Denton County Living Well Magazine March/April 2020 | Page 36

VEGGIE
TREND
ALERT!
Lookout for these
veggies in 2020
By Julie Alvira
S
till in demand, vegetables
(veggies) are on the rise and
replacing popular carbs such
as rice and flour.
Veggies have been trending for some
time. As more people avoid refined
grains because of their link to inflam-
mation, vegetables have become a
nutritious alternative. The addition of
gluten in a diet can cause an inflamma-
tory response in the body that is linked
to gluten intolerance. Gluten is mostly
found in wheat, rye, farro, and barley.
Farro, a trendy grain, also has gluten
because it is a type of wheat grain.
You’ve heard of veggies such as cab-
bage and its relatives: cauliflower,
Brussels sprouts (making a comeback),
and kale. But, do you know why are
people turning to them and what
makes them popular? Let’s see.
Cabbage:
A plant that is usually eat-
en as a vegetable, it’s a great source
of fiber and is rich in antioxidants be-
ta-carotene and vitamin C. You can
use it in soups (I personally don’t like
soups but a veggie one with cabbage,
yes, please!), cut it for coleslaw, and
use it to make all sorts of salads. If you
slice cabbage, it can be grilled, fried,
or steamed. Research needs to contin-
ue on its cancer prevention qualities,
although there are studies suggesting
it can help with prostate and stomach
cancer. Be careful of eating too much
if you have diabetes because it had
been said that cabbage can interfere
with blood sugar levels.
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Cauliflower: This veggie has become
popular because of the keto-eating
plan. Low caloric and rich in antioxi-
dants like vitamin C, it also is rich in
folate, vitamin K, fiber, and natural
compounds that help with oxidative
stress. It’s suggested that cauliflower
helps with inflammation, premature
aging, and prevention of heart dis-
ease, cognitive decline, and diges-
tion. Some people with irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) and others without the
condition may find it a bit difficult to
digest because cauliflower is a FOD-
DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020
MAP (fermentable oligosaccharides,
disaccharides, monosaccharide, and
polyols food). A popular use for cau-
liflower is to use it as rice. Cooked
brown rice can have 210 calories/46
grams of carbs, while a cup of cauli-
flower rice has 25 calories/5 grams
of carbs.
Brussels Sprouts: As the name sug-
gests, this veggie hails from Brussels,
Belgium. In the United States, they
are mainly grown in New York and
California. High in fiber, folate, vita-