Eating fruits and vegetables is an important aspect of living a healthy life. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health, and most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories yet still filling. The Center for Disease Control has a great tool to help you decide exactly how many fruits and vegetables you should be eating each day. Here are a few simple ways to include more fruit and vegetables in your diet:
Stir in berries or other fruit to your breakfast
Whether you’re a yogurt eater, an oatmeal eater, or cereal eater in the morning, berries complement these meals very well. Whether fresh or frozen, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, etc. will not only taste great, but help you reach your daily needs of fruit. Even if you’re a sweets eater in the morning and go for pancakes and waffles, drop some berries into the mix and it’ll be even sweeter.
Pack that omelet full of vegetables
Another breakfast tip that will get your vegetable intake on the right start is to pack your morning omelet with vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions — really anything you like. The more vegetables the better. If you’re not a huge fan of vegetables, the strong flavors of egg and cheese will help mask the vegetables flavors.
Double the vegetables in recipes
No matter what you’re making, from soup to pizza to a simple chicken dish, however many vegetables the recipe calls for, double it. Soups will be heartier and more filling and pizza will still taste the same, but just with more nutrients.
Swap the sweets
If a sweet tooth is all you have, adding fruits to your diet should be easy. Naturally sweet themselves, fruit can serve as great substitutes to that mid afternoon snack and even dessert. Instead of a candy bar in the afternoon, try an apple instead. You’ll feel lighter and healthier and still get that sugar rush. Even desserts can be healthy. Try some chocolate covered strawberries the next time you’re feeling that after-dinner sugar tug.
Sign up for a farm to home produce delivery service
There are a growing number of services out there that go to local farms, pick food early in the morning, and deliver a beautiful, overflowing basket of fruits and veggies right to your doorstep once a week. The surprise and gift-like nature of this service makes getting new and exciting produce fun and you’ll find yourself adding in vegetables to your diet you didn’t even know you liked. You’ll start to find more veggie-centric recipes and before you know it, you’ll be a much healthier eater.
Getting the proper amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet is extremely important for long term health. Make sure to take every chance you can to load up on them. Next time you’re at the salad bar, have an extra serving for us.