The Truth About Fruits and Vegetables
Hello friends! If you read my How to Make 2020 the Best Year Yet post, then you know one of my goals this year is to really up my fruit and vegetable intake. Some days I’m really killin’ my goal, and others, I’m sad to say, I don’t eat a single fruit or vegetable. It’s something I’m still working on daily. But it’s a goal that is really important to me because I have become much more aware of my body and what it actually needs to function at it’s optimal level. And two things my body NEEDS are, fruits and vegetables!
We all know fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet. But eating the recommended daily amount can be really difficult! Did you know the nutrition world no longer uses the food pyramid to encourage the best daily amount of each food group? When I think about the food groups and recommended daily servings I still think in the Food Pyramid (literally learned in elementary school!!). The American Dietary Guidelines now use the MyPlate tool. The focus has shifted away from a specific number of daily servings to a recommended portion of your daily calorie intake. MyPlate encourages people to make half their plate (aka meal) fruits and vegetables. This could mean anywhere from 1-2 cups of fruit and 1-3 cups of vegetables daily depending on your calorie intake needs.
So basically half of our diet should be fruits and vegetables, but why? Well, fruits and vegetables are a great natural source of super important vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants. Sure, sure, you say, but why are those so important? The vitamin A and C found in many fruits and vegetables help with healthy growth, tissue repair and wound healing, skin and eye health, and helps the body fight infections. Folate, a B vitamin, is important for the development of red blood cells and is especially important during pregnancy for healthy fetal growth and development. Some fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, which helps control blood sugar and cholesterol levels and is important for healthy bowel function. The potassium found in much of our favorite produce plays a role in regulating and maintaining a healthy blood pressure. Lastly, fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants that fight cellular damage and help manage free radicals [normal byproduct of cellular breakdown], which contribute to the development of some cancers.
Sure, you can get a lot of these vitamins, mineral, and antioxidants from supplements and dietary aids. But those aren’t natural sources and they shouldn’t be your PRIMARY source for these nutritional elements. And, if supplements and dietary aids are the primary source of your vitamins, mineral and antioxidants, what are you even eating?
Don’t get me wrong- I think supplements are great! There are some key vitamins and minerals that can be really difficult to get in adequate amounts in our diet alone. Now I’m starting to digress…supplements and dietary aids are a whole other topic of conversation. But God made the fruits and vegetables for a reason- to nourish our bodies! So eat up!
Now, back to why we need fruits and vegetables- they help maintain healthy eyes, skin, and teeth, help the body with healing and fighting infections, help maintain a healthy gut, control glucose and cholesterol, promote healthy blood pressure, and can help prevent some cancers, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
So how do we eat more of these amazing, health promoting, gems??
- Keep the fridge and pantry stocked with fresh fruits and veggies. If you don’t have them, you can’t eat them. If you are afraid to buy fresh produce because it spoils quickly, canned and frozen options work great too! Just be careful to read labels and be on the look out for added sugars and salt.
- Now that you’ve stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies…get them prepped and ready to eat! Instead of just unpacking your groceries straight in to the fridge, go ahead and get those berries and grapes washed. Take the grapes off the stems and put them in a bowl- it is so much easier to just reach in and grab a handful whenever the snack bug bites. Get those peppers chopped up so they are ready to dip into the hummus on a moments notice. If you are hungry and in a hurry it’s easiest to grab an already prepared snack, so if your fruits and vegetables are prepped and ready for action, it’s much more convenient to add them into the snack rotation.
- Add spinach to EVERYTHING. JK. Kinda. But seriously- spinach is such a versatile vegetable that is jam packed with fiber, antioxidants, folate, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Add a handful of spinach to your morning scrambled eggs or a smoothie. Personally, I love spinach in smoothies; once everything is all blended together, you can’t even taste it! Also, use spinach as the base of your salad instead of romaine or iceberg lettuce.
- Instead of chips and crackers, try apples, baby carrots, celery, broccoli or cauliflower for a crunchy snack. Carrots, broccoli and cauliflower are yummy dipped in a little ranch dressing or humus if you aren’t a fan of plain, raw vegetables. My favorite go-to afternoon snack right now is celery and peanut butter! Just be careful not to go overboard with the peanut butter. Or do, it’s up to you.
- Satisfy that sweet tooth with fruit! Try my favorite, berries with a small dollop of whipped cream and a few chocolate chips.
Bonus: Jaye’s Favorite Way to Make A Smoothie
1 cup of frozen berry mix
2 (or more, depending on your preference) handfuls of fresh spinach
1 cup of almond milk (could use any type of milk or water, I prefer milk because I think it makes the smoothie a little creamier)
2 TBSP of PB2 powder
1 serving of your favorite protein powder (I usually reach for a chocolate)
Blend everything together, and enjoy! (You can increase or decrease the amount of liquid to your consistency preference).