| I was a young child during World War II. To make up | | | | vegetables can help you reach and maintain a healthy |
| for food shortages the government asked citizens to | | | | weight, according to the CDC. To learn more log onto |
| plant Victory Gardens. Like other families on our block, | | | | the CDC Homepage and print out "How to Use Fruits |
| we had a garden in a vacant field. Weeding our | | | | and Vegetables to Help Manage Your |
| Victory Garden was more than a war time activity, it | | | | Weight."Vegetables and daily walking have helped me |
| was a social activity.Families caught up on news as | | | | to keep a healthy weight. I love vegetables, probably |
| they planted and harvested their crops. Picking | | | | because of my childhood Victory Garden experience. |
| vegetables - fat orange carrots, turgid Swiss chard, | | | | But many Americans grimace when they think about |
| and giant potatoes - seemed miraculous to me. One | | | | fixing vegetables or eating them. Why? It takes time to |
| day some older kids built a fire on a bare plot and we | | | | wash and slice vegetables and Americans are short |
| roasted potatoes. We ate the blackened potatoes | | | | of time.Many of us don't know how to cook |
| without any butter or salt, and I can still remember how | | | | vegetables. A serving of limp, gray-green beans is |
| good they tasted.Vegetables fed the nation during | | | | hardly appealing. Carrots cooked until they are mush |
| World War II. We were a fit nation then because | | | | are a turn-off. How can we get Americans to eat |
| people walked to conserve gas, ate little protein (steak | | | | more vegetables? We can explain cooking |
| was a rarity), and were restricted by food stamps. No | | | | techniques.Steamed vegetables, for example, retain |
| obese people lived on my block. In fact, I didn't know | | | | their color and crispness. The same is true of stir fried |
| any obese people. How things have changed.America | | | | vegetables. I stir fry vegetables in a cast iron skillet. |
| is no longer a fit nation, it is a fat nation, and the obesity | | | | The skillet is so well seasoned that I need only a |
| statistics are alarming. According to the President's | | | | tablespoon (or less) of olive oil.Americans also need to |
| Council on Fitness and Sports 37% of Americans | | | | learn how to season vegetables. Though I rarely cook |
| aren't physically active. More than 108 million Americans | | | | with salt, sometimes I sprinkle light salt on vegetables. |
| are either obese or overweight. Teens and younger | | | | Most of the time I season vegetables with lemon |
| kids are developing type 2 diabetes, formerly an adult | | | | pepper or fresh lemon juice. I also season them with |
| disease.What can Americans do? We can eat more | | | | fresh thyme, rosemary, basil, and garlic.Involving kids in |
| vegetables. The United States Department of | | | | meal preparation is another way to get Americans to |
| Agriculture (USDA) has posted an article on titled | | | | eat vegetables. Older kids can cut the tips off of string |
| "Why is it Important to Eat Vegetables?" The reasons | | | | beans, peel and slice carrots, or slice mushrooms. |
| include reducing the risks of type 2 diabetes, stroke, | | | | Younger kids can get pans out of the cupboard, |
| mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer, and heart | | | | measure ingredients, and set the table.Trying new |
| disease. In other words, eating vegetables is a way to | | | | vegetables, such as jicima, may also help Americans |
| protect your health.Mayo Clinic has posted an article | | | | to eat more of them. Fresh vegetables add sparkle to |
| about the energy density of vegetables on its website. | | | | any meal. We don't have Victory Gardens any more, |
| The article, "Energy Density and Weight Loss: Feel Full | | | | but we can eat vegetables to prevent disease and |
| on Fewer Calories," tells how energy density works. | | | | maintain a healthy weight. Put vegetables at the top of |
| Many vegetables have low energy density, Mayo | | | | your grocery list today!Copyright 2006 by Harriet |
| says, and you can eat large servings of them, feel full | | | | Hodgson Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 |
| quickly, and because you feel full, consume fewer | | | | years and is a member of the Association of Health |
| calories.Green vegetables are a good example. One | | | | Care Journalists. Before she became a health writer |
| serving of green beans, asparagus, or broccoli contains | | | | she was a food writer for the former "Rochester |
| about 25 calories, according to Mayo Clinic. This | | | | Magazine" in her home town of Rochester, MN. |
| number refers to plain vegetables, not vegetables | | | | Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: |
| drenched in butter or smothered in cheese sauce. | | | | Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is |
| Lightly dressed salads also have low energy | | | | available from A five-star review of the book is |
| density.The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says | | | | posted on Amazon. You will also find another review |
| most of the space on your dinner plate should be filled | | | | on the American Hospice Foundation website under |
| with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Eating lots of | | | | the "School Corner" heading. |