Research continues to show that people who eat the most vegetables (and fruits) tend to weigh the least and gain less weight as they age, and they lose more weight when they are dieting for purposes of weight loss.

As well, a multitude of studies show that are less likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, certain cancers, and obesity.

Vegetables and fruits are the foundation of the calorie density strategy. Also based on the power of fiber.

You can eat as many vegetables as you'd like of almost any kind (see fat burning foods chart). It's hard to go wrong. The only exception is you are on the ketogenic diet (or aiming to eat very low carb), you will need to avoid the starchy vegetables.

Vegetables (especially fibrous veggies) paired with protein is an especially effective weight loss strategy.

Bottom line: You can eat a LOT of vegetables — in particular, unlimited fibrous veggies — and still lose weight! Read more tips below.

Here's a list:

Fibrous Vegetables			Starchy Vegetables
any leafy green asparagus bamboo shoots bean sprouts beet greens bok choi broccoli brussels sprouts cabbage cauliflower celery chard chicory greens cucumbers	eggplant fennel green beans green salad kohlrabi jalapeno peppers lettuce mushrooms okra onions peppers (any) pickles pumpkin radishes	red chili pepper sauerkraut scallions snow peas spaghetti squash spinach summer squash sweet bell peppers (any) tomatoes turnips watercress zucchini	avocado beets carrots celeriac corn leeks parsnips peas plantains potatoes (normal and sweet) water chestnuts yams

Eat What You Like

Even if you can only find one or two vegetables you like -- or one or two means of preparing them -- that's okay. You don't need to eat everything. Focus on those vegetables you can handle and eat a lot of them!

Be Creative

Learn to eat vegetables creatively. A diet high in veggies doesn't have to taste or remind you of rabbit food. Tips below.

Go Crazy With Big Portion Sizes

The principle of portion size (verified in many studies) says that the more food you have on your plate, the more you eat. Use that to your advantage by simply offering more vegetables to yourself, and to your family.

If you like a certain vegetable, don't be afraid of eating a lot of it. That's a good thing.

Fill your plate with vegetables; that's right -- go crazy and pile it on. Aiming for 2 cups of vegetables takes up about half of a plate.

Serve vegetables as side dishes AND in main dishes.

Sneak It In

If you want to increase your own vegetable intake without noticing it -- or if you have picky kids for instance, you can sneak it in. You can often include 4 to 5 times the amount called for in a recipe and no one will notice, whether kids or adults. By doing this, you may increase daily vegetable intake by 80 - 100% while reducing calorie intake (one study showed a daily calorie reduction of 360 calories).

Pureed or chopped vegetables can easily be hidden in main dishes. The proper amount requires a bit of experimentation. You can easily start with about 1/4 cup of extra vegetables for each serving in the recipe; for example, if the recipe calls serves 4, add one cup of veggies. This is best done in recipes where it can blend in easily such as pastas, stews, soups, and mixed dishes like casseroles.

If you're truly trying to hide the vegetables:

Try to match the color of the veggie to the main ingredient.
Add to spicy dishes like Mexican, or tomato-based dishes with strong flavors

Other ideas:

Spinach or cucumber are easily added to smoothies and you won't even notice.
Pureed squash or black beans can be added into brownies or chocolate cake batter
Substitute vegetable (or fruit) purees for 1/2 to 2/3 the added fat in muffins and various quick breads
Tomato based dishes go well with cooked and pureed or chopped white veggies (carrot, pumpkin, winter squash) or green veggies (like broccoli or spinach)

Make it Convenient

One reason we may avoid vegetables is the preparation time -- the peeling and cutting involved.

Thankfully, much of that work has already been done by food manufacturers and grocery stores:

Baby carrots
Broccoli, butternut squash, onions and other popular vegetables are often peeled and pre-cut
Packaged salads
Frozen vegetables - typically microwaveable. As easy as it gets! (And they're quick frozen at the peak of freshness for a max flavor)
Canned vegetables (corn, beans, tomatoes)

Make Them Delicious

It's normal if you're not crazy about the taste of vegetables. You can make them delicious by adding a small amount of fat (or in some cases sugar) while the overall CD (calorie density) remains really low. If that's what it takes to increase vegetables, then do it -- it's still a much better alternative than many other recipes or food types.

That said, for the biggest calorie density impact, you'll want to use the least amount of calorie rich toppings as possible (e.g., butter, oil, sauce, cheese, etc). For normal, everyday maintenance eating, you don't have to worry about this as much but if you are aiming to lose weight (or not seeing much progress) then you'll have to watch these "extras" carefully.

Ideas:

Try grilling, or roasting
Sprinkle with a bit of sugar
Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, butter flavoring, or light butter (great for broiled veggies on a cookie sheet)
Add a little salad dressing or grated cheese
Partially covering a pot can allow strong aromas to escape (for veggies that may seem too bitter or strong)

Seasonings to enhance the flavor of veggies:

Basil: For egglplant, tomatoes, zucchini
Chervil: For Asparagus, carrots, tomatoes
Chives: For Potatoes, carrots
Cilantro: For bell peppers, carrots, lettuce
Cinnamon: For carrots, winter squash
Coriander seeds: For bell peppers, lentils
Cumin: For cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes
Curry powder: For potatoes, green beans, carrots
Dill: For beets, cucumbers, salads
Marjoram: Mushrooms, spinach, summer squash
Mint: For carrots, cucumbers, legumes
Oregano: For bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes
Rosemary: For bell peppers, legumes, cabbage
Savory: legumes, mushrooms
Tarragon: For fennel, mushrooms, tomatoes
Thyme: Carrots, legumes, mushrooms
Vinegar: salads, tomatoes, most any vegetables