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5 Vegetables to Plant for Weight Loss

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Weight loss is something I’ve struggled with pretty much my entire life. Growing up poor made it harder to have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. In high school, my mom started a garden in the tiny front yard of our apartment. She put her heart and soul into those plants and the payoff was tremendous. There are more tomatoes than we could use and fresh peppers and herbs. I tell you this story to show you that you can eat healthy and lose weight. It all starts in your own yard.

It’s easy to make the excuse that weight loss is expensive. You can say that buying healthy foods is too expensive. You can say that a gym membership is out of your budget. Many people make the excuse that vegetables are too expensive. If you have even a small space on your patio, you can grow your own vegetables and save hundreds of dollars this summer. However, some vegetables are better than others when it comes to weight loss. Whether you enjoy the snap of steamed green beans or the crunch of cucumbers, you can enjoy all your favorite vegetables without the expense. Here are just five vegetables to plant for weight loss.

Vegetables to Plant for Weight Loss

Vegetables to Plant for Weight Loss

Zucchini

I love zucchini. I love that I can load my plate down with a large portion and not have to worry about calories. A serving of zucchini is 1 cup and contains only 20 calories. Think about that. Imagine being able to fill yourself up without going over your calorie limit for the day. The best part is that zucchini grows like crazy, which means you’ll have more than enough to freeze for the winter. Personally, I love to steam zucchini with a few seasonings, but it also tastes wonderful in a vegetable stir-fry.

 Green Beans

Image by Jason Gillman from Pixabay

Green beans require a bit more work, due to the need to stalk the plants, but green beans are an excellent vegetable to plant for weight loss. A serving of snap green beans is 1 cup and contains 44 calories. I love the taste of steamed green beans. I also love that green beans are easy to can or freeze for the winter months. It’s nice to be able to open a bag of frozen green beans and know that they don’t have added preservatives or anything questionable.

Jalapenos

We all know that capsicum can aid in weight loss. Jalapenos are a great vegetable to plant for weight loss because their heat level isn’t out of control. This means most people can stand to eat the peppers in other foods, such as salsa or chili. Jalapenos grow very easily and can also be canned to preserve them for later use. One jalapeno contains only 4 calories. Try adding fresh jalapenos to scrambled eggs, homemade salsa and low-fat Mexican dishes.

Cucumbers

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Cucumbers are another one of my favorites. I love the snap they add to sandwiches and love to make a simple salad using cucumbers, sweet onions, tomatoes and Italian dressing during the hot summer months. A 1/2 cup of sliced cucumbers has only 8 calories. Best of all, there is a lot of your can do with cucumbers, such as making your own pickles. Of course, you really can’t beat just snacked on cucumbers on a hot summer day.

Tomatoes

Okay, tomatoes are really a fruit, but we eat them as vegetables. Tomatoes can be hard to grow, but are one of the best additions to any garden. I like to have a variety of tomatoes in the garden for different recipes. I love grape tomatoes for salads, cherry tomatoes for a snack, and beefsteak tomatoes for sandwiches and burgers. A medium-sized tomato contains only 22 calories.

A garden is a must for anyone that wants to eat healthy without spending a fortune. Sure, it requires a lot of work. However, narrowing down your choices can reduce the work and needed space. These are just a few of the best options when it comes to vegetables to plant for weight loss. Do your research and see which other vegetables you enjoy are good for weight loss.

Love to garden? Are you a beginner? Or would you just like to save money? Check out my post Dollar Tree Gardening Part 1 where I discuss buying supplies at your local Dollar Tree. Want even more great gardening advice? Head over to the blog My Stay at Home Adventures where Joyce shares a ton of excellent gardening content. And, if you want more of me, check out my YouTube channel.