Choosing Fruits and Vegetables

Nutritionists, physicians and even our own mothers repeatedly say that we should eat our vegetables. Study after study has proven both fruits and vegetables to be a benefit to our health. They are credited for being antioxidants, lowering high blood pressure, improving metabolism and strengthening our immune systems.

Since working hard to improve my intake of fruits and vegetables, I've seen wonderful improvements in both my health and that of my husbands. I have a lot more energy, have lost some pounds and catch less viruses; additionally, my husband's blood pressure has consistently been running lower.

As I work diligently to see to it that we eat a balanced diet, I am also studying and learning more to help me eat smarter and wiser. In my studies I have found that not all fruits and vegetables are equal. Simply put, some offer much more bang for your buck so to speak. This knowledge has caused me to make some changes in order to get the most out of each of my meals. Here is how:

Getting The Most Nutrition From Your Salad

In the past a salad for me would consist of lettuce, grape tomatoes and croutons. But over the years I've changed my idea of a healthy salad. For starters, I replace croutons with healthy but crunchy ingredients like cucumbers, sunflower seeds, radishes or almonds. Next, I replaced my iceberg lettuce with darker greens including spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula, broccoli and parsley. Why? In 2006 National Public Radio personality Dan Charles conducted an interview with Ann McDermott, a nutrition researcher at Tufts University. According to McDermott, darker leaves provide more nutrients than lettuce. Lastly, to get even more out of my salad, I add other fruits and vegetables to it for even more nutrition. Some of these additions include carrots, strawberries, beans such as chick peas or kidney beans, banana peppers and red/green onions.

Getting The Most From Juicing

Juicing has become a regular practice in our household. Each morning we enjoy a glass of fresh fruit and vegetable juice. To get the most out of juicing, I do my best to incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables in my juicing program. According to the University of Maryland's Eat Smart Be Fit program, "eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is the way to go." Also, they state that the most colorful fruits and vegetables are the richest in nutrients. Thus, some of my favorite fruits and veggies for juicing include red cabbage, lemons/limes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, collard greens, spinach and sweet peppers.

Getting The Most From Soups

Soup is a great addition to any meal, especially in the winter months. I most enjoy creamy soups like butternut squash, broccoli and tomato soups. Many times I will make these from powdered mixes or buy them already prepared. To enhance the nutrients, one can add vegetables to these soups. For example, steam some fresh broccoli to add to your broccoli soup or add steamed cauliflower to the butternut squash soup. Top any of the soups with fresh red or green onions for even more nutrition. This can also be done with plain old canned soups like chicken noodle. Add fresh carrots, sweet peppers, onions, celery and tomatoes to chicken noodle soup for both a hardy and nutritious meal.

When creating side dishes, I also do my best to try and incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables in each serving. If preparing green beans as a side dish, I might also add onions and tomatoes to get a variance in nutrients. With just a little planning and creativity, you can quickly improve your nutrition.