Vegetables really are all they’re cracked up to be

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In today’s fast paced world of work, family, and other commitments, it can be hard to stick to a healthy meal plan. It’s much easier to grab a chocolate bar on your way out the door or order take out instead of cooking after a busy day at the office. One of the biggest challenges for people is getting enough vegetables and fruits into their diet. But vegetables and fruits - and vegetables in particular - are so important for health. Here’s why:

1. Vegetables and fruits are full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that help our bodies function properly, boost our immune system, and decrease our risk of developing most chronic diseases. Research has shown a clear inverse relationship between increasing your fruit and vegetable intake and lowering your risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), dementia, osteoporosis, and certain eye diseases.
 
2. Vegetables and fruits (as well as teas, coffee, spices, and herbs) are great sources of antioxidants. Excessive oxidation of molecules in the body can affect their structure and function (oxidative stress). Antioxidants are substances that prevent the oxidation of important biomolecules, such as fatty acids, DNA, or proteins. 
 
3. Vegetables and fruit are full of fibre, which helps to slow down the release of sugar and makes you feel full for longer. Fibre is also extremely important for your gut microbiome!
 
4. Vegetables have a high water content, which means, in addition to keeping you hydrated, they will make you feel full even though they are relatively low in calories.  
 
For optimal health, you should be consuming between 6-10 servings of vegetables every day. One serving is about the size of your fist. That might seem like a lot but getting more vegetables into your diet isn’t as hard as you think! Here are some simple tips and tricks to boost your daily vegetable (and fruit) consumption:
 
1. If you front-load your vegetable eating early in the day, you're less likely to break your streak and binge on unhealthy food later in the day. Sneak in a serving of vegetables in the morning by adding spinach or kale to your morning smoothie. Here’s a good recipe (which includes healthy proteins and healthy fats as well!):

• 2 handfuls of spinach or kale

• One banana

• 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds

• ½ avocado

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

• about ½ teaspoon of turmeric root

• about ¾ cup of almond milk (a little more or less depending on your preferred thickness)

• 1 scoop of your desired protein powder (Biosteel, Living Fuel, and Vega all make great plant based protein)

• Optional: adding one kiwi or 1/3 cup of raspberries gives a little extra sweetness if desired

2. Boost your intake of green vegetables by adding quick cooking spinach or kale to stir fries or omelettes, or make a salad with leafy greens as the base. 
 
3. Stir fries are a great way to add more vegetables to your diet. You can change up which vegetables you put in them each time to increase your variety.
 
4. Vegetable based soups such as butternut squash, beet, or broccoli soups are a delicious way to get vegetables into your diet.
 
5. I’m sure you’ve heard of the expression ‘Eat the rainbow’. This is because the different colours in fruits and vegetables are due to their phytonutrient composition. So in order to get all of the phytonutrients that are important for health, you should be consuming all of the colours: greens (e.g. leafy greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts), reds (e.g. tomatoes, raspberries, pomegranates), oranges (e.g. citrus fruits, squash, carrots), whites (e.g. onion, garlic, apples), and purples (e.g. beets, eggplants, blueberries). An easy trick to try and increase your variety is to shop for fruits and vegetables that are in season. This will help change up what you are eating and encourage you to try new options. 
 
6. Legumes such as lentils, beans, or peas can also count towards a vegetable serving! However, they should only be counted as one serving per day. 
 
7. If you find the taste of vegetables boring, try adding some spices to boost the flavour. Make sure you use spices as opposed to sauces, as sauces are generally high in sugar. As an added benefit, many spices such as turmeric, ginger, and garlic, have anti-inflammatory properties! 
 
8. Fruits are loaded with antioxidants, however they are also high in sugar. Therefore the majority of your fruit and vegetable content should come from vegetables, and fruits can supplement. Make sure you eat the whole fruit and not just the juice to get the fibre content!
 
Happy eating! If you’re using the VIIVIO app, remember to record your vegetables and fruits throughout the day to boost your Eat score!

What are we finding in the research?

A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis looked at the dose-response of fruit and vegetable intake and various chronic diseases. The researchers observed an inverse relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality. The risk decreased as consumption increased up to a certain point - 7.5 servings for cancer risk and 10 servings for coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. However, the relationship was not linear. Most of the benefits were seen in the lower intake range - meaning that while 7-10 servings is optimal, increasing your intake just a little bit can have dramatic effects on your health and decrease the risk of these diseases. 

Read the full article here!