Added sugar: How much should you be eating?

Added Sugar: How Much Should You be Eating?

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Added sugar and candy.

 

You don’t need a degree in nutrition science to know that sugar isn’t a health food.

But sugar can be confusing. ๐Ÿค”

What’s the difference between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars? ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿฌ

Naturally-occurring sugars:ย  Sugar is found naturally in fruits, dairy and even in some vegetables. ๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฅ›๐Ÿฅ•ย  These sugars are bound up with health-promoting compounds like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.ย  Sugar has not been added to these foods; it is there naturally.ย  These sugars are digested more slowly due to the presence of fiber or protein and are found in foods that support a healthy body.ย  Include a wide variety of these foods in your diet.

Added Sugars:ย  Added sugars are exactly what they sound like:ย  Sugar that is added to food or beverages.ย  These sugars contain minimal nutrients aside from providing carbohydrates.๐Ÿฅค๐Ÿช๐Ÿฆ The biggest sources of added sugar are: sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks & coffees and sweet desserts like cookies, ice-cream & cake. These sugars are quickly digested, can raise blood sugar levels rapidly and are associated with many chronic diseases.ย  Set limits with added sugars.

๐Ÿคท๐Ÿป How much is too much added sugar?๐Ÿคท๐Ÿป

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)ย  and the World Health Organization (WHO) both recommend consuming less than 10% of calories from added sugars/day.

Let’s take a 2000 calorie diet for example.

10% of 2000 is 200, so it is recommended to consume less than 200 calories of added sugars.

Sugar has 4 calories per gram so….

200/4ย  = 50g max of added sugars

For reference, 4 grams of sugar= 1 teaspoon

This equals about 12 teaspoons of added sugar/day.

Which translates into:

12oz Coke (39g added sugar=10 tsp) + 2.5 tablespoons of ketchup (10g added sugar= 2.5 teaspoons sugar)

 

The American Heart Association (AHA) sets its recommendations lower:ย  Less than 6% of calories from added sugars.ย  They also say under 36g (=9 teaspoons) for men & under 24g (=6 teaspoons) for women.

Taking the same 2000 calorie diet, 6% would be 120 calories or 30g max of added sugars.

This equals about 7 teaspoons of added sugar/day.

Which translates into:

1 tsp sugar in coffee (4g added sugar= 1tsp) + Icelandic yogurt (6g added sugar= 1.5 tsp) + 1/2 cup Prego sauce (4g added sugar= 1 tsp) + 3 Oreo cookies (14g added sugar= 3.5 tsp)

OR: One serving of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream (2/3 cup) with 31g added sugar (>7 teaspoons).

You can see how quickly those added sugars add up! ๐Ÿซข

 

What you can do:ย  Start by looking at where the added sugar in your diet is coming from.ย  Read labels.ย  Often it’s in sneaky places like salad dressings, granola, coffee creamer or bread.ย  โœจWe don’t need to totally eliminate all added sugars from our diet. โœจ Many of these foods are enjoyable and they often help us eat more of the good stuff.ย  If that honey mustard salad dressing motivates you to eat a big bowl of nutrient-dense veggies, then it’s probably worth it!ย  Sugar is not toxic and sugar does not cause obesity.ย ย  However, most people are eating an excessive amount and that can negatively impact health.ย  The important thing is to be mindful of the quantity consumed (everything in moderation๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ˜…) and use the above recommendations to see if and where you might want to make some changes. ๐Ÿ’—

 

Motivation to eat less sugar.

 

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Hunger scale.

Hunger Scale (printable!)

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printable hunger scale.

Years of dieting can cause a disconnection from your internal signals.

A Hunger Scale is a tool to help you connect to your hunger & satiety cues.

It’s a way to increase awareness, which is the first step towards behavior change.

 

3 Ways a Hunger Scale can be helpful:

 

1๏ธโƒฃ Do you go too long without eating, often finding yourself at a 0-2?

Use it to check in with your body earlier to notice signs that you need to eat.

 

2๏ธโƒฃ Do you tend to overeat to the point of feeling uncomfortable (8-10)?ย 

Use it to check in with your body while you are eating to learn when you’ve had enough.

 

3๏ธโƒฃ Do you find yourself mindlessly reaching for food between meals?

Use it as a pause button to check in with your body & identify what’s triggering the urge to eat.

The scale can help you decide if you need food or if you are actually comfortable and could respond differently.

 

 

ย Aim to stay within 3-7 most of the time.

That being said, there are going to be times when you may need or want to eat when you aren’t hungry and that’s ok.

There are going to be times when you eat beyond a 7 and that is ok too.

There are many factors involved besides hunger/fullness when it comes to eating.

Look at it as a tool to get curious & gain insight into your habits and behaviors.

At first you may not know how your body feels or what it needs.

Practice and it will get easier and easier.

 

๐Ÿ’— Reconnect with your body and eat for the way you want to feel!๐Ÿ’—

 

Print your FREE Hunger Scale here!

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Understanding the delay between eating and satiety to help choose the right amount of food.

Wait 15 Minutes

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Is this you? ๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿป

You’re hungry.

You enjoy a delicious dinner.

You finish your plate.

You refill your plate with more food.

You’re FULL.

Man feeling too full.

You wonder why you ate so much…

AGAIN. ๐Ÿ™„

Let me introduce you to a little tip that can help.

Quote: The better you understand the delay between eating and the feeling of satiety, the more confident you'll get at choosing the right amount of food for your body.

Doesn’t it feel nice when you eat just the right amount of food?

When you reach that point where you’re no longer hungry, yet you’re not uncomfortably overfull.

It’s easier said than done.

Most of us have eyes bigger than our stomachs.

Let’s face it, food is delicious and brings us great pleasure.

We are extremely fortunate to have access to such abundance.

But the problem with this is:

Our waistlines are expanding and we have astronomically high rates of diet-related diseases because of overeating.

The key is to be able to enjoy enough food to satisfy without going overboard. โš–๏ธ (Balance!)

This is not easy for most people, but with some appetite awareness and mindful practice it can be an achievable goal.

 

Check out this study where subjects were given snacks in either a small portion or a much larger portion size.

The snacks included chocolate, apple pie and potato chips.

These are all very tasty foods that are also easy to overeat.

We’ve all been there!

Study outcome showing that both groups felt equally fulfilled with different sized snacks.

Something to think about, hmmm? ๐Ÿค”

Each group ate their snack and then waited 15 minutes. โฐ

โœจThere is a delay of about 15-20 minutes for your brain to register that your body has had enough.โœจ

ย  โžก๏ธThis is good to know because if you are aware of this you can consciously decide to stop eating before it’s too late.

We all know that feeling of wanting to continue eating, thinking we need more, or maybe simply just wanting more, only to realize later that we overdid it and should have stopped eating much earlier.

โœจWe can feel satisfied after eating less food than we think we need.โœจ

Strategy for overeating.

๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿป Chances are good that by then your stomach will have sent the signal to your brain that it’s had plenty & the desire for eating more will have faded.

โœจYou may be surprised to learn that you didn’t need as much as you thought you did.โœจ

 

You can also try this if you tend to over-snack in between meals!

Consciously decide to have a smaller snack than you normally would.

Give yourself 15-20 minutes to begin to digest and metabolize your food.

Then reassess your need for more food. ๐Ÿค”

 

Be patient with yourself because like learning anything else new, this takes practice.

Youโ€™re essentially trying to change a habit (overeating) and thatโ€™s not easy to do.

You might find it tremendously hard to stop eating until you get that too-full feeling if thatโ€™s what your body is used to experiencing.

But each time that you are able to eat a little bit less, you are reinforcing the fact that you really do not need such large quantities of food to feel satisfied.ย ย  You will gain confidence.ย  It WILL become easier and easier with each success you have. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป

We never repent of having eaten too little. โ€“ Thomas Jefferson

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Blank food journal sheet.

Free Printable Food and Wellness Journal Sheet

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Free printable food journal.

The first step towards change is ๐Ÿ‘€AWARENESS ๐Ÿ‘€of your behaviors.

โœจYou need to know and understand your habits in order to form new ones.โœจ

Keeping a wellness journal like this for a few days (or longer) can give you valuable information.

Journaling makes you MINDFUL of everything you’re eating & drinking, how you’re sleeping, your movement and your mood.

All of these are interconnected and contribute to your health. ๐Ÿด๐Ÿ’ง๐Ÿ’ค๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ˜ฌโ˜บ๏ธ

Reflect after a few days.

Are your meals and snacks balanced? ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ ๐Ÿฅฆ๐Ÿฅ‘

How are your moods and energy levels and how do they affect your eating? ๐Ÿ˜ข๐Ÿ™‚๐Ÿคช

Same with sleep. ๐Ÿฅฑ

What kind of activity are you doing to move your body? ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿคพ๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿšด๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿป

Are you eating fruits and vegetables daily? ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿฅ—๐Ÿฅ•

How much added sugar are you consuming? ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿซ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฆ

Do you find yourself reaching for food when you’re not even hungry? ๐Ÿง

You will notice what’s going well ๐Ÿ˜€along with what you’re not happy with. ๐Ÿ™ˆ

I’ve also included space for setting personal goals for your day & remembering something you have to be thankful for.๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป

There is also room for acknowledging an accomplishment, identifying something you want to improve upon and brainstorming ideas for what you want to eat tomorrow.

And don’t forget, your dietitian is always here to help you in your wellness journey.

๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—

Print your free Food and Wellness Journal sheet here!

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Title page for 2 journaling exercises for body image.

2 Journaling Exercises for Body Image

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Body image= Your thoughts and feelings about your body.

๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ˜‘๐Ÿ˜ฎ๐Ÿ˜š๐Ÿฅฒ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ˜ซ๐Ÿ˜•๐Ÿ™‚๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿซฃ๐Ÿคช๐Ÿค—๐Ÿคจ๐Ÿคฉ

There’s nothing wrong with wishing your body looked different.

๐Ÿช„ If we had the powers to do so, I’m sure most of us would change a thing or two.

In fact, wanting to be the best version of ourselves can be a powerful motivator for self-care and healthy habits.

However…ย  The illusion is this:

The belief that your life will be somehow be better with a different body.๐Ÿคฅ

It’s a false belief.

๐Ÿคฏ๐Ÿคฏ๐Ÿคฏ

Get out paper & a pen, and get ready to begin to put things into perspective. โœ๐Ÿป

 

Journaling Exercise #1 for Body Image:

Journaling exercise for body image.

 

Journaling Exercise #2 for Body Image:

Journal exercise for body image.

Questions like these can be powerful mindset shifters. ๐Ÿค”

You don’t need to lose weight to be happy or to live your life fully.

You don’t need to change your body; you need to work on caring for it.

Let me know if this was helpful and what you learned about yourself.๐Ÿ’—

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3 ice cream cones.

“But I Love to Go Out for Ice Cream in Summer…”

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3 ice cream cones.

Happy Summer! ๐Ÿ˜Ž

It’s officially ice cream season. ๐Ÿฆ๐ŸŒž

Uh-oh. ๐Ÿคช

“But I love to go out for ice cream in summer…”

I’ve been hearing this one since the beginning of May. ๐Ÿ˜…ย 

You want it because it is delicious but you also believe that it’s a “bad” thing to do.ย 

So you wind up in a conundrum. ๐Ÿ˜ฏ Relax.

๐Ÿฅฐ Don’t feel torn about eating ice cream if that’s what you really want to do. ๐Ÿฅฐ

Stop beating yourself up and feeling as if you should not have had it once you’ve eaten it.ย  Enough with the regrets and the guilt!ย 

But how do you do this?

While I can’t give you an answer to exactly how much and how often you “should” have it, I can offer some advice for how to find that happy balance when it comes to eating it and feeling good about your decision. ๐Ÿ‘‡

When faced with ice cream, it helps to ask yourself some questions…

 

๐Ÿฆ Question 1:ย  Do I really want this?ย  Is it really worth it right now?ย  ๐Ÿค”

Because sometimes, when you pause and check in with yourself… you don’t.

You might like the idea of ice cream– but right now, today, in this very moment, you’re actually feeling quite content without it.ย  Maybe you’ll wait until next time. ย  It’s not now or never.ย  There will be plenty of other opportunities.

Or, you might decide that ice cream sounds delicious and it would make you really happy today.ย  So you make the conscious decision to enjoy some.ย  Own your choice without feeling bad about it.ย  Feeling bad kind of ruins the whole point of the ice cream experience.

Don’t make this about whether you should or should not.ย  Instead look at it as, you can, but do you really want to?ย  There is no right or wrong.ย  It is always your choice.ย ย  ๐Ÿค—

 

๐Ÿฆ Question 2:ย  What is the minimal amount that will do it? ๐Ÿค”

If you’re used to restricting ice cream or if you’re very hungry, you may overestimate how much you need to feel good.ย  If you’ve been practicing mindfully allowing all foods and aren’t starving, you’ll have better judgment.

We tend to think we need more to feel satisfied than we really do.ย 

How often do you regret eating too much ice cream?๐Ÿฅด

And how about eating too little? ๐Ÿ˜„ I thought so.

โžก๏ธ Tip: Order a small (or even a kiddie size).ย  I’ve been to enough local ice-cream shops to know that these are actually a very decent sized serving! If you’re used to ordering larger sizes, conduct a little experiment where you get the smaller size and then see how you feel after.ย  I bet you feel satisfied and happy with your decision. ๐Ÿ˜˜

๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿง๐Ÿจ๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿง๐Ÿจ๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿง๐Ÿจ๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿง๐Ÿจ๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿง๐Ÿจ

This can’t be about denying yourself.ย  It will not work.ย  If you look at it that way, you’re going to want it more.ย  It has to be about a ๐Ÿ’ซchoice๐Ÿ’ซ.ย  Give yourself the permission and freedom to have it.ย 

Flip your mindset from “I shouldn’t” or “I can’t” to “I can have ice cream if I really want it.”

When you reframe how you look at it, you just may have the groundbreaking realization that you might actually feel better not having ice cream than having ice cream. ๐Ÿคฏ

I think most of us have a pretty good understanding of how detrimental excessive sugar can be for our body.ย  Does that mean having the occasional ice cream cone is going to ruin your health, cause a disease or kill you? ๐Ÿ˜ต Of course not.ย 

But everything we eat has an effect on our bodies, for better or worse, and over time our choices add up.

We are all free to make our own choices! ๐Ÿ’“Do what makes you happy and what supports your values and goals.

Empower yourself by making mindful decisions and owning them.ย  Ice cream can fit into a balanced, healthy lifestyle if it makes you happy.ย  It’s the guilt and self loathing that are really damaging. ๐Ÿ’—

 

Real ice cream is awesome… And so is this version of ice cream made from frozen bananas!๐ŸŒ๐ŸŒ๐ŸŒ

How to make banana ice cream.

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Runner with motivational quote.

3 Reasons to Work Out That Have Nothing to do with Weight

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Are you challenging your body physically at least a few times a week?

๐Ÿค”If not, what’s stopping you?

BTW: Weight loss isn’t the only reason to move your body!ย 

(Yes, it can help if that is a goal, but donโ€™t expect to see results quickly.
Stay consistent and patient.)

๐Ÿ’ซ Even more important is the way physical activity helps us build and maintain our:

๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿผ ENDURANCE
๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿผ STRENGTH &
๐Ÿคธ๐ŸผFLEXIBILITY

…so we can keep up with our activities of daily living as we age. ๐Ÿ‘ต๐Ÿผ

(ex. cleaning the house, going up stairs, bending down to tie our shoes, playing with our kids/grandkids, walking our pup, etc.)

๐Ÿ’– You know– the things that really matter in life!!

Put weight loss aside and consider these other, more immediate benefitsโ€ฆ

ย 3 Great Reasons to Do It! โฌ‡๏ธ

1๏ธโƒฃ IMPROVE MENTAL CLARITY AND PRODUCTIVITY:
Ex. Take a brisk walk to clear your head and make you more productive and focused at work and during projects. ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธโšก

2๏ธโƒฃ REDUCE STRESS AND BOOST MOOD:
Ex. Do some yoga to handle stress with a calmer mood and attitude. ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿผ Or just spend some time poking around your yard.ย  Being out in nature can help with stress and depression. ๐ŸŒบ๐ŸŒผ

3๏ธโƒฃ INCREASE ENERGY:
Ex. Pedal away on your bike to get your blood pumping and release endorphins to feel more energized the rest of your day. ๐Ÿšด๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธOr play a team sport or throw around a frisbee or ball with a friend or dog– Notice how good it feels to “play” again! โšฝ๐Ÿคพ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿถ

๐Ÿค” Think about it…
How can you make exercise a more integral part of your daily life, rather than an afterthought?

 

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Baking sheet of roasted vegetables and a roasted chicken.

Oven-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables (Easy!)

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๐Ÿ˜จ๐Ÿ” Intimidated by the thought of roasting a whole chicken?

I used to be, but I’ve found an EASY and incredibly delicious way of doing it and I’m going to walk you through it step-by-simple-step so you can do it yourself…

๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿผโ€๐Ÿณ Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees.

Next, it’s time to get chopping. ๐Ÿ”ช

Fill a large roasting pan with chopped veggies.

๐Ÿฅ”๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿ ๐Ÿฅฆ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿซ‘๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ…๐Ÿง…๐Ÿง„

Ideas include: Onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, carrots, celery, tomato, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cauliflower– really, just about anything goes.ย  I also like to include hearty tubers like potatoes and/or sweet potatoes.

Make a lot!ย  You don’t need to do anything to them.ย  They are going to take onย  amazing flavor from the chicken in the roasting process.

You’ll want plenty to enjoy eating with your chicken.๐Ÿ˜‹

You will need a 5-6 pound whole chicken…

…and some olive oil and seasonings.

I like poultry seasoning, salt and garlic powder:

Rub the oil and seasonings onto your chicken and place the chicken right on top of the veggies/potatoes:

Place the pan into the preheated oven and roast for about 90 minutes.

(Your house will smell AMAZING!)๐Ÿฅฐ

Use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken has reached at least 165 degrees.

You’ve got all the components for a complete, balanced and satisfying meal:

๐Ÿด Enjoy! ๐Ÿค—

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Girl doing yoga with positive quote.

Body Image: What you Focus on Expands

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You aren’t alone if you donโ€™t feel great about your body.ย ย 

Itโ€™s so easy to be self-critical and get hung up on perceived flaws. Poor body image can be all-consuming. ๐Ÿ˜ฐ Focusing on what you don’t like has a way of negatively affecting your outlook on your whole day.

Changing these thoughts takes practice, just like changing any other unwanted habit.ย ย  If youโ€™ve lived for years repeating to yourself how fat your thighs are, itโ€™s going to take effort and time to alter that automatic pattern of thinking.

But you can do it. Your body is where you live. It only makes sense to treat it with kindness. ๐Ÿค—

Speak to it and care for it with love and gratitude and your world will change.

๐Ÿค” But how to start changing thoughts of judgment?

๐Ÿฅฐ Begin with thoughts of gratitude.

โžก๏ธ What you focus on expands.

Shift your perspective to see the good… and you will see more and more good things.

It’s up to you to tune your radio dial to a new frequency. Here’s what I mean:

1๏ธโƒฃ Stop zeroing in on what you hate.ย  Do not analyze, obsess over or poke at the parts that bother you. You have to make the decision that you’re going to stop. Understand that what you’re focusing on is not helpful. Putting your attention on these things brings up feelings like anger, anxiety, shame and frustration. Not only are these unpleasant ways to feel, but you’re activating stress hormones that over time can contribute to issues like weight gain, poor sleep, digestive problems, difficulty concentrating, anxiety and depression.

See how what you focus on expands?

2๏ธโƒฃ Instead– What are you grateful for?ย  Notice what you like about yourself but also look at what you don’t love from a new perspective: an attitude of gratitude. The legs you see as too short, too skinny, too fat– they let you walk, run, pedal, skate, dance and get you where you want to go. The arms you wish had no flab– they carry bags of groceries and hug your loved ones (BTW, that flab is relaxed muscle). Go through everything and find a reason to thank them all, your eyes, ears, nose and toes. Your lungs, brain, heart and bones. This resets your mindset back to what is really important in life.

See how different you feel when you shift your focus to gratitude? ๐Ÿ™

๐Ÿ˜ Gratitude creates “positive vibes” which are magnetic and will attract more happiness.ย 

It’s a practice that staying consistent with day after day will change you.

Itโ€™s impossible to feel both judgmental and grateful simultaneously.

You choose how you would like to see things and how to think.ย 

Your thoughts will alter your reality.ย 

Feeling gratitude instead of criticism towards your body will impact your daily life choices.ย 

When you’re living in a body you accept and appreciate, you’ll be more at peace with food and eating.

You’ll make taking care of yourself a priority.ย  Itโ€™s hard to do these things when youโ€™re battling yourself.

Thoughts of gratitude create a change in attitude.๐Ÿ’–

All you have to do is decide to. ๐Ÿฅฐ

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Baking sheet of roasted vegetables.

Oven-Roasted Vegetables

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Pan of oven-roasted vegetables

๐Ÿฅฆ As a dietitian, part of my role (along with reminding you to eat your vegetables) is to help you find practical ways to make vegetables enjoyable.

Today I am here to hopefully inspire you to try oven-roasting veggies! ๐Ÿ˜

We all know how good they are for our healthโ€“ all those vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants and of course the fiber.

With so much controversy in nutrition, one thing just about all the experts agree on is that vegetables are awesome for us!

๐Ÿ…๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿ ๐Ÿฅฆ๐Ÿ„๐Ÿง…๐ŸŒถ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿง„

But most of us really struggle to eat enough.ย  Even when we know we should eat them and we want to eat themโ€“ it can be tough to make it happen.ย 

If your goal is to increase your vegetables but youโ€™re stuck, ask yourself why:

๐Ÿ˜ Do you think you don’t like veggies?

๐ŸŒŸ Taste buds can change over time. And different cooking methods and seasonings can make a major difference in taste and texture. It’s a fact that you can learn to like vegetables!

๐Ÿ˜ฃย Do you believe veggies are too much work?

๐Ÿ’“ There are just too many health benefits to eating them to not make the effort. Effort-based rewards (like making food) are keys to happiness and achieving a sense of accomplishment & satisfaction in life!

๐Ÿฅฑ Are you bored with the same old veggies you always make?

๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿณ Search for new recipes or watch cooking shows for inspiration. Pick a new vegetable to try at the store or at a farm stand. Get creative and out of your comfort zone!

๐Ÿ˜ Or this one that makes me smile: โ€œThey go bad in the fridge before I eat them.โ€ย 

๐Ÿคฃ That is only because you let them sit there instead of cooking and eating them! Buy less and shop more often to avoid this. Utilize frozen veggies too. Check your fridge daily to see what needs to be eaten soon and plan your meals around those vegetables.

โžก๏ธ Whatever your reason, it is a limiting belief.

Limiting beliefs are thoughts you believe to be absolutely true– only they are not– instead, they hold you back from success!

If you want to get more nutrient-rich vegetables into your life, let me suggest one of my favorite super-easy and delicious ways to cook vegetablesโ€ฆ

OVEN-ROASTED!

Pan of veggies before roasting.
Before
Pan of roasted veggies.
After

๐Ÿคญ Guess what? You really canโ€™t mess up oven-roasted vegetables.

Hereโ€™s how I do it:

  • Pre-heat oven to 425F.
  • Wash and chop up whatever veggies I have.
  • Toss the veggies with olive oil (2 T?ย  I donโ€™t measure) and salt, garlic powder or any seasoning.
  • Spread evenly on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tender.
Pan of roasted mushrooms, peppers, onions and brussels sprouts.

A few more reasons to try it if youโ€™re still not convinced:

  • Perfect opportunity to put on music and chop away any worries of the day. ๐ŸŽต
  • Warms up the house. ๐Ÿ”ฅ
  • Fills your home with comforting, mouth-watering aromas. ๐Ÿ‘ƒ
  • Makes a nutritious and simple meal paired with a protein like seafood, chicken, pork, eggs, tofu or beef. ๐Ÿฝ Be sure to add in some more carbs if you need ’em.
  • Packed full of a wide range of nutrients for energy and disease prevention. โœจ
  • Great way to increase fiber intake and promote good digestion and gut health. ๐Ÿ’—
  • Fills your belly for not a lot of calories which can support weight loss goals. ๐Ÿ‘
  • Leftovers for several days of lunches and dinners. Cook once; eat 2 or 3 times. โŒš

Not sure which ones to try?ย  Pick one, two or the whole list!:

  • Onions ๐Ÿง…
  • Garlic ๐Ÿง„
  • Red, Yellow, Orange or Green Peppers ๐ŸŒถ
  • Zucchini ๐Ÿฅ’
  • Mushrooms ๐Ÿ„
  • Broccoli ๐Ÿฅฆ
  • Cauliflower ๐Ÿค
  • Brussels Sprouts ๐Ÿ’š
  • Asparagus ๐ŸŒฟ
  • Tomato ๐Ÿ…
  • Butternut Squash (any winter squash) ๐ŸŽƒ
  • Eggplant ๐Ÿ†
  • Carrots ๐Ÿฅ•
  • Sweet Potato ๐Ÿ 
  • Green Beans ๐Ÿ’š

Hopefully all this talk about roasting vegetables inspired you. ๐Ÿ˜„ย 

If it even sparked one person to try something new or reminded someone of how easy and tasty roasted vegetables can be, then this dietitian is happy! ๐Ÿ˜Š

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