(ThyBlackMan.com) Eating healthier doesn’t have to be complicated or mean making major and agonizing changes to your diet. Despite dynamic diet plans and health goals, experts agree that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the healthiest one. Fruits and vegetables form the foundation of a healthy diet as they are a powerhouse of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and water as well as they are low in calories.
Even scientific researches suggest that having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps control blood pressure and cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart disease, protects bones, good for the eyes, digestive system, and just about every other part of the body. It also helps to fight aging and wards off chronic diseases like diabetes, helping you to feel energized and healthier.
Thus, eating more fruits and vegetables is a cornerstone of good health and longer life. We all know this fact. But even the most health-conscious eaters face trouble in getting the recommended servings a day.
Do you have the best of intentions, but are struggling to get your five or more servings of fruits and veggies in your daily diet? Do not fret. You are not alone. In fact, there are only a very few people who get anywhere near the recommended serving.
If you are looking for creative ways to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, try these eight tricks.
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Start Your Day with Fruits and Veggies
To include the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, start eating them early, with your morning meal. Start your day with a blended homemade smoothie for your breakfast. You can use in-season fruits and vegetables to make a simple yet nutritious breakfast. Eating a healthy morning breakfast can also help you maintain a healthy weight.
Not just smoothies, you can also add banana to your cereal or whip up a veggie omelet.
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Prepare a Perfect Veggie Soup
Homemade soups are an excellent way to increase your vegetable intake as you can add a lot of items to your soup pot. You can make veg purees the base and add spices to them. Or you can cook any amount of fresh or leftover vegetables until they are tender and add them to a simple broth for an easy weekday meal.
Soups are a great way to increase your consumption of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
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Snack on Vegetables and Fruits
Snacks help fill up your tummy between your meals, so you do not feel starved at your next meal. But, we don’t mean french fries or burgers here. Make all of your snacks revolve around fruits and vegetables. Such a healthy snack can help you curb hunger for a longer time and provide energy and essential nutrients. Here are a few suggestions to include fruits and veggies in your snack
- Cut vegetables into chunks and keep it handy for mid-afternoon snacks.
- Use lettuce as a wrap and fill it with roasted vegetables and low-fat cheese.
- Swap your afternoon soda for fresh juice.
- Keep dried fruit in your car or purse for busy days.
- A small bowl of mixed salad
- Whip a delicious fruit or veggie dip
- Make your own vegetable crisps as your on-the-go snack
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Leave Fruits and Vegetables in Obvious Sight
Keep a bowl of fresh fruits or vegetables in the center of your kitchen or dining table. It will not just look pretty, but you are more likely to grab a handful of them for a snack-on-the-run. It can encourage everyone in the family to eat more fruits and veggies whenever they pass by the kitchen or dining table.
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Double Your Servings
While cooking soups, pasta, sandwiches, and other recipes, double the amount of veggies called for in the original recipe. A 5-minute of your extra chopping can help you increase the intake and reach your daily recommended servings.
You can add extra veggies to your soups. Add extra veggies to your frozen pizza or simply order double veggie pizza for delivery.
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Stock Up On Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
Stocking your freezer is a great way to ensure that you always have vegetables and fruits handy. Frozen vegetables are easy to prepare and can be stored for a long time. They are also full of flavor and nutritious as fresh ones because they are frozen within hours of picking. Furthermore, frozen fruits and veggies are available all-year-round, irrespective of the season.
You can freeze peas, carrots, green beans, or cauliflower to make a quick stir-fry side dish.
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Turn Vegetables into Noodles
Use a Spiralizer and make noodles out of vegetables. Veggie noodles are easy to make, and a great way to get in those extra veggies in your diet. They’re also an excellent low carb substitute that gives you loads of nutrients.
Use sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, turnips, or beets to replace high carb foods like pasta. Insert these vegetables into a Spiralizer, which converts them into veggie noodles. These noodles can then be combined with sauces or other veggies for consumption.
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Don’t Skip Dessert
Have a sweet tooth? Need something sweet after a meal? Try eating fruit-based dessert. They offer a naturally-sweet ending to your meal, with the added bonus of helping you take an extra serving.
You can freeze peeled bananas, puree them in a blender, and add any toppings or nuts you would like. You can also blend some fresh fruit with low-fat yogurt and freeze it for a delectable and healthy popsicle.
There are so many ways to add fruits and vegetables to your everyday diet. Start your pursuit by knowing where you stand. Set realistic goals to increase your intake gradually. Once you reach your desired goal, stick to it for several weeks, and set a new goal. Repeat this until you have achieved your recommended servings per day.
Hope these tips can help you incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet with ease and attain optimal health.
Staff Writer; Raisa Dinesh
This sister is a health and wellness blogger who writes about health, fitness, wellness, and lifestyle. She is dedicated to educating and inspiring the world to live a healthier, happier, longer life. Read more at Fine Fettle and follow finefettle1 on Instagram.
