Why Ukrainian Women Are So Beautiful: They Eat Their Veggies
Which is Also Why Their Soldiers Are So Good
I vividly recall the weeks I spent traveling through Ukraine, wandering the storied streets of Lviv, Kiev, and Dnipro. The striking beauty of the women was almost surreal — a phenomenon that seemed to saturate every café, park, and marketplace. Never before, in all my travels across the Caucasian world, had I encountered such a consistent display of elegance and grace. Crossing the border from Poland into Ukraine felt like stepping into another world, one where beauty flourished naturally, effortlessly, and abundantly. The question gnawed at me: why? What set Ukrainian women apart in this extraordinary way?
The answer emerged as I immersed myself in Ukrainian life, particularly during the grand feasts shared with friends and family. Whether in the Lviv countryside, in Kiev’s urban sprawl, or among my Russian relatives in the apartment blocks and outskirts of Dnipro, the meal experience was astonishingly uniform — vast, intricate spreads with an almost ritualistic quality. These smorgasbords featured up to 30 distinct dishes, each crafted with care, laid out like a tapestry of culinary tradition. Yet, the remarkable similarity across these feasts pointed to something fundamental about Ukrainian culture: its love affair with vegetables.
These meals were dominated by an astonishing variety of plant-based dishes. There were tangy beet salads spiced with horseradish, pickled vegetables of every hue and texture, and tender braised cabbages infused with dill. Platters of fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and radishes sat beside bowls of zucchini pancakes and roasted eggplant rolls. Even the soups — borscht and sorrel soup — celebrated vegetables in ways that felt almost sacred. It struck me that the Ukrainian diet is an anthem to the fertility of the land, a gastronomic homage to the black soil that nourishes such bounty.
This emphasis on vegetables may be one of the hidden keys to the beauty of Ukrainian women. Nutrition science has long connected diet to physical appearance. Carotenoids, found in abundance in carrots, beets, and other vegetables, are known to improve skin tone, lending it a natural, radiant glow. Antioxidants from fresh produce combat oxidative stress, promoting clear, youthful complexions. The prevalence of fermented and pickled foods — staples of the Ukrainian table — may enhance gut health, which modern research suggests is directly linked to skin health and overall vitality. Thus, the Ukrainian feast is not merely a cultural tradition but a foundation for beauty itself, woven into the lives of its people.
But the story does not end with beauty. As the world has witnessed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there is another dimension to this nation’s exceptionality: the remarkable fortitude of its soldiers. Ukrainian men, in their tenacity and resilience, have proven to be exceptional fighters, often outmaneuvering and outlasting adversaries with far greater resources. The parallels between the beauty of Ukrainian women and the strength of Ukrainian soldiers might seem abstract at first, but they converge on the shared thread of nutrition.
Good nutrition is an established cornerstone of physical endurance and mental acuity — qualities vital in the rigors of war. The traditional Ukrainian diet, rich in vegetables, whole grains, and fermented foods, provides a balanced and nutrient-dense foundation that supports stamina, strength, and recovery. The slow-release energy from buckwheat kasha or the anti-inflammatory properties of fermented cabbage likely give these soldiers an edge. During extended campaigns, such a diet bolsters not only physical resilience but also psychological fortitude, enabling sustained focus and decision-making under pressure.
Indeed, the connection between diet and performance in both beauty and battle is profound. While one might initially dismiss the link as poetic conjecture, science corroborates the idea that nutrition influences not only how we look but also how we perform. Studies have shown that a diet emphasizing vegetables and whole foods supports cardiovascular health, reduces inflammation, and enhances physical recovery — all critical for both the beauty that adorns Ukrainian streets and the strength that defends Ukrainian sovereignty.
As I reflect on my time in Ukraine, the clarity of this connection becomes unavoidable. From the dazzling women in the cafes of Kiev to the courageous soldiers in the trenches, one thing unites them: the land and its bounty. They eat their veggies. Whether through centuries of culinary tradition or the fertile gifts of the soil, this simple truth underscores a profound reality about the Ukrainian spirit. Beauty and strength, though seemingly disparate, find their common source in the sustenance of the earth — a lesson as universal as it is inspiring.
A Ukrainian Meal Plan
Appetizers and Cold Dishes
Salo — Cured pork fat, typically served with rye bread, garlic, and pickles.
Herring Under a Fur Coat (Shuba) — Layered salad with pickled herring, beets, potatoes, carrots, and mayonnaise.
Olivier Salad — A creamy potato salad with carrots, peas, pickles, and sometimes meat or egg.
Beetroot Salad with Horseradish (Burachky) — Tangy beet salad, often spiced with horseradish.
Stuffed Eggs — Halved boiled eggs filled with yolk-based mixtures, sometimes with mushrooms or herring.
Pickled Vegetables — A variety of pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, and garlic.
Aspic (Kholodets) — Savory meat jelly made from pork or beef broth, often served with mustard or horseradish.
Soups
Borscht — Beetroot soup with a mix of meat and vegetables, served with sour cream and fresh dill.
Chicken Soup with Ushka — Clear chicken soup with dumplings shaped like little ears.
Sorrel Soup (Zeleny Borscht) — A tangy soup made from sorrel, potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.
Breads and Dumplings
Pampushky — Soft, fluffy garlic bread rolls, perfect as a side for borscht.
Varenyky (Pierogies) — Dumplings stuffed with potatoes, cheese, mushrooms, or cherries.
Pelmeni — Meat-filled dumplings, typically served with butter or sour cream.
Meat and Fish Dishes
Holubtsi — Cabbage rolls stuffed with rice and ground meat, cooked in a tomato sauce.
Kotlety — Ukrainian-style fried meat patties made from ground pork or beef.
Roast Duck with Apples — Often served for festive occasions.
Fish in Aspic (Ryba Zalivna) — Poached fish set in aspic, decorated with herbs and vegetables.
Chicken Kyiv — Breaded chicken cutlets filled with herb butter.
Side Dishes
Potato Pancakes (Deruny) — Crispy, golden pancakes served with sour cream.
Buckwheat Kasha — Simple and hearty, often topped with fried onions.
Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Butter — A creamy and flavorful classic.
Baked Potatoes with Dill and Butter — Comfort food, often roasted with onions and herbs.
Vegetables and Salads
Carrot and Raisin Salad — A sweet and tangy grated carrot salad with raisins and a touch of mayonnaise.
Fresh Vegetable Platter — An assortment of tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and green onions, often served with sour cream.
Cabbage Salad — Fresh shredded cabbage with vinegar, oil, and dill.
Korean Carrot Salad (Morkva Po-Koreysky) — Spicy and tangy grated carrot salad with garlic and coriander.
Stuffed Peppers (Farshyrovani Perezi) — Bell peppers stuffed with rice, vegetables, and sometimes mushrooms, simmered in tomato sauce.
Marinated Mushrooms — Pickled or marinated mushrooms, often flavored with garlic and dill.
Zucchini Pancakes (Oladi Iz Kabachkov) — Light and crispy zucchini fritters served with sour cream.
Vegetable Caviar (Ikra) — A spread made from roasted eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and onions, similar to baba ganoush.
Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Prunes — A sweet and earthy salad often dressed with sour cream or yogurt.
Cabbage Stir-Fry (Tushkova Kapusta) — Braised cabbage with onions, carrots, and tomatoes, a comforting and versatile side dish.
Grilled Eggplant Rolls with Garlic (Baklazhany Roliki) — Thin slices of grilled eggplant stuffed with a garlicky mayonnaise or cream cheese filling.
Vegetable Stew (Ovochevyy Ragu) — A mix of potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and other vegetables in a tomato-based sauce.
Stewed Green Beans with Tomatoes (Fasolya Z TomaTom) — Tender green beans simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce with garlic and herbs.
Desserts
Kutia — Sweet wheat berry pudding with poppy seeds, honey, and dried fruits, traditionally served during Christmas.
Syrnyky — Fried cheese pancakes made with farmer’s cheese, served with sour cream or jam.
Napoleon Cake — Multi-layered pastry with creamy custard, a popular holiday dessert.
Pryaniky — Honey spice cookies, often decorated or glazed.
Compote — A sweet fruit drink made by simmering dried fruits like apples, pears, and cherries.
See Also:
NATO Expansion: The Great Mistake That Helped Spark the Ukraine War
