Work more fruit and veggies into your diet

by Bethany Sanders (Subscribe to Bethany Sanders's posts)
Jan 8th 2008 12:15PM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements

Current dietary guidelines recommend five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and some groups are starting to say we should be eating up to 12 servings. Though a serving is usually only 1/2 cup of veggies or a small piece of fruit, it can take some planning to squeeze that many portions into your day, especially if you're new to healthy eating.

Ediets has several suggestions for working fruits and vegetables into your diet. Some of my favorites include:

Throw a fistful of berries on top of your cereal in the morning. In the winter, I buy mine frozen and don't even bother to thaw them. The berries are so sweet that they soften quickly in milk.
Get creative with smoothie recipes. Not only are smoothies a great way to add to your fruit intake, you can often sneak in spinach and other veggies without your taste buds even noticing.
If you allow yourself snacks, make sure they always include a fruit or veggie. (Red bell peppers and hummus are a favorite at my house.)
Plan ahead and try to eat two servings of fruit or veggie at every meal.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and antioxidants, both crucial for your good health. Can you squeeze in an extra serving today?

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Comments (3)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Vishaal 1-08-2008 @ 12:19PM

That gets so expensive though.

Elizabeth 1-08-2008 @ 1:36PM

Because of my busy schedule, I sometimes (ok, at least a couple of times a week) have to rely on convenience foods like canned soups or frozen entrees. Before microwaving, I always throw in at least two 1/2 cup servings of frozen vegetables. I keep at least four or five different bags of frozen vegetables in my freezer so that I always have them on hand as a side dish or to incorporate into another dish. This especially helps me eat my leafy greens since I don't buy lettuce very often (it goes bad before I finish it).