These are NOT Vegetables

Yesterday, at the grocery store, I overheard a lady say that potatoes are her favorite vegetable. I am sorry lady, but you are doing your body a huge disservice if your whole vegetable intake revolves around potatoes.

For some reason all the basic information about nutrition was not properly explained to the massed and unless you seek out the information there is quite a few misinterpretations. Society has this misconception that calories are bad. If there are no calories in something, there is a good chance it has no nutritional value (celery, cabbage and tea among the few exceptions to this rule). Calories give our bodies fuel and it is important to fuel your body adequately so it can function properly. I thought I would clear up a few food items that seem to disguise themselves as vegetables, when in fact they aren’t.

Potatoes

I love potatoes, they are delicious, I love gnocchi, truffle fries, mashed potatoes, hash browns, you name it. However, I fully acknowledge that potatoes are a starch. The glycemic index on potatoes is fairly high, so they are best eaten post workout. Potato in moderation is not bad for you, but if potatoes were your source of nutrients on a daily basis, it might be a good idea to switch to a leafy green. I found this chart online from WH Foods which shows the nutritional information for a baked potato.

If you look at this in comparison, to lets say kale, the nutritional value is completely different:

Corn

My coworker once told me, she is so happy that her son likes corn, because it is the only vegetable that she can get him to eat. Again, I love corn, I look forward to corn season every year, however they are not considered a vegetable, and if they are they still classified as a starchy vegetable at best.

There is a lot of debate on their classification, but I agree with sources that classify corn as a grain. Corn is a good source of fiber, but in the vegetable department it tends to fall short in comparison to other vegetables. It is not necessarily bad for you, but there are foods you should have a healthy dose of and foods that should be consumed in moderation. Corn is best if eaten in moderation. Corn has also been the subject of genetic modification, so it is a good idea to be very mindful of where your corn comes from when you purchase it.

Sometimes getting a healthy dose of vegetables each day takes a lot of effort. I like to try and sneak vegetables as much as I can into my food. These are some of my favorite recipes that slip vegetables into them:

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes – If I don’t have spinach, I use kale and if I don’t have chickpeas I use black beans. This recipe is so versatile
Vegetable Mac and Cheese – I mean there is still milk and cheese, so it isn’t that healthy but it is a good way to pack in an extra serving of vegetables
Kalefredo – Yup, it is worth a try, so many sneaky vegetables in this one
Cauliflower Pizza – Pizza is its own food group in my house, so anyway I can make it healthier is a plus. Don’t expect it to taste like pizza dough because it doesn’t, but it still is a nice altertantive.