Yes, it seems everywhere you turn health and wellness experts are telling you to eat more fruits and vegetables.
You totally get it.
Yes, they’re full, and I mean FULL, of nutrition (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, etc.).
Yes, people who eat more fruits and vegetables live longer, healthier lives.
Not to mention protecting their bodies and minds from just about every chronic disease out there, proven.
Yes, eating more vegetables can help you maintain a healthy body weight, and even lose some fat (as long as you don’t bread and fry them, or cover them with cream sauce).
Your question is more than likely not “Should I eat more fruits and vegetables,” but “How can I actually do it?”
To begin – always start from where you are. If you’re not used to any fruits or veggies, try for just two per day.
Build up from there.
Don’t get overwhelmed thinking you need to overhaul your entire diet I one day.
Wherever you’re at now, I challenge you to increase it by two per day.
SNEAK THEM INTO OTHER DISHES
Some dishes are super-easy to enhance with a bit of strategically placed produce. What do you think of these ideas?
- Add ½ apple, a small handful of spinach, or extra berries into your smoothie.
- Dice or shred up an extra bit of carrot, broccoli, zucchini or pepper into your soup.
- Love sandwiches? Why not add an extra slice of tomato, lettuce or cucumber to it?
- How about chicken, tuna, or salmon salad? Dice up a stalk of celery and throw it in.
- Love to bake? How about substituting ¼ cup of the sugar for ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce?
- Used to having a small salad? Why not try a larger one?
- Making tomato sauce? Add in some extra mushrooms or peppers.
- Mac and cheese? BROCCOLI mac and cheese (trust me)
Veggies are going to bulk up your meal in a low calorie way. Same amount of food on the plate, less total calories. Boom.
Don’t boil your veggies and tell me they taste bad.
Of course they taste bad!
Make them taste GOOD:
- Steam some frozen corn and add a touch of olive oil and your favorite herb or spice.
- Use veggies as your sandwich “bread” by making a lettuce wrap.
- Don’t be afraid to spice them up! Try sauteing them for 10 minutes with a drizzle of oil and flavor them with pepper, garlic, ginger or cumin.
OPTING FOR THEM AS SNACKS
- Why not throw a banana, apple or a couple of clementines into your lunch bag?
- Ditch the chips and dip – Instead try some carrot, celery, broccoli, cucumber or cauliflower with a dip like hummus, guacamole, or even your favorite salad dressing
- Love sweetened yogurt? Buy plain, and immerse it with fresh or frozen berries. Frozen veggies make for awesome parfaits the next day out of the fridge as a grab and go!
YOUR CHALLENGE
Take two of these suggestions and try them tomorrow. Just add two more fruits and veggies to the number you’re at today. Two more.
And if you’re not an instant fan, well, try again. Research shows that sometimes it takes our taste buds several tries before actually beginning to like a new flavor. Try it; you might just find some new faves.
You can do it.
Let me know your favorite ideas in the comments below.
