Are You Getting Enough Fruits and Veggies?
There are just plenty of reds, yellows, greens, and oranges to choose from a colorful variety of your healthy fruits and vegetables. Some people may not like them a lot, but no one can deny the fact that these are good for the body. Even doctors can swear to it.
The problem is, when you are advised to eat plenty – the trouble lies in your own definition of plenty. There’s no report yet of any person suffering fatal consequences on fruits and veggies over consumption. There are cases though where one gets terribly sick out of food poisoning and harmful bacteria from eating these. Therefore, it’s very important you wash and prepare them carefully.
Studies will not deny the many benefits of fruits and vegetables – from protection against vision loss, nutrient deficiencies, high blood pressure, heart diseases – and cancer. They are just nature’s superfoods that help fight free radicals from doing damage to our bodies.
So, how do you define plenty? Here are some tips that can help you take the proper amount of fruits and vegetables to keep your body running on its best:
1. Dietary guidelines call for 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups a day, which is dependent on your caloric intake. For example, if you’re on a 2,000 calorie diet a day, you’ll need 4 1/2 cups daily and you may want to portion them in two.
2. Get a kitchen’s measuring cup and put your fruits and veggies, which will give you a count of a cup. You may want to see charts on the web to guide you in your servings.
3. Potatoes should be used in little amounts since it’s high in starch. You may see the healthy eating pyramid chart and learn why you must not have too much of them in your daily servings.
4. The most common reason why people don’t get to eat a lot of these hearty treats is forgetting to eat them. This time, place these fruits and veggies in a place where you can see it- on top of your fridge, your kitchen countertop, or a fruit bowl. This way, you will always be reminded to have a bite.
5. Some people complain how bland fruits and veggies can be. You can always mix and match, make a smoothie or just toss them all in your own version of a yummy garden salad. The options are really endless, so, have fun!
6. Others don’t like the mess and bulk of bringing fruits and veggies to the workplace. For this, you may get freeze-dried version of your favorite healthy treats, or cut them in bite sizes and put them in zip locks.
7. Dried fruits and veggies had its water contents removed, and so you will have to count 1/2 cup to equal a cup. Always opt for your organic versions without the added artificial sweeteners and preservatives.
Making fruits and vegetables a part of your diet can really be a tough thing to do, especially with all those junks that are available to us 24/7. A healthy choice a day can become a habit that is worth all your bucks. Junk foods may be cheaper, but it can only offer instant satiation, without the health benefits.
The Choice is Yours…
