We all have heard some variation “Eat your veggies, finish your fruit.” It’s abundantly clear that eating lots of vegetables and fruit is key in obtaining optimal health. Eating more plants can help you avoid conditions like heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.
What does “lots” mean?
Fruit you want to aim for 2 ½ cups per day
Vegetables minimum 4- 6 ½ cups per day or as much as you desire!
The key to obtaining optimal health through your food is having an abundance of vegetables as well, incorporating components such as variety, rotation and colour!
Are you a uniform eater? If so, you aren’t alone…
Some of us are creatures of habit. When we find something we like, we stick with it. For example, someone may fancy the same eggs for breakfast, salad with chicken for lunch and salmon with asparagus for dinner. Although in the examples above are healthy options could all that salmon make you super healthy or oversaturated?
I understand. For many people choosing their daily meals feels like a hassle, and simplifying the menu holds appeal. You can construct a balanced uniform diet but still hold variety!
Variety & Rotation
There are so many important nutrients in each food group that our bodies need and it is impossible to get all the nutrients from one food. Eating a variety of whole foods can play an important role in promoting greater bacterial diversity in your gut.
For example, avocado. High in fiber and healthy fats but do not hold the same vitamins and nutrients that other food groups have such as fruits, eggs, grass-fed Greek yogurt, steel cut oats and of course superfood smoothie!
Eat the Rainbow
This is a way to make sure you’re obtaining a variety of different fruits and veggies. Different plants contain different combinations of crucial vitamins and minerals, the different colors of fruits and veggies are also important. The colors are due to different phytonutrients, which act as powerful antioxidants.
For example, anthocyanins, which are found in red, purple, and even bluish coloured foods like (cabbage, blueberries and pomegranate) help protect our DNA, reduce inflammation, and provide a wide range of antioxidants to help ward off damage to our cells.
The Bottom Line
There is a lot your body needs, so eat a wide variety of healthy foods to help keep those quotas high. Make importance of eating the rainbow on rotation so you’re getting the full range of fuel.
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