Healthy Diet Without Vegetables. Possible or Not?

[arakboss]

I do not like many vegetables. Not only are they unappealing in the taste dept but they are a major ripoff when it comes to calories per dollar.

Most health related sources would have you believe that a person can't be healthy with out abundant servings of veggies everyday. Can anyone here dispute that? What are your tips for eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight while avoiding vegetables. I am not looking for reasons to suck it up and eat them anyways or methods to sneak them in to my diet. I would like to hear about inexpensive alternatives to them.

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[DeanfromOregon]

Just going to my experience, I didn't learn how to like veggies until I learned how to cook them in a way that I liked. I like grilled, a little oil, a little S&P, maybe some garlic and a few chili flakes. On the grill, roasted in the oven, hell even in juice. Have you ever juiced an apple with kale, carrots and ginger? Delish!

Lots of reasons why, but my reasons are for proper insulin resistance and heart health.

The only shortcuts I know of are methods to sneak them into your diet which you have said you're not interested in so I'll respect that.

So yeah, learn how to cook. Final answer.

-Dean

*edited to add - nutritionally speaking, potatoes are a starch and not a veggie. I learned this late in life too.

 

[arakboss]

Just going to my experience, I didn't learn how to like veggies until I learned how to cook them in a way that I liked. I like grilled, a little oil, a little S&P, maybe some garlic and a few chili flakes. On the grill, roasted in the oven, hell even in juice. Have you ever juiced an apple with a kale, carrots and ginger? Delish!

Lots of reasons why, but my reasons are for proper insulin resistance and heart health.

The only shortcuts I know of are methods to sneak them into your diet which you have said you're not interested in so I'll respect that.

So yeah, learn how to cook. Final answer.

-Dean

*edited to add - nutritionally speaking, potatoes are a starch and not a veggie. I learned this late in life too.

Thanks I also have to worry about insulin resistance. My problem with vegetables extends beyond the taste problems. It kills me that I am paying rediculous prices for mostly water and a liitle bit of fiber. I have done the calculations and it is shocking how few calories you get for your money with many vegetables. I like potatoes (with gravy, butter, cheese, etc) and they are a good deal calorie wise but not so great for those watching their insulin resistance.

Unfortunately I don't like to cook either. The microwave is one of my best friends.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

If you're purely going for calories per dollar, you're going to have a bad time... french frying, when you should have pizza'd. Nutrition is more than simply the calories alone, there are other factors to consider, namely nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

To cut out the easiest and cheapest source (vegetables) the next option would be fruit... and those are even more expensive. After that, supplements/powders/vitamin tablets... but these require even more additional processing to turn from raw ingredients (vegetables) to their broken down form... so costs rise again.

-Robert

 

[DeanfromOregon]

Buddy we live probably no more than 10 minutes apart. I could show you some things that will help. They taste good if you cook them right, but boiling and microwave tend to work out the parts that taste good along with the best of the nutrients.

Veggies aren't about calories.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

BTW, if you really dislike eating, you could go pure soylent... check out this article here:

Soylent: What Happened When I Went 30 Days Without Food

I spent the last 30 days eating nothing but Soylent, a new age powdered meal replacement. Why would I do something so stupid? I’ll explain. But first, if you aren’t familiar with Soylent, here’s the gist: In 2013, 24-year-old Rob Rhinehart created a powdered drink mix that met all of the...

thehustle.co

Although, this also seems cost prohibitive.

-Robert

 

[Bob D]

BTW, if you really dislike eating, you could go pure soylent... check out this article here:

Soylent: What Happened When I Went 30 Days Without Food

I spent the last 30 days eating nothing but Soylent, a new age powdered meal replacement. Why would I do something so stupid? I’ll explain. But first, if you aren’t familiar with Soylent, here’s the gist: In 2013, 24-year-old Rob Rhinehart created a powdered drink mix that met all of the...

thehustle.co

Although, this also seems cost prohibitive.

-Robert

When Soylent was new, I was dared to go a month without eating anything else... I did so, and I survived, but my err... my routine "morning constitutional" was unpredictable in every way you can imagine.

 

[albin25]

As far as I know, the dog next-door eats only meat... and he seems real healthy........
.... the neighbor (his owner) though...I think he consumes a lot of fermented grains so he's kinda like a vegetarian... and seems a little shaky at times.

Beer and burgers with onion and tomatoes might be a way to go? Are fries something you'd eat? How 'bout V8 and vodka for dessert?

 

[Flopsweat]

When Soylent was new, I was dared to go a month without eating anything else... I did so, and I survived, but my err... my routine "morning constitutional" was unpredictable in every way you can imagine.

Also apparently you get urges to wear your hair in a bun and sell your firearms. It's called Soyboy Syndrome.

 

[Bob D]

Also apparently you get urges to wear your hair in a bun and sell your firearms. It's called Soyboy Syndrome.

lol. Not a condition that I will ever suffer from! 2 things I can't bring myself to sell: Steel tools and Firearms.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I do not like many vegetables. Not only are they unappealing in the taste dept but they are a major ripoff when it comes to calories per dollar.

Most health related sources would have you believe that a person can't be healthy with out abundant servings of veggies everyday. Can anyone here dispute that? What are your tips for eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight while avoiding vegetables. I am not looking for reasons to suck it up and eat them anyways or methods to sneak them in to my diet. I would like to hear about inexpensive alternatives to them.

I like broiled Brussels sprouts. Get frozen ones, thaw, cut in half, put on pan, drizzle w olive oil and salt and git some. Pretty good.
Other vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower etc. are good this way too.
Oh and edit add, I use a small convection oven.. best cooker ever.
Whatever you do, don't get an air fryer because they's the debil.

 

[slimmer13]

You don't eat vegetables for calories, in fact IMO, vegetables and to some extent fruit are the only foods you can eat as much as you want. You eat vegetables for the vitamins and cancer fighting chemicals like glucosinolates.

IMO there isn't any substitute and a proper diet must contain vegetables. There are some short term anti inflammatory benefits from the carnivore diet, but long term its likely harmful IMO.

If you really can't stand them, I'd make a green smoothie once a day, chug it and be done.

 

[L84Cabo]

Perspective...vegetables add some bulk WITHOUT a ton of calories. Many people view that as a plus. And there's more to nutrition than calories...like vitamins and minerals...which veggies are a good source of...not to mention fiber.

You say you don't like many vegetables. That implies you at least like some vegetables. Which ones do you like? Because that may be enough.

If you're going to cut vegetables out, you need to figure out a way to get the nutrients from other sources. That won't be easy and will require time and effort on your part to figure out what you need. I would start by taking a daily multi-vitamin. It's not as good as the real thing but it's better than nothing.

You may also want to have a talk with your doctor about this. I got a feeling he's a better source of information than asking on a gun forum.

Good luck! Oh, and dibs on your guns if you die from scurvy or something.

I'm kidding. I don't want you to die. So eat your vegetables!

 

[clearconscience]

Yes you can, but it's complicated.

First off there are some nutrients you need from veggies, but you can use vitamins and supplements to make it up.

Read the Carnivore Code by Paul Saladino.

 

[RicInOR]

What is very bad for you is sugar. Many veggies are full of the stuff - ie corn and carrots.

What is bad for you is anything that converts to sugar. Example grains. Fruit - treat as dessert (except blue berries you can always eat those)

What is bad for you is anything that causes infamation. Example Soy. Vegitable Oil. Dairy. Processed.

Eat good foods - ie stuff you harvested. Grass fed/finished. Wild caught.


Sneak in some
I replaced lettuce with spinach in salads and on burgers, BLTs etc.

Motivation
I have started eating Kale to help reduce the size of my prostrate. ( I don't care for kale, but I hate taking too long to pee, etc)

If you have some you like, eat that
Broccoli in anything I stir fry .


I like this guy, but he talks a lot (longer videos than need be)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC70SrI3VkT1MXALRtf0pcHg

 

[BBQ Guy]

I don't feel right if I don't get enough greens.
Best thing my wife did recently was buy a vitamix blender for herself as a birthday present.
Cucumber, several cups of greens, celery, carrots, ginger, fruit- fresh and frozen, protein powder, and blend that stuff up. One after dinner and one in the morning on the way to work.
I'm eating less crap.
BTW, the American diet and modern world is full of calorie dense foods. It's the number one cause of obesity in America.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Who doesn't like stuffed cabbage? I do but they're a hassle to make so what I do is take about 3 or 4 pounds of ground beef and add about a 1/2 a head of cabbage into it.. just dice/mince it up and all your other regular ingredients.. mix it all up and slap it in a couple of bread pans and there you go. It's really good and easy.

 

[revjen45]

It is my unproven theory that most people who don't like vegetables have not been exposed to any that have been properly prepared.
Canned anything (but especially spinach) is ugly. Of course you are going to think spinach sucks if all you have ever had was canned.
Overcooked & mushy is another way to guarantee that the product will be ugly.
The main benefit of veggies is not just calorie density, but the necessary phytochemicals and fiber.
Having a garden is the best way to enjoy plant-based comestibles. Anything is better fresh - both in terms of flavor and nutrition.

 

[revjen45]

Re: Soylent
Some people really enjoy food. In moderation they're foodies, in excess they're on "My 600# Life."
Some people seem to eat just because it's necessary. Soylent is for them.

 

[Labradorian]

Perspective...vegetables add some bulk WITHOUT a ton of calories. Many people view that as a plus. And there's more to nutrition than calories...like vitamins and minerals...which veggies are a good source of...not to mention fiber.

You say you don't like many vegetables. That implies you at least like some vegetables. Which ones do you like? Because that may be enough.

If you're going to cut vegetables out, you need to figure out a way to get the nutrients from other sources. That won't be easy and will require time and effort on your part to figure out what you need. I would start by taking a daily multi-vitamin. It's not as good as the real thing but it's better than nothing.

You may also want to have a talk with your doctor about this. I got a feeling he's a better source of information than asking on a gun forum.

Good luck! Oh, and dibs on your guns if you die from scurvy or seeming.

I'm kidding. I don't want you to die. So eat your vegetables!

I'll echo this as excellent advice as an old guy who has a 'gutted like a fish' scar.

You can run your gut on smaller quantities of 'high octane' fuel for a while but it's not a long term strategy.