You must know by now that a diet rich in fruits, vegetable and other plant sources such as grains, legumes and seeds has many beneficial impacts on one’s health.
However, consuming a diet rich in plants has not been proven to be an easy task to adopt by everyone. If you are one of those who struggle when it comes to including those recommended 5 servings of fruits and veg in your daily diet – as well as consuming the right amount legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds – here are a few helpful tips that will make your daily meal preps and dietary choices a bit easier.
At each meal try and fill a third of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables that are in season. These days, there are many apps you can download onto your smartphone that will help you determine what is in season and what is not. Try to do your groceries at your local farmers market or organic grocers as this will ensure you always get fresh produce with minimal pesticides. The fresher the produce, the more nutrients it will contain. Choosing products that are in season will also force you to eat a greater variety of fruits and veg throughout the year and therefore will expose you to a greater variety of nutrients.
Another third of your plate should be filled with whole grains – for example quinoa, brown rice or barley or other unprocessed starchy foods such as potatoes and corn.
If you are going to go meat-free, you should ensure that you consume all essential amino acids throughout the day and get familiar with the importance of protein combining. An example of a complete source of protein using plants is to consume rice and beans either together or on the same day. Barley and lentils are also a complete source of protein that you could incorporate into your diet.
An efficient way to incorporate more nuts, grains, and seeds is to start the day with either a bowl of overnight oats or cooked oats prepared with your favorite choice of milk or water. You can add a tablespoon of seeds such as chia or sunflower seeds to it, as well as a handful of nuts. A useful tip is to go for the ones rich in omega-3’s such as walnuts. Finally, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and half a cup of blueberries and you will be sure to have a nutrient-rich plant-based breakfast that will keep you full until lunchtime due to its blood sugar regulating properties, while at the same time providing you with a good amount of healthy fats, carbohydrates, proteins, and antioxidants.
If by the end of the day you still feel like you haven’t met the recommended amount of fruits and veg, you can always prepare or get a takeaway green juice or veggie juice. Juicing is a great way to incorporate as many veggies as possible and it will flood the body with easily digestible micronutrients.
If the juice is not an option a good old vegetable soup or stir-fry will do the job! Just make sure you add as many colors as possible to it.
Now its all up to you to go and eat all the colors of the rainbow!!
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