I hated vegetables when I was a child and I still hate them as an adult. I always joke with my mother that it's her fault for forcing me to be healthy as a kid, lol. I recognize their nutritional value and do eat a large helping of broccoli/beans/etc. once or twice a week, but that's not enough. The fact is...I hate, HATE, HATE them. I never liked the taste and apparently never will. However, I always feel great a few hours after consuming them and desperately want to include them in my daily diet.

For the past couple months, I've been trying to figure out a way to get them into my body without 'thinking' about it. I accomplished this goal by using my blender, orange juice, ice cubes and vegetables. I created smoothies and I'm thoroughly enjoying them!

My question sounds dumb, but am I missing out on something by blending the frozen vegetables up with orange juice, instead of eating them whole? I'm enjoying these smoothies way too much to believe that I can get away with it without negative effects. I'm a bigger guy and I'm trying to lose a little fat and maybe put on some muscle. I remember a few people on here saying orange juice is a huge negative in your daily routine?

Also, should I look into wheat grass juice? I've read a lot of positive reviews on the web about it, but there's no scientific data that backs up many of the claims surrounding wheat grass.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

I hated vegetables when I was a child and I still hate them as an adult. I always joke with my mother that it's her fault for forcing me to be healthy as a kid, lol. I recognize their nutritional value and do eat a large helping of broccoli/beans/etc. once or twice a week, but that's not enough. The fact is...I hate, HATE, HATE them. I never liked the taste and apparently never will. However, I always feel great a few hours after consuming them and desperately want to include them in my daily diet.

For the past couple months, I've been trying to figure out a way to get them into my body without 'thinking' about it. I accomplished this goal by using my blender, orange juice, ice cubes and vegetables. I created smoothies and I'm thoroughly enjoying them!

My question sounds dumb, but am I missing out on something by blending the frozen vegetables up with orange juice, instead of eating them whole? I'm enjoying these smoothies way too much to believe that I can get away with it without negative effects. I'm a bigger guy and I'm trying to lose a little fat and maybe put on some muscle. I remember a few people on here saying orange juice is a huge negative in your daily routine?

Also, should I look into wheat grass juice? I've read a lot of positive reviews on the web about it, but there's no scientific data that backs up many of the claims surrounding wheat grass.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

The wheat grass I have drunk acts like a laxitive for me, so if that's what you're going for go ahead :lol:.

I hated vegetables when I was a child and I still hate them as an adult. I always joke with my mother that it's her fault for forcing me to be healthy as a kid, lol. I recognize their nutritional value and do eat a large helping of broccoli/beans/etc. once or twice a week, but that's not enough. The fact is...I hate, HATE, HATE them. I never liked the taste and apparently never will. However, I always feel great a few hours after consuming them and desperately want to include them in my daily diet.

For the past couple months, I've been trying to figure out a way to get them into my body without 'thinking' about it. I accomplished this goal by using my blender, orange juice, ice cubes and vegetables. I created smoothies and I'm thoroughly enjoying them!

My question sounds dumb, but am I missing out on something by blending the frozen vegetables up with orange juice, instead of eating them whole? I'm enjoying these smoothies way too much to believe that I can get away with it without negative effects. I'm a bigger guy and I'm trying to lose a little fat and maybe put on some muscle. I remember a few people on here saying orange juice is a huge negative in your daily routine?

Also, should I look into wheat grass juice? I've read a lot of positive reviews on the web about it, but there's no scientific data that backs up many of the claims surrounding wheat grass.

Any input is greatly appreciated!


I've always loved veggies, so I have no problem getting mine, but I have started adding a serving of 'Greens (http://www.barleans.com/greens.asp)' to my protein shakes for a little extra supplementation, not sole vegetable intake.

You are not going to get the fiber and other benefits of 'real' vegetables though.

What don't you like about veg? any specific ones? you surely can't hate every single vegetable? Have you tried sweet potatoes? edemame? asparagus? How about non-frozen, really fresh vegetables? I can't stand frozen broccoli (or anything frozen really except blueberries).

Blending up like that is fine as far as I know, or at least better than not eating any at all.

Try adding them to other foods all mixed in. For example, let's say your meal is 6oz. chicken, 1/2 cup brown rice, and 1 cup of cut green beans. Well, instead of eating them all separate, mix them all together in a bowl and take bites of all at the same time. Throw in some crushed almonds or flax seeds and some spices and it's pretty good.

Sometimes this helps me; I'm not a huge veggie fan either (though I eat a lot of them).

Blending up like that is fine as far as I know, or at least better than not eating any at all.

Try adding them to other foods all mixed in. For example, let's say your meal is 6oz. chicken, 1/2 cup brown rice, and 1 cup of cut green beans. Well, instead of eating them all separate, mix them all together ... OMG.... I thought you are gonna say "in the blender" :lol: :eek: in a bowl and take bites of all at the same time. Throw in some crushed almonds or flax seeds and some spices and it's pretty good.

Sometimes this helps me; I'm not a huge veggie fan either (though I eat a lot of them).

For the past couple months, I've been trying to figure out a way to get them into my body without 'thinking' about it. I accomplished this goal by using my blender, orange juice, ice cubes and vegetables. I created smoothies and I'm thoroughly enjoying them!

My question sounds dumb, but am I missing out on something by blending the frozen vegetables up with orange juice, instead of eating them whole? I'm enjoying these smoothies way too much to believe that I can get away with it without negative effects. I'm a bigger guy and I'm trying to lose a little fat and maybe put on some muscle. I remember a few people on here saying orange juice is a huge negative in your daily routine?
Nutritionally, I think it's all the same thing. I think even the fibre content is unchanged. However, there may be differences in your satiety, how your body processes them, and your insulin reaction to them when they're blended. In other words, you might digest them more quickly and be hungrier for your next meal earlier than you should be.

I like my vegetables with sweetness too. When I eat a spinach salad, I usually put strawberries and pecans along with it. Broccoli is good with chopped granny smith apple and some raisins. Brussels sprouts taste nice alongside with some homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and turkey. (I usually mix them all up in a bowl like 1FastGTX recommends.)

Mustard. :tu:

For me, the whole point of eating veggies is to fill me up on a cutting diet and also so I can poop well. If you blend it, you would miss out on both benefits. My advice is learn to like it. I'm sure if you eat them forcefully for awhile, you'll end up liking them. Plus, brocoli isn't the only vegetable. Try getting some of those birds' eye microwavable steam mixed vegetables. Prepare them as the direction says, and put some salt and crushed red pepper flakes. It tastes great.

I hated vegetables when I was a child and I still hate them as an adult. I always joke with my mother that it's her fault for forcing me to be healthy as a kid, lol. ... The fact is...I hate, HATE, HATE them. I never liked the taste and apparently never will. However, I always feel great a few hours after consuming them and desperately want to include them in my daily diet.

Whether you want to hear it or not, your distaste of vegetables is in your head. The only thing that will keep you hating them is, well, you. It's not impossible to acquire a taste for them.

I know, because I was in the same boat ... I despised vegetables. My wife didn't even like cooking them because of the dirty looks I'd shoot her and how I'd grumble and complain and refuse to eat them. I thought they were the worse, most horrible tasting things and had to choke them down.

As I begin living healthier, and cut out some of my negative influences like drinking, I came to a realization.

When I first tasted beer, I thought it tasted horrible. I stomached it because as a crazy young man I liked the buzz and it was the "socially acceptable" thing to do. Then, over time, something strange happened ... I "acquired a taste."

When I first tasted wine, I thought it tasted like rotten fruit. Then, strangely enough, I "acquired a taste."

When I used to smoke cigarettes, the first one I had tasted like burning dirt. Yet somehow I managed to get used to them and enjoy them ... right up until the day I quite.

Same thing with coffee.

My point? Just because you hate them now doesn't mean you won't down the road, IF you choose to allow yourself to acquire a taste for them.

It doesn't happen overnight.

At first, I could only eat vegetables cooked until they were mush and then smothered in hollandaise (sp?) sauce or loaded with salt, pepper, and other spices.

I'd even coat them in butter.

Then I began cutting back on the sauces. I started using olive oil instead of butter. I ditched the salt and found Mrs. Dash or other low sodium spices I enjoyed.

I found with the right amount of spice, I actually enjoyed vegetables.

I cooked them less and less ... started eating them more fresh.

And, lo and behold, I acquired a taste for them and enjoy them.

If you want to do it, you can. It's not night and day, but a transition that requires a willingness to say living healthy feels better than any junk food can taste.

That's it!

Jeremy

I have no clue as to how anyone could dislike the taste of veggies. Most of them don't taste of anything at all to me :lol: The texture is the key thing - I can't eat broccoli unless it's nice and soft - about 9 minutes of steaming is about right :)

Blending up like that is fine as far as I know, or at least better than not eating any at all.

Try adding them to other foods all mixed in. For example, let's say your meal is 6oz. chicken, 1/2 cup brown rice, and 1 cup of cut green beans. Well, instead of eating them all separate, mix them all together in a bowl and take bites of all at the same time. Throw in some crushed almonds or flax seeds and some spices and it's pretty good.

Sometimes this helps me; I'm not a huge veggie fan either (though I eat a lot of them).

he's completely right.

salsa is really low in calories (i have some that's like 3 calories a tablespoon, and I have 3 with lots of meals) and salsa makes veggies taste great. especially boiled potatoes and kidney beans. There's really no need to suffer with food, it's very easy to get healthy food to taste good, making it fit specific macronutrient ratios is a complete pig tho (as i am finding out during my current attempt at making a new bulking diet).

I agree with everyone above, but jerremy's story hit home with me. I went through my teen years and more than half of my 20's not eating fruits or veggies. Just recently I decided I needed to get over my hatred and I forced myself into eating them. At first it was hard, but it gets easier the more you eat them. Try to ease your way into it. I eased my way into it by commiting to eating a salad every day. Eating a salad everyday led to changing what I snacked on.

a couple more developements after making salad part of my routine...
I eat low fat tortilla chips and salsa for a snack.
I started substituting baby carrots for dorritos I would have had with a deli sandwich at lunchtime.
I used to eat chicken stir fry and eat all of the chicken and leave all of the veggies. I started cutting all of the veggies into smaller pieces and mixing it up real good and now I eat it all.

I can't see your age in your profile. If you're a kid, then do what your parents tell you to do. If you're an adult, then just eat them. :mad:
Remember when girls were "icky?" Then you turned 8 or 9 years old and then they weren't so gross anymore. That should have happened with vegetables too. :D

In my experience, "I can't" is really just a sideways manner of saying "I really really don't want to."

While a certain amount of aversion to bitter greens can be genuinely genetic in origin, simply "hating vegetables" is 100% in your head and virtually always the result of a childhood that involved people who can't cook worth a damn.

This is a great opportunity to start learning more about cooking, not just nutrition. As an avid amateur chef one thing I've learned over the years is that almost anything can taste good if you cook it right. Unlike some of the advice in this thread, I've generally found that cooking vegetables (particularly cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage) until they're mush actually intensifies the flavor, and not in a good way. You know that "cabbage smell" that people will talk about sometime? Yeah, that shouldn't ever happen. Try cooking things until they are just "al dente," kind of like how vegetables usually are in Chinese food. This gives them just enough cooking to not be overly tough or crunchy, but still have a nice texture and a mild, flexible flavor that can easily be adjusted to blend with almost any dish.

Good kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, lemon, garlic, and herbs are all great ways to bring out the natural flavor of vegetables. Green beans, lightly blanched and then briskly sauteed with a little olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and dried thyme is one of my favorites, and I HATED beans as a kid.

Cueball,
I am in the same "boat" as you. I've never liked vegetables. My wife is constantly on my case about not eating salad...which I hate more than eating say, broccoli. The only way that I can even stand to eat any is as few have suggested here...mix them with other foods that you like. That doesn't get me to eat as many as I should...but at least I am eating a few. For lunch, I have found a solution for me..."South Beach Diet" frozen meals. There is always some sort of "sauce" with the chicken or beef so that when I mix it all together, I cannot even taste the vegetables. I am a VERY picky eater and this works for me. Go luck!