Fruits and vegetables should make up a large portion of your diet. They are low in calories, which is good, and they are high in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber, which is even better. Experts suggest that you eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Eating the suggested amount of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis is difficult for many people. Busy schedules, eating on the run, and the temptation of junk foods are all barriers to getting enough fruits and vegetables into your diet.
Do you need some help getting more fruits and vegetables into your diet? Here are some tips:
Make Fruits and Vegetables Convenient at Home
Apples, pears, bananas, oranges and cherry tomatoes don't need any refrigeration. Keep your fruits and vegetables in plain view on your countertop or table. When snack time rolls around it will be easy to grab a piece of fruit or a handful of cherry tomatoes. With this idea in mind, make sure you keep the cookie jar and the candy bars out of sight.
Frozen vegetables are quick and easy: Heat them quickly on the stove or in the microwave. You can choose single vegetables such as peas, carrots, green beans, and cauliflower, or you can try seasoned blends of vegetables.
Pre-cut vegetables and fruit are convenient, but don't buy them with the idea that they will last a long time. Fruit may begin to spoil within a day or two after cutting, however some fruits can be purchased in frozen or canned forms that last much longer.
The pre-cut and pre-washed salads-in-a-bag make meal time easy too. Just don't assume that the pre-washed salad blends are really clean. Give them a good rinse before preparing your meal.
Make Fruits and Vegetables Convenient at Work
Dehydrated fruits such as raisins, dates and dried cranberries keep well in plastic bags. Tuck a bag of raisins in your purse or bag for an easy snack. Single serving packs of apple sauce or fruit cups that don't need refrigeration can also be kept at your desk. Pack sliced carrots and celery with your lunch for a nutritious afternoon snack.
Eating away from Home can be difficult, but with some thought you can still get enough fruits and vegetables into your diet. At lunch, choose a side salad instead of French fries and drink juice instead of a soda. Order vegetarian sandwiches and wraps. They are usually low in calories and can give you two or three servings of vegetables with just that one sandwich.
Fruits and Vegetables as Snacks
After school snacks or nighttime snacks often mean bags of greasy chips, bowls of ice cream or bottles of sugary sodas. Those snacks are high in calories and low in nutrition. Here are some great snack ideas instead:
* Freshly cut vegetables are absolutely delicious with your favorite dip. Eat them at snack time instead of potato chips or tortilla chips. Choose low-fat ranch, dill or French onion dip or make your own low fat spinach dip.
* Drink juice instead of soda. Mix your favorite 100 percent fruit juices with club soda if you miss the fizz.
* Make a delicious parfait instead of scooping up high calorie ice cream. Layer fresh or frozen berries with vanilla yogurt and nuts or granola.
* Eat a chocolate-covered strawberry instead of a candy bar. Choose dark chocolate for the extra antioxidants.
* Instead of milk and cookies, have a small bowl of whole grain cereal with sliced fruit or raisins and low-fat milk.
* Keep seedless grapes in the freezer instead of popsicles and ice cream bars.
Add Fruits and Vegetables to Sandwiches, Salads and on the Side
Eating a salad can give you several servings of fruits and vegetables. Start with some lettuce and add sliced tomatoes, apples, pears, berries, celery, cucumbers, sprouts, raw green beans, broccoli or cauliflower. With so many combinations, you can eat a different salad every day. Eat a salad as a meal once or twice each week.
When you make a sandwich, be sure to add lettuce and a couple of thick tomato slices. Take the rest of the tomato, slice it up and serve it on the side. Add extra vegetables to your soup and stew recipes. If you choose canned soups and stews, add extra frozen vegetables when you heat them.
Set a goal to eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. If you need a little help, you can add a delicious fruit and vegetable supplement beverage. Or buy a juicing machine to make your own fruit and vegetable juices.
每天飲食中應(yīng)該多點(diǎn)水果蔬菜。他們熱量低,這有益身體,維他命、礦物質(zhì)、植物營(yíng)養(yǎng)素和纖維含量高,這對(duì)身體好處更大。專家建議每天應(yīng)該吃5至9種水果和蔬菜。
每天吃一定量的水果和蔬菜對(duì)許多來(lái)說(shuō)比較難。時(shí)間緊,吃得快,垃圾食品的誘惑,都是飲食中食用足夠水果和蔬菜的障礙。
你需要幫助來(lái)保證飲食中更多的水果蔬菜嗎?下面是一些貼士:在家方便食用水果蔬菜。
蘋(píng)果、梨、香蕉、橙子、小蕃茄不用冷凍。把水果和蔬菜平常放在廚房工作臺(tái)或桌子上很容易看得到的地方。點(diǎn)心時(shí)間就可隨手拿起一個(gè)水果或一把小蕃茄。記得這個(gè)以后,就一定要把餅干罐和糖盒放在看不到的地方。
冷凍蔬菜快捷方便:在爐子上或微波爐上可迅速加熱。你也可選擇獨(dú)立蔬菜,如豌豆、胡蘿卜、綠豆、花椰菜等,或者你也可以嘗試季節(jié)性蔬菜混用。預(yù)切的蔬菜和水果很方便,但不要抱著能保存很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間的想法來(lái)購(gòu)買。水果切開(kāi)以后一兩天之內(nèi)就會(huì)變質(zhì),但有些水果可以買冷凍的或罐裝的,就可以保存更長(zhǎng)時(shí)間。
預(yù)切預(yù)洗或袋裝沙拉使做飯變得很容易。一定不要認(rèn)為預(yù)洗的沙拉混合料真的很干凈。做飯前一定要好好清洗。
上班時(shí)間吃脫水水果使得吃到水果蔬菜很方便,包括葡萄干、紅棗、塑料袋裝保存良好的干金巴子。把切好的胡蘿卜、芹菜與午餐一起包起來(lái)就是一餐營(yíng)養(yǎng)午后點(diǎn)心。
在外面吃飯時(shí)就比較難了,但有些方式還是能保證飲食里一定的水果和蔬菜的。中餐時(shí)候,選擇副餐沙拉而不是炸薯?xiàng)l,飲用果汁而不是蘇打水。點(diǎn)蔬菜三文治和外皮。他們通常熱量低,一個(gè)三文治里可以獲得兩三份蔬菜。
把水果蔬菜當(dāng)點(diǎn)心吃
放學(xué)后的點(diǎn)心或晚間點(diǎn)心通常是袋裝油膩薯?xiàng)l,一碗冰激淋或瓶裝含糖蘇打水。這些點(diǎn)心熱量高,營(yíng)養(yǎng)低。下面是一些很好的替代點(diǎn)心:
剛切的蔬菜加上自己喜歡的調(diào)料絕對(duì)美味。閑時(shí)吃吃,而不要吃土豆條或玉米條。選擇低脂奶制品、時(shí)蘿或法式蒜蓉調(diào)料,或者自制低脂菠菜調(diào)料。
喝果汁, 不喝蘇打飲料。如果你懷念蘇打水的汽泡嘶嘶聲,你可以把自己中意的純果汁與調(diào)酒用蘇打水調(diào)制。
自制美味凍糕,而不是吸食高熱量冰激淋。在鮮的或凍效果上涂一層酸奶或堅(jiān)果或麥片。
吃巧克力脆皮草莓糖而不是塊狀糖。選擇黑巧克力作抗氧化劑。
放棄牛奶和曲奇餅,選擇小碗整料谷物食品,配切片的水果或葡萄干加低脂牛奶。
冰箱里儲(chǔ)存無(wú)籽葡萄,而不存冰棒和冰激淋。三文治里加水果和蔬菜,沙拉里和副食中也加水果和蔬菜。