Vegetables and fruits are low in calories and nutrient
dense, which means they are packed with minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and
vitamins.
Concentrate on eating the recommended daily minimum of five servings
of vegetables and fruit and it will naturally fill you up and help you cut back
on unhealthy foods. A serving is half a cup of raw fruit or veg or a small
banana or apple, for example. Most of us need to double the amount we currently
eat.
Try to eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruits each day as
deeply colored vegetables and fruits contain higher concentrations of
antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Add berries to breakfast cereals, eat
fruit for dessert, and snack on vegetables such as snow peas, carrots, or
cherry tomatoes instead of processed snack foods.
- Fruit: Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. Apples provide fiber, berries are cancer-fighting, oranges and mango's offer vitamin C, and so on.
- Greens: Branch out beyond lettuce. Kale, broccoli, mustard greens, and Chinese cabbage are all packed with potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
- Sweet Vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables—such as beets, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, yams, corn, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for added sugars.
