If someone told you that you could significantly improve your health with one easy change would you be willing to make one change for this outcome? I bet you will because it is so easy and tasty also. The change is to eat more fruits and vegetables. Did you know that over 2.7 million lives could be saved annually by just increasing the world’s fruit and vegetable intake!
Study after study shows that fruits and vegetables are important protective foods and highly beneficial for the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. They contain valuable food ingredients which can be successfully utilized to build up and repair the body. Here are the top eight reasons to increase the number of fruit and vegetable servings you have on a daily basis.
Anti-Aging – Now that is a term we baby boomers like to hear! Fruits and vegetables actually improve our memories due to their anti-inflammatory effect
Weight Loss – Fruits and vegetables can help with weight management. There are only 25 calories in the average serving of vegetables and 60 calories in the average serving of fruit. It is obvious that exchanging a serving of meat or carbohydrates for a serving of fruit or vegetables will save significant caloric intake which eventually results in weight loss
Disease Prevention – Fruits and vegetables are packed with chemicals that are capable of preventing a host of diseases including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and cataracts.
Nutrient Rich – Fruits and vegetables are high in most nutrients, vitamin rich and contain a lot of fiber. All of which are important for basic health and well being. There is a wide range of nutrients in the different colored fruits and vegetables, so along with increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables it is important to consume fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors. For example green spinach, orange sweet potato, black beans, red watermelon etc. Think of it as a rainbow of health benefits.
Wide Variety – Fruits and vegetables are available in an infinite variety. There is always something new to try and you will never get bored. For example, artichoke hearts, sweet potatoes, dacon radish, and the list goes on and on. Plus they taste great and combining them in different ways will give you taste sensations you have never had before.
Quick & Easy Snacks – We all need a quick grab and go snack and fruits and vegetables meet that need. Grab an apple, baby carrots, radishes or a pear as you head out the door. Bag up a combination of vegetables on the weekend and take them with you wherever you go during the week.
Detoxifies – Water is of course a main component of fruits and vegetables. It flushes out toxins from the body, from the cells to the organs, to include the skin. It dissolves minerals and lowers the risk of kidney failure and disease. With the consumption of more fruits and vegetables we get the bonus of more water!
Save Money – And on top of all of that fruits and vegetables are economical, if you increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables which will lower your consumption of processed foods and meats your grocery bill will plummet! And in these hard economic times we can take savings where ever we can find them.
So the question you have is how I can easily increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in my diet. Listed below are ten tips on doing just that.
1. Make a veggie omelet for breakfast. Add mushrooms, onions, green peppers, tomatoes etc, this can make a great tasting breakfast and you start your day with 1-2 servings of vegetables.
2. Make smoothies for breakfast, recipes can be found on the internet, but experiment. Add blueberries, a banana and some spinach. Yum! This gets your day started with 3 servings of fruits and vegetables.
3. Add fruit to your morning cereal.
4. Cut up vegetables when you return home from the grocery store and put them in a baggie for grab and go snacks during the busy week. Include items such as celery, carrots, radish, cucumber slices, cauliflower, broccoli etc.
5. Add a side salad to every meal. Make a large salad on the weekend so you can do this easily.
6. If you currently have meat, potatoes and a vegetable for dinner, add a second vegetable.
7. Make sure you plate is ½ to ¾ full of vegetables at each meal.
8. Grab a piece of fruit for a snack on the run.
9. Use fruit as dessert for dinner. Grill peaches, this is better than chocolate cake!
10. Have vegetable soup with your dinner. Make a crock pot of vegetable soup on the weekend and then serve with your dinner, you can freeze this soup and take out enough for a meal.
There are so many ways that we can all increase our intake of fruits and vegetables. And with so many benefits it is one of those things you need to do TODAY!
Jean Sumner has pursued an interest in wellness her entire life. An avid runner, she is passionate about exercise, eating healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.Jean was diagnosed with cancer in May, 2009 this only served to fuel the flames of her passions and encouraged her to learn more about wellness. This diagnosis actually led to the beginning of World Wellness Education with a mission of “Teaching the world about wellness — one story at a time.”
As Jean pursued alternative methods of treating cancer she met countless individuals who had great stories to tell regarding how nutrition, spirituality and exercise helped them to overcome their various illnesses. Since these stories were moving, motivating and timely she thought that each of these stories may make a difference in others lives. With the knowledge that we learn from stories more quickly than other teaching methods an organization was born in hopes to make a difference in the well being of every individual on the planet.
This information is not meant to be medical advice. No action or inaction should be taken solely on the contents of this information. Instead, you should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to your health and well-being.
Thanks Jean for this timely issue…I definitely needed this issues reminders to be more consistent with
my juicing vegies., mainly celery, carrots, 1/4 beet, 1/2 inch of ginger root etc. Any idea’s
Thanks…and stay Warm…..Tom T