted in fresh produce sections of grocery stores now as well. You may also see longer clams describing the relationship of the food or one or more nutrients in the food to a certain disease or medical condition. Only claims approved by the FDA can be used in food labeling. Three approved health claims pertain to fruits and vegetables. These claims describe how:

• Fruits and vegetables may help lower the risk of some cancers
• Fruits, vegetables, and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
• Fiber-containing grain products, fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of some cancers.

In addition, the FDA approved a claim stating that a diet with adequate folic acid may reduce the risk of certain birth defects. This claim might appear on labels of dried beans, brussel sprouts, asparagus, tomato juice, and orange juice- foods that are excellent or good sources of folate. (61)

Cook at home frequently

Have breakfast at home and include fruit, whole grains and skim milk daily. Bring lunch with a sandwich, salad and fruit most days. Prepare a heavy-on-the-vegetables dinner at home most days. To save time, try the ready-to-eat packaged salads or stir-fry mixtures. Prepare extra portions and freeze in meal-size containers labeled with the content and date.

Know how to eat out

When eating in a restaurant, order a salad with the dressing on the side. Dip the fork in the dressing before taking a bite of salad. Order the entree with the vegetable on the side dish. If eating Italian choose pasta with marinara sauce. If ordering pizza, ask for double sauce, half the cheese and vegetables on top. When eating Chinese food, opt for steamed brown rice, vegetables instead of fried options.

Memorize healthy recipes

Have healthy ingredients on hand and have a healthy dinner on the table in short order. Here are some ideas: Add canned beans to chili and tomatoes or extra vegetables to soups or casseroles. Add frozen or canned vegetables to pasta. Saute leftover veggies, add a can of beans, spices and a jar of prepared spaghetti sauce. Make an egg white omelet with avocado, tomatoes, and broccoli. Saute fresh, frozen or leftover vegetables in a small amount of oil, garlic, add sauce of your choice and serve with brown rice.

Know how to snack

Opt for carrots or veggies in low-fat dressing, rather than chips. Choose fruit instead of candy. Munch on almonds and raisins instead of crackers. Try plain low-fat yogurt mixed with berries, bananas or peaches instead of ice cream. For a heavier snack, try natural peanut butter or low-fat cheese on a banana, apple or celery.

Make your liquids count

Drink 6 oz. of 100% orange juice or other citrus juice every day. Drink skim milk instead of 2% or whole milk. Next time you want soda, grab 100% vegetable or fruit juice instead. Add some zip to fruit juice by mixing in club soda or seltzer. Make fruit smoothies by mixing juice, fruit and ice cubes in a blender.

Plan ahead

When going to a party set a limit on how much food you'll eat and spend more time socializing. Use a napkin as a plate and you'll be less likely to take food that drips (and usually is higher in fat). Bring a fruit or vegetable platter along. (62)

Here are some actions to get you started and keep you going. Try two or three actions now and try more later:

• Buy many kinds of fruits and vegetables when you shop, so you have plenty of choices, and you don't run out. Buy frozen, dried and canned as well as fresh fruits and vegetables
• First, use the fruits and veggies that go bad easily (peaches, asparagus). Save hardier varieties (apples, acorn squash) or frozen and canned types for later in the week
• Use the salad bar to buy cut-up fruits/vegetables if you don't have time
• Keep a fruit bowl, small packs of applesauce, raisins or other dried fruit on the kitchen counter, table or in the office
• Pack a piece of fruit or some cut-up veggies in your briefcase or backpack; carry moist towelettes for easy cleanup
• Keep a bowl of cut-up veggies on the top shelf of the fridge
• Add fruit to breakfast by drinking 6 oz. of 100% fruit juice or by having fruit on your cereal
• Add fruits and vegetables to dinner by microwaving or steaming vegetables and having a special fruit dessert
• Once a week or more, try a low-fat meatless meal or main dish that features beans (tacos or burritos stuffed with pinto or refried black beans; chili with kidney beans; black beans over rice)
• Try kidney beans or black-eyed peas with barley. It's a fast and east way to use beans and peas without cooking them from scratch
• Use beans as a dip for vegetables or filling for sandwiches
• Serve soup made from beans or peas - minestrone, split-pea, black bean, or lentil (once a week or more)
• Add beans to salads (65)

Money-Saving Tips for Fruits and Vegetables

• Buy fruits and veggies in season or shop for fruits and veggies on sale
• Compare prices between fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Buy whichever is cheaper
• Compare brands to find the best price
• Buy bananas, peaches, pears, cantaloupe and tomatoes at different stages of ripeness. They will finish ripening at room temperature. Then they will be ready to eat at different times. This way, you can include them in your meals over several days
• Do not refrigerate fresh tomatoes. Leave them on the counter until they are ready to eat. They should have a rich red color and be slightly soft
• Refrigerate ripe pears, peaches and cantaloupe so they say fresh longer (66)

61. U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA Consumer March 1997 Updated August 1998 Article by Paula Kurtzweil

62. A Bushel of Reasons to Eat your fruits and vegetables by Cynthia Gillette, PhD, RD, AMC Cancer Research Institute, Denver, CO. Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, LRD, North Dakota State University, Food & Nutrition Dept.

65. The National Cancer Institute. Action Guide for Healthy Eating: Action List for Fruits and Vegetables. 1999. (Online)

66. 1997 Regents of the University of Minnesota http://www.extension.umn.edu/

How to Eat 5-6 Small Meals a Day or How to Snack for Weight Loss

This is an easy thing to do. Basically, you eat when you are hungry. But don't have a "meal". Eat what you used to eat as a "snack". But, you have to get a better idea of what a snack is. Have some carrots, pretzels, parmesan cheese and hummus. Have a bowl of oatmeal. Have a small salad with a bit of lean protein, such as chickpeas or tofu. Eat what you like. Just don't eat a lot of it. You want to eat until you start to feel just slightly full. This way, you will actually be hungry to eat 5-6 times a day.

"Grazing" may be good for you. Many nutritionists say grazing, or snacking on mini meals, may very well be a healthier way to eat than three large meals a day. "There is some evidence that people who snack in a wise sort of way may find weight control easier," says David J.A. Jenkins, professor of medicine and nutritional science at the University of Toronto. Further, the AHA points out, nibbling or snacking can be useful for diabetics because it keeps blood sugar levels more even without the big demand for insulin created by larger meals. Yet, with these health benefits, "Snacking has undeservedly gotten bad press," says Dr. Jenkins. And, despite positive research findings on the benefits of healthful snacks, advertisers continue to push calorie-laden snack foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugar.

Snack Tips

1. Stock up on plain popcorn, lowfat whole-grain crackers or bread, unsweetened fruit juices, fresh fruits and vegetables (cut them up right away so they are easier to eat when you get hungry), plain nonfat yogurt, lowfat cottage cheese, hummus, soy crisps, etc.

2. If a snack is replacing a meal, choose snacks that are more like meals, such as a sandwich or a hearty salad and a cup of soup.

3. Go easy on snacks that list sugar as the first ingredient.

4. Avoid foods that contain lard, beef tallow, palm, palm kernel or coconut oils - all high in saturated fat.

5. Plan snacks as a part of the day's food plan. This requires some planning ahead such as packing a yogurt cup or celery with peanut butter and sunflower seeds.

6. When shopping pick out fruits, vegetables and hard cheeses; you will be more interested in eating them if they are already in the house.

7. Set aside a "snack spot" in the fridge and cupboard; keep it stocked with nutritious ready-to-eat snacks.

8. Have snacks at regular times, such as midmorning and midafternoon. Don't nibble constantly during the day.

9. Avoid high sugar, fatty, and salty snacks, such as candy and soda.

10. Snacks are a good way to introduce new foods.

11. Plan snacks to help meet the suggested number of servings a day from the Food Guide Pyramid: 6 to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta; 2 to 4 servings of fruits; 3 to 5 servings of milk, cheese and yogurt; and 2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, and dry beans. (56)

Snack Suggestions

1. Over a small baked potato, spoon 1/2 cup of salsa and 2 tbsp. of sour cream.

2. Heat up a pre-baked sweet potato or yam and top with a tsp. of Smart Balance Light and cinnamon.

3. 2 graham cracker squares each spread with 1 tsp of peanut or almond butter.

4. A wonderfully filling sandwich made of 1 slice reduced calorie bread, a thin layer of mustard, 2 tsp of apple sauce, lettuce and 1 slice of deli-style thin-sliced turkey or vegetarian substitute.

5. Lowfat quick breads and muffins, such as pumpkin, zucchini, banana, or raisin bran.

6. Non-sugared cereals, snack mixes made with popcorn and whole grain cereal.

7. Lowfat yogurt with fresh, frozen or canned fruit.

8. Smoothies with lowfat milk or yogurt and fruit (banana and peanut butter).

9. Whip up a salad with romaine or boston lettuce, tomatoes, cottage cheese, chickpeas, carrots, kidney beans, olives, and lowfat dressing.

10. English Muffin Pizza: whole wheat English Muffin with 2 tbsp. of tomato sauce, and slice up a lowfat mozzarella cheese stick. Add garlic powder. Broil in toaster oven. Yum!

Eating slowly will help prolong the enjoyment and probably will reduce the amount of food actually eaten. Avoid eating on the run by choosing a special eating place, sitting down, and focusing on the meal.

When you eat out, order an appetizer or soup and salad. You may be surprised how satisfied your body will be!

56. Barbara Farner Extension Educator, Nutrition & Wellness

How to Cut out your "Trigger Food" or figure out what "Triggers" you to eat

If you are like me, when you eat certain foods, you are not able to eat just the portion size of them. There are many things that can trigeer eating. For some people, just the presence of high-calorie snacks in the house can be an eating trigger. Unpleasant feelings, such as boredom or anger, can trigger the need to eat in some, while enjoying the company of friends just naturally makes others want to eat. One common trigger is found in most living rooms: the TV. Many people make a habit of getting up during commercials to grab a quick snack.

Recognizing eating triggers is an important first step in getting control of them. Try keeping a food diary for a couple of weeks. Notice when you eat and what you are doing or thinking at the time. When you've identified your triggers, you are ready to do something about them. For example, if TV is your trigger, make a rule that no eating takes place while the TV is on. Take up knitting to keep your hands busy, or get involved in activities that don't leave you time for TV.

Many commercial products are appetite triggers: high carb combinations of wheat + milk + sugar + salt, the same combinations used to fatten farm animals. They do not send a signal to the brain that we have had enough food. Many of us rarely feel truly full to the point where we would not want to eat for at least four hours. Instead, we are hungry again in two hours. Then, unhappy with out weight gain, we seek to medicate our unhappiness with these very same foods.

Worst Trigger Foods

Manufactured carbs are the most common triggers, They are, in effect, addictive substances for many people because they cause further consumption. Also, they are fat in disguise because unused daily carbs are stored by the body as fat.

Examples: bread, donuts, cakes, biscuits, pastries, peanut butter, fast food fries, ice cream, potato chips, Nutella, fastfood burgers, Chicken nuggets, popcorn, chinese food, chocolate, chewing gum, sweets, candies, alcohol, sweet drinks, pizza.

Non-Food Triggers

Depression, The company you keep, not getting enough sleep, winter darkness, cannabis.

When you find yourself reaching for your trigger food, or any "junk food", ask yourself, "Can I avoid eating right now?" or "Can I make a better choice?"

Thin people choose food by how it feels in their body primarily, not just by how it tastes. As a result, they choose more healthy, energy-giving, low-fat foods. Thin people's way of choosing food is actually very different than the way most American's choose food. You have learned to want food that your body shouldn't really need. If you think like a thin person and choose foods that will do something good for your body, you will become that thin person you are pretending to be!

It is useful to consider foods in two broad categories: real food and pleasure food. Real food is food your body needs for nourishment, energy, and health. Pleasure food satisfies a different purpose: stimulation of the taste buds which is experienced in the brain as pleasure. Some food overlaps in both categories. Most real foods also taste very good if prepared properly and if you're eating naturally. Once you're eating naturally you're taste buds will love healthy, energy-giving real food. But pleasure is typically food that only tastes good but provides limited amounts of nutrition satisfying the body's real needs. Examples of pleasure foods include: ice cream, candy, sweets. Both categories are important to provide yourself with a healthy variety in your diet and satisfy your natural desire for certain flavors, including sweets (when your body not your mind wants them) in moderation.

Want and Need

When you are hungry, you should think about your body's "wants" and "needs" together. When you're selecting food, notice what looks good, then consider of those things, which one will your body enjoy the most in the long run in your stomach, after the meal, the rest of the day/evening, in your system, and ultimately on your body or in your body as fat or muscle tissue. Choose foods that your body wants and will also satisfy its needs.

What to do when you get hungry after eating

If you get hungry after a while, in a couple of hours or so after you ate, then eat again! Don't think that your body is bad because it is hungry again! This is one of the more ridiculous and sad things that dieters do: Think that they shouldn't get hungry so soon. Your body is signaling a need for fuel of some kind. Drink a glass of water and if you are truly hungry and not just dehydrated, make a healthy choice and eat a reasonable portion of it.

Pleasure Foods

When you begin to eat the natural way, eating what you want, when you are truly hungry, knowing that you can have anything you want, that you will never have to put up with unsatisfied hunger again, it takes a lot pressure off eating. You will begin to listen to your body and notice that it primarily wants what it needs the desire for pleasure foods diminishes considerably. To see this simply look at people who are "naturally thin". They enjoy pleasure foods in moderation but they don't live for them, they don't crave them very often, and they can easily do without them.

The way you used to treat your body with the famine diets, your body needed fat-producing foods and this is why those foods were the most appealing to you. You will begin to want and enjoy foods that make you feel good and also taste good. Feeling good will quickly be more important than just tasting good. You will want healthy foods. And occasionally, you may want ice cream and you'll have some. But then again, when what you eat makes you feel great, and you feel great about yourself, like many others, you may discover that you don't really like junk food that much anymore.

In summary, people who eat the natural way do four things:

1. Listen to their body.
2. Eat only when they are actually hungry.
3. Stop eating when they are satisfied.
4. Choose food by listening to their body. (54)

54. http://www.e-onlinepublishing.com/

Why Should I Cut Out Soda?

If a person drinks 3 cans of soda per day and stops drinking soda altogther, they will lose about 15 lbs. within a year, just by cutting out soda. If you are drinking regular soda, nutritionally it is a source of sugar, caffeine, caramel coloring and little else. Since sugar is a carb, it can be used by the body for energy, or of consumed in excess it will be converted to fat. Most people who "quit" soda find that after an initial period of adjustment (headaches, lethargy, feeling the "blues") they do feel physically and mentally better, which is enough to keep them from going back.

If you keep other healthier options in the house it will make the transition much easier. Try seltzer with a little unsweetened fruit juice. Brew a pot of tea and put it on ice. Plain tap water with lemon juice. Most studies have found that subsituting diet soda for regular soda is not the best tactic because you will not lose the "sweet tooth" you satisfy by drinking sweetened beverages, either artificially or with the addition of sugar.

Soda is Americans biggest source of refined sugars, providing the average person with one-third of all sugar. Obesity rates have risen in tandem with soda consumption.

Why Should I Stop Eating Fried Food?

There are foods we can eat and foods we can avoid to help us in our quest to find our ideal weight. Foods that are high in fat, such as fried foods, "junk foods", most processed foods, and many meats and dairy products, slow down the metabolism making it harder for us to control our weight. Remember, "fat goes to fat".

Lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, raw nuts and whole grains have the opposite effect, helping to increase the metabolic rate. Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and grains also have the added benefit of being high in fiber which helps us feel "full" sooner so we have a tendency to eat less. (http://www.a-better-way.com/)

Most of us need to eat far more fruits and vegetables and far fewer of the fatty fried foods. Common sense tells us to cut out sugar and fast fried foods, white rice, white flour, salt, and all processed foods. Eat more complex carbs that also offer protein such as tofu, lentils, baked potatoes, brown rice, sesame seeds, whole grains and white fish. (http://www.marysherbs.com/)

Become a Vegetarian or Vegan

Vegan diets tend to be somewhat lower in fat than other kinds of vegetarian diets and than diets that contain meat, they are often lower in calories, which will help with weight loss. There is also some evidence that vegetarians have higher metabolic rates than people who consume meat, but it isn't clear whether this is due to their lower fat and higher carb consumption or to something else in vegetarian diets.



Certainly vegans who eat diets based on whole plant foods have the edge. While you can eat a vegan diet that is high in calories if you eat lots of processed foods, sweets, and fatty foods, it is definitely easier to keep calorie intake moderate on a vegan diet. Eat lots of foods that are high-water items, which means lots of fruits and vegetables. It isn't necessary to shy away from all fatty foods. Nuts, seeds, nut and seed butters, avocado, and small amounts of oil for cooking are fine. Just be moderate with these foods. Exercise is still important. Exercise alone won't help you lose weight just as a vegan or vegetarian plan won't, but it is effective along with a reasonable eating plan for achieving weight loss and is very effective for maintaining weight loss if it is something you can stick to long term.



As you plan to become vegan for weight loss, keep in mind you do need to eat minimum amounts of certain foods for good health. Plan your diet to include at least 6 servings of whole grains, 8 servings of fruits and vegetables, and 4 servings of some combination of legumes, nuts, or soy products.

Important Guidelines

Calcium: Required to maintain strong bones (along with weight-bearing and aerobic exercise), and an essential part of a healthful diet. Green leafy vegetables such as kale are as good or better than milk as calcium sources. Other good sources include tofu, chickpeas and other legumes, nuts and seeds (almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds), dried fruit, figs, broccoli, fortified soy and rice milk. Vitamin D is essential for absorption of calcium.

Age Requirements:

0 to 12 months 525 mg

11 to 18 years, male 1000 mg

11 to 18 years, female 800 mg

19+ years 700 mg

Breast feeding women 1250 mg

Fats: The American Heart Association recommends that daily fat intake should be less than 30% of total calories; saturated fat intake less than 8-10% of total calories, and cholesterol less than 300 mg per day. The body needs a certain amount of fat in the diet. It stores fat to serve as a quick energy source and to protect important organs. However, all fats and oils are high in calories. Fats provide 9 calories for each gram contained in food, while protein and carbs each provide only 4 calories. A more heart healthy fat is unsaturated fat, generally found in vegetables. This type includes mono and poly-unsaturated fats. (36)

Monounsaturated fat is found in olive, canola, and peanut oils. These are considered the healthiest for your heart and body. Avocados and nuts also contain monounsaturated fat.

Polyunsaturated fat is found in soybean, corn, safflower and sunflower oils, Thus type of fat is considered the next healthiest fat that will not clog your arteries.

Fiber: The American Heart Association recommends eating a variety of food fiber sources. Fiber is important for the health of the digestive system and for lowering cholesterol. Foods containing fiber often are good sources of other essential nutrients. Depending on how they're prepared, these foods can also be low in trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain, high-fiber foods, beans and legumes are good sources of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. The AHA recommends that at least half of grain intake come from whole-grain foods.

Dietary fiber intake among adults in the United States averages about 15 grams. The Institute of Medicine recommends consuming 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you need.

Dietary fiber may promote satiety by slowing gastric emptying, leading to an overall decrease in calorie intake. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin.

Iron: Iron is necessary for the development of hemoglobin and is used in protein metabolism. Collards, kale, broccoli, and other dark greens are good iron sources, as are dried fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. Iron absorption is increased when sources of Vitamin C (found in dark leafy vegetables, tomatoes or citrus) are served along with the iron-rich food. The use of cast-iron cookware also contributes to iron in the diet.

Age Requirements:

0 to 3 months 1.7 mg

4 to 6 months 4.3 mg

7 to 12 months 7.8 mg

1 to 3 years 6.9 mg

4 to 6 years 6.1 mg

7 to 10 years 8.7 mg

11-18 years, male 11.3 mg

19+ years, male 8.7 mg

11-49 years, female 14.8 mg

50+ years, female 8.7 mg

Potassium: Critical for maintaining a normal heart rhythm and mineral balance. Bananas are a good source of potassium. Cooked greens like spinach, baked sweet potato and winter squash are also good sources.

Protein: Protein is a vital nutrient, essential to your health. Proteins help replace and form new tissue, transports oxygen and nutrients in our blood and cells, regulates the balance of water and acids, and is needed to make antibodies. However, too much of a good thing is not good for you. Many people are putting their health at risk by eating too much protein in an attempt to lose weight. Excessive protein consumption, particularly animal protein, can result in heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. (36)

The foods that can add a proper amount of protein to a vegan diet are pulses (peas, beans, lentils, soy products), grains, nuts, and seeds.

Zinc: Zinc is present in a wide variety of foods, particularly in association with proteins. A vegetarian diet often contains less zinc than a meat based diet and so it is important for vegetarians to eat plenty of foods that are rich in this vital mineral. Good sources for vegetarians include dairy products, beans and lentils, yeast, nuts, seeds and whole grain cereals. Pumpkin seeds provide one of th most concentrated vegetarian food sources of zinc. (37)

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is important for vision and healthy skin. Dark leafy green vegetable (like spinach and turnip greens), deep yellow fleshed root vegetables (like carrots, sweet potatoes), squash (acorn, butternut, etc.), some fruits (apricots, cantaloupes) and red bell peppers.

Vitamin B12: Vegans and vegetarians that do not consume dairy or eggs can obtain Vitamin B12 from nutritional yeast. One or two tbsp. of nutritional yeast supplies you with the adult RDA. B12 is also found in various fortified foods and cereals. You can also take a supplement. I mix nutritional yeast in with my baked tofu.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, potatoes, and dark green leafy greens such as spinach, romaine lettuce, and watercress are all good sources of Vitamin C, as well as oranges, grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries and broccoli.

Vitamin D: Vegans can obtain Vitamin D from sunlight or by consuming fortified foods like soy milk, cereals, and margarine.

Vitamin E: An antioxidant which helps protect against cell damage. Sources of Vitamin E include nuts and vegetable oils. Whole grains and green leafy vegetables are also good sources.

Vitamin K: Needed to coagulate blood and to maintain proper bone density. It has been shown to help prevent degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and heart disease. Phylloquinone is the most common form of Vitamin K and is found in some oils, such as soybean oil, and in dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. One serving of spinach or two servings of broccoli provide 4-5 times the RDA of phylloquinone. (45)

Morningstar Farms puts out great products that actually taste like meat. Most restaurants these days have at least one of not many options for vegetarians. Having only two or three options on the menu can really help you if you are like me and can never decide what to order!

Some great vegetarian cookbooks are:

Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for any day by the Moosewood Collective

The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook: Your Guide to the Best Foods on Earth: What to Eat, Where to Get it, How to prepare it by Diana Shaw, Kathy Warinner (Ill.)

Becoming Vegetarian: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Vegetarian Diet by Veanto Melina, Brenda Davis, Victoria Harrison

Vegetarian Express:Easy, Tasty, and Healthy Menus in 28 Minutes (or less) by Nava Atlas and Lillian Kayte

Incredibly Delicious: The Vegan Paradigm Cookbook by Gentle World, Sky Weil (ill.)

36. Monique N. Gilbert, B. Sc.

37. The Vegetarian Society of the UK

45. http://www.a-better-way.com/

The Art of Distraction

If you are busy in your life, in a good, positive way, you won't have time to focus or obsess about food. If you are able to find something that really satisfies you, your life will be fuller. Get a pet. Learn to ski/snowboard/waterski. Write. Take a wine tasting class. Take a Photography Class. Learn how to develop your own pictures. Learn how to Garden. Take a Dance Class. Join a Book Club. Learn to Horse Back Ride. Join a church. Volunteer at a hospital. Learn to play an instrument.

Volunteer for Charity: http://www.helping.org/ is a great website that matches volunteers with charities and community projects that need help.

Learn to Do Something: http://www.learn2.com/ is a website that teaches you to do things like:

Arts and Crafts: Learn to frame a picture, learn to play the guitar, learn to make a wreath, learn to make paper mache.

Automotive: Learn how to tint your car windows, learn how to wax a car, learn to change your oil, learn to flush your car radiator, learn to repair scratches and rust spots.

Business and Money: Learn how to establish a perennial budget, learn to clean up your credit report, learn to get out of debt, learn to obtain a business license.

Family and Pets: Learn to adopt a pet temporarily, learn to soothe a teething baby, learn to groom a horse, care for a pet tortoise, learn to cure bed wetting, learn how to housebreak a puppy.

Food and Drink: Learn to choose wine, learn to brew your own beer, learn to make marinara sauce, lear to appreciate gourmet mushrooms, learn to choose a kitchen knife, learn to grow sprouts.

Health and Fitness: Learn how to avoid frostbite, learn to give a back massage, learn to stretch, learn to take a pulse, learn to choose a health club.

Home and Garden: Learn to paint with a marble finish, learn to attract butterflies, learn to build a birdhouse, learn to build a dry stone wall, learn to build a garden pond, learn to build a windowbox, learn to hang wallpaper.

Sports and Recreation: Learn to canoe, learn to choose athletic shoes, learn to juggle, learn to play chess, learn to throw a curve ball, learn to waltz.

Style and Social Graces: Learn to appreciate poetry, learn to darn a sock, learn to give a manicure, learn to tie a necktie.

Technology: Learn to build a webpage, learn to install a modem, learn to repair a scratched CD, learn to shop for a wireless phone.

Travel: Learn to choose a travel agent, learn to conquer your fear of flying, learn to plan a ski vacation, learn to understand how planes work.

Writing and Speech: Learn to get by in French/Indonesian/Spanish, learn to understand Basic American Sign Language, learn to write your congressperson, learn to write a screenplay.