Another way to get HEAPS of nutrients into your diet is to simply add them in at each and every opportunity!
We know this sounds quite simple, but many people forget to add in FRESH foods to every meal or snack. They instead rely on processed health halo foods such as: rice cakes, rice crackers, gluten-free bread, etc. We view these foods as “filler”-foods that really lack any substantial nutrient value.
For example, the overall nutrients you gain from a banana are far greater than what you would gain from a processed rice cake; yet people would choose the rice cake over the banana for fear of the sugar content in it (more on this below)…
Fruits and Veggies are Carbs
Just in case you didn’t know, Fruits and Vegetables are a solid source of carbohydrate.
Therefore, when you are looking to balance out your meal with Protein, Fat, and Carb – reach out for some awesome FRESH carbs such as: apple, banana, grapes, mandarin, cucumber, leafy greens, etc.
Nature has created these beautiful foods for us, yet we have been made to believe that they are not substantial enough and we need something processed to include with our food!!! It’s a bit crazy when you really start to think about it!
What about the sugar content in Fruit?
Fruit is natural, and comes from the earth. It is “packaged” in a way that includes FIBRE which is why it’s important to eat the whole fruit, not just parts of it (ie. and Orange vs Orange JUICE). Fibre (“roughage”) helps to control blood sugar levels, contributes to making you feel fuller for longer, and can aid digestion.
Remember, however, that we’re looking for fibre in it’s most NATURAL state (ie Fruits and Vegetables) not in processed food as an additive 😉
Ways to get MORE…
- Breakfast: This is your first opportunity to have a fantastic start to your Fruits and Veggies Day. See our post on a “Savoury Breakfast”
- Choose a goal to reach for the day, Coach EC Synkowski talks about aiming to reach 800g of Fruit and Veggies a day (and framing the rest of your macros/calories around this). Check it out: https://optimizemenutrition.com/800g-challenge/
- Mix and Match – you CAN eat apples with cucumbers, and bananas with carrots. Make a mixed bowl of fruits and veggies and eat them all together!
- Be creative, and go wild – let the kids choose the veggies they would like to eat, spend time in the fruit and veggie aisle and try new things! Don’t just stick to the “regular” fruits and veggies you always get. Make it interesting! Splurge a little bit!
- “But fruits and veggies are expensive!” I hear you say… Put the money you SAVE on processed foods INTO your fruits and veggies. It all rounds out the same in the end 😉
