Written by: Kirsten Cowart
Fruits and veggies are delicious and nutritious. They help you to reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and much more. It is recommended that adults consume 1 ½ – 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables per day.
However, typically only around 13% of US adults consume the proper amounts of fruit and only 9% eat enough vegetables.
You don’t have to fall or stay in these percentage ranges though! Here are some tricks to help you get those veggies and fruits onto your plate and into your system:
1. Add Fruit And Veggies To Your Breakfast
Some people consider breakfast to be the most important meal of the day. It helps you to wake up your body and mind and make sure you have what you need to start your day off right. When you eat breakfast, you reduce your risk of diabetes and weight gain.
This is a great time to incorporate some fruits and veggies. Since fruit is naturally sweet, it goes perfectly with smoothies, yogurt, healthy cereals and oatmeal. Try adding bananas, apples or berries instead of sugar. Drink 100% fruit juice or fresh squeeze it yourself.
Another awesome breakfast idea is to get a serving of veggies in there by sautéing mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, or onion to go on or alongside a bagel, some toast or some eggs.
2. Use Veggies To Replace Cravings For Crunchy Foods And Dipping Agents
Sometimes you need something that crunches, but chips are often high in unhealthy fats and loaded with salt. Instead, replace them with broccoli, celery, cucumbers or cauliflower stalks.
These foods help to replace the craving for the crunch while making sure you get a great source of vitamin C, calcium and fiber. You can also use these awesome little veggies as a dipping agent in sauce, salsa and hummus.
3. Snack Time Tricks
Eating some fruit or veggies during snack time is a great way to boost your body and mind with the vitamins, nutrients and fiber you need to stay focused and feel full between meals.
Carrying around your fruit in small containers will help you have a healthy and delicious snack on-the-go while ensuring you meet your daily nutrition goals.
4. Baking With Fruit And Veggies
You can still have the sweet treats you enjoy by sneaking in fruit to substitute for sugar and butter. This will make the treat healthier while making sure it still has a sweet taste.
Try using applesauce or bananas for oil or sugar, mash up some avocado or bananas for your butter needs and use cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips. If you rinse, drain and puree black beans, those can substitute for regular flour as well.
5. Eat One Salad A Day
When it comes to hitting your nutrition goals, eating a salad each day will give you a big boost. Try adding a variety of color to your salad. You can let your creative side take charge and see what new flavor combinations you can come up with. Try adding some beets, avocados, radishes, apples or mandarin oranges for variety.
When you reduce your purchasing of processed foods, dairy and meat while increasing your consumption of fruits and veggies, you may find that you save money in the long run. Not only will you be helping your own health, but eating fruits and veggies is safer for the environment. Eating healthy helps everyone, including the Earth.
What do you do to stay healthy and eat more veggies and fruits? Let us know in the comments below.
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-Tragedy Turns to Opportunity, Weightloss and Holistic Health
Glenn was in an accident with a hockey puck that made it so his mouth had to be wired shut! While he was going through recovery he found that Organifi Protein sustained him in a healthy way where he was able to maintain his muscle mass while still be able to loose weight.
-Tragedy Turns to Opportunity, Weightloss and Holistic Health
