Vegetables to Eat While on the Medifast Diet

The Medifast Diet is a portion controlled weight loss plan. Medifast supplies five prepackaged meals each day and encourages the dieter to eat one lean and green meal. The lean and green meal includes 5-7 ounces of lean protein and three servings of vegetables. Medifast divides vegetables into one of three categories, depending upon their carbohydrate content.

Medifast Vegetables

The official Medifast Diet website states that most vegetables are considered healthy food choices and allowable on the Medifast Diet. Low carbohydrate vegetable choices are recommended to achieve faster weight loss. When weight loss goals are being met while dieters consume large amounts of high carbohydrate vegetables then there is nothing to worry about. However, if progress stalls, high carbohydrate vegetables should be replaced with their lower carbohydrate counterparts.

When preparing vegetables on this diet, try to avoid cooking methods that add fat and calories such as sauteing the vegetables in butter. Steaming is a better option and will keep calories under control.

Low Carb Vegetables

Most lettuces and raw greens fall into the low carb vegetable category. These include green leaf lettuce, iceberg lettuce, endive, fresh spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, and watercress. White mushrooms, celery, radishes, and sprouts are also included in this category. These vegetables are all low calorie as well and should make up the majority of vegetables consumed when trying to lose weight.

Medium Carb Vegetables

Medifast designates some vegetables in the middle of the carbohydrate content scales. These vegetables are asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, fennel bulb, kale, portabella mushrooms, cooked spinach, and zucchini.

High Carb Vegetables

Vegetables in the high carb category include broccoli, red cabbage, green or wax beans, kohlrabi, bell peppers, scallions, tomatoes, turnips, spaghetti squash, and cooked collard or mustard greens. These vegetables are still healthy, but they contain more calories and carbohydrates than other vegetables. Eating high carb vegetables is acceptable as long as weight loss progresses. Dieters should keep in mind that they may make better progress by limiting these vegetables in favor of the lower carb choices.

Vegetables to Avoid

During the weight loss phase of the Medifast diet, some vegetables should be avoided completely. These vegetables are carrots, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, and brussels sprouts. Medifast recommends eliminating these foods completely until the dieter has reached her goal weight. At this point, these vegetables can be added back into a healthy daily diet while maintaining weight.