This should encourage you to eat more fruits and vegetables

Added October 17, 2010, Under: Children's Health, Diets, Health, Nutrition, Weight Loss

We have to change the mindset about the way we eat – what we eat, how much we eat and whether we have enough exercise to burn off what we eat. With a new study out by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development telling us that 3 out of 4 Americans will be obese or overweight by 2020, we have no alternative but to change to a healthier way of eating.

If you read my blogs and other natural health information, you will know how important it is to eat more fruit and vegetables – especially vegetables – and of course we can include nuts and herbs when we talk about fruit and vegetables.

But like everything else that is actually good for you, it can take some extra time and effort.

Make sure that fruit is where you can see it so that you are more likely to snack on it rather than other things every time you walk into the kitchen. Keep a bowl of fruit out on the counter or in the front of the fridge where it is very visible. That way you will be much more likely to eat it as you are passing by!

Remember this:

- Buy organic fruit and vegetables whenever you can.

- Buy the most recently harvested vegetables possible.

- Buy whole vegetables – steer clear of pre-cut and bagged.

- Explore the produce aisle and choose something new. Variety is the key to a healthy diet and stops cooking boredom setting in.

- Don’t forget to include or even grow your own sprouts for all the goodness they bring to the table.

- Seal your vegetables in airtight bags to lower oxygen levels and keep them fresh longer.

- Make it your mission to have vegetables with every meal, every day.

- Try filling half your plate with vegetables at each meal.

- Make yourself a fresh and raw salad everyday for one of your meals.

- Only cut up vegetables when you are ready to start cooking.

- Cut into extra large sizes to cook and cut smaller after cooking if you need to.

- Peel vegetables such as beets, carrots and potatoes after cooking as the skin keeps all those good nutrients in.

- Eat raw whenever you can but if you must cook, then steam rather than boil. Invest in an electric stand-alone steamer or buy a steamer gadget that you pop into the bottom of your pot. Fill with water below the steamer and the vegetables go on top so they are not sitting in the water. This way, all those nutrients won’t leach into the water.

- Other good ways to cook vegetables are roasting or stir frying and of course in a good, wholesome soup or casserole.

- If you are really pushed, frozen or canned veg is better than no veg at all.

- Use vegetables and fruit in juiced concoctions for a healthy and immediate meal in a glass.

- Remember that there is no limit to the amount of leafy vegetables you can eat – absolutely full of nutrition but no weight gain at all.

- See how many different colors of veggies you can include in your meals – dark green, orange, yellow, red, purple, white and more.

- Fresh fruit makes the best desserts – think strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi fruit, mangoes, paw paw and plums.

- Bonus points for you if you can include some fruits and vegetables at snack time too.

- Include herbs and nuts in your daily diet – raw almonds, raw walnuts, watercress and parsley as well as many more all have loads of health benefits.

We know it takes more time and effort to find healthy fresh fruit and vegetables and it can be more expensive but please don’t fall into the trap of just going for the easy, convenient and often cheaper option. You will pay dearly with your health and that of your family further down the line.   You are what you eat.

Encourage your wider circle of friends, family and work colleagues to change too. Remember that you will be subsidising their health costs when you are healthy and they are not.