The Importance of variety of Fruits, Veggies and Berries
We all know that fruits and veggies are the foundation of good health, but do you really know how important they are to fight disease in the body? Fruits and veggies are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease fighting phytochemicals. These phytochemicals contain a combination of different colors that work synergistically together to fight disease in the body. Actually nothing comes close to the health promoting, disease fighting benefits. How much should we eat? The recommended serving size is 7-13 servings every day and half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables. If you are an athlete, the recommendation goes up to 16-19 servings per day. The fact is that 90% of people do not get the recommended amount of fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables help us maintain a healthy weight, protect against aging, give your skin a glow (who doesn't want that!) and reduces the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. So what are some easy ways to get more of these colorful plants into our bodies every day? 1. Leave fruit out on the counter in full view so this way if you are walking by, you are more apt to grab an apple or orange rather than grabbing an unhealthy choice. 2. Always have a side salad with lunch or with dinner and double up on your veggies. I love throwing in tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and sometimes cranberries. 3. Meal prep! Cut up fruits and veggies on the weekend and put in glass jars so you can go grab them when you get hungry. You can even make a salad in a jar! 4. Have a smoothie! You can add so many fruits and veggies along with flax and chia which are good for brain health and to prevent breast cancer. I love adding in spinach! 5. Freeze your fruit! Throw some grapes and strawberries in the freezer or even in ice cube trays and throw them in your water bottle. 6. Take a whole food nutritional product to bridge the gap so this way you are covered every day no matter what. Interested in learning more about the power of fruits and veggies? Check out the links below: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8841165/ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/ Fruits and Veggies-How much do we really need?
Comments