Home » Real Food » Product by Product to Real Food. Series. Part 3 (Vegetables)

Product by Product to Real Food. Series. Part 3 (Vegetables)

This one is easy, right? Eat as many veggies as you can… So, just a couple of pointers.

1. Remember that canned vegetables have BPA, an extremely dangerous chemical. Canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake had the highest amount of BPA for a single sample in Consumer Reports tests.

When you are eating out, ask if the vegetables came out of the can. Opt for those that did not. 

When ordering pizza, inquire about the tomato sauce. I found a local pizzeria where fresh tomatoes are cut up for the sauce.

2. Vegetables in glass jars are supposed to be chemical free. However, jar lids often contain BPA or PVC in the epoxy seal. My favorite bionaturae tomatoes in glass bottles have PVC in the lids. Earth’s Best baby food lids contain BPA. Well, if we make an assumption that jar content does not touch the lid, food in the jar is somewhat safer than food in metal cans.

3. Remember to buy organic vegetables from the “Dirty Dozen” list:  Bell Pepper; Celery; Kale; Lettuce; Carrot. Source: Food News
Potatoes used to be on the list as well, so I try to buy those pesticides free as well.

Not sure if it is organic? Take a look at the round sticker on each individual vegetable:

If the number on the sticker starts with
9 – it is organic
3 or 4 – it is conventional
8 – it is genetically modified

4. Include green leafy vegetables in your diet. Research suggest that that these nutrients could block the effects of BPA.

5. Try different dishes with vegetables. How about a Ratatouille?

If you do not make eggplant because you think it tastes bitter, try this trick:
(1)    Peel the eggplant first
(2)    Cut it or cube it
(3)    Add salt after cutting
(4)    Mix it up.
(5)    Wait for the juices to separate (10-15 minutes)
(6)   Squeeze the juice from the eggplant. It takes the bitterness away but leaves the awesome eggplant flavor.

6. Add vegetables inconspicuously: I add shredded zucchini and/or carrots to muffins, meatballs, hamburger patties. I have to shred vegetables rather finely to make sure my peaky eater preschooler does not identify their presence.

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