shb

Here’s a quote from About.com site:

Many experts suggest we need from five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  Older or inactive women and smaller children need at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit. Growing kids, teen girls, most men and active women would eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit every day. Teen boys and active men should eat at least five servings of vegetables and four servings of fruit.

Unfortunately, most people don’t even have at least 2 servings, much less 5-9. The health benefits of fruits and vegetables need no introduction. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals – they pretty much contain every single nutrient we need to live an extremely healthy life (with the exception of vitamin B12).

Hence for this week’s task, we’re going to consume at least 3 servings of fruits and 5 servings of vegetables!

Knowing what’s a serving size

If you’re wondering what counts as a serving size, here are some examples:

Fruits

• one banana
• six strawberries
• two plums
• fifteen grapes
• one apple
• one peach
• One-half cup of orange or other fruit juice

Vegetables

• five broccoli florets
• ten baby carrots
• one large tomato
• 3/4 cup tomato juice
• half of a baked sweet potato
• one ear of corn
• four slices of an onion

Pick bright coloured fruits/vegetables, in different colours
Fruits and vegetables with bright colours are usually high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are good for health because they remove free radicals in our body that damage our cells. So get your fill of fruits/vegetables of different colours:

1. White: Bananas, Mushroom, Onion, Potatoes, White Corn, Sprouts
2. Yellow: Pineapples, Mango, Yellow Pears, Starfruit
3. Orange: Orange, Papaya, Cantaloupe, Apricots, Carrots, Grapefruit
4. Red: Apple, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon
5. Green: Guava, Avocados, Cucumber, Lettuce, Celery
6. Purple/Blue: Blackberries, Eggplant, Prunes, Grapes, Blackcurrants

Different Ways of Meeting Your 5-9 Servings
If you are wondering how you can meet your 5-9 servings quota this week, here are some tips:

1. Have a fruit with every meal. Having fruits for breakfast is a fantastic way to start off your day!
2. Replace your daily snacks with fruits. Highly nutritious and low calories! What more can you ask for?
3. Always eat your fruits whole. DO NOT juice it up.