BOA NUTRITION FOCUS: Building A High-Energy Eating Plan (Part 2)

PART TWO - FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

There is a reason your parents tell you to eat fruits and vegetables.  Why?  They are your SUPERFOODS! Think of them as nature’s vitamin pills.  They provide beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, and many other vitamins.  Did you know that 1 cup steamed broccoli gives a full day’s worth of vitamin C? Fruits improve healing and aid in recovery after exercise…..what a nutrition bargain-you can’t get that in a snickers bar!

In general, vegetables offer more nutritional value than fruits but both are essential.  Therefore, it’s important to aim for at least 5+ combined servings of fruits and veggies in a day.  My initial recommendation is 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit/day.  
 

Vegetable Servings:
 

 A standard serving consists of 1 cup vegetables (raw or cooked) and 2 cups of raw leafy greens.  
 

Fruit Servings:
  

A standard serving consists of 1 cup fruit (raw or cooked), 1 cup 100% fruit juice or 1/2 cup dried fruit.  

The number one complaint I hear in NOT getting the daily recommendation is convenience-I don’t have enough time to prepare!

Here are some of my fool-proof tips to get those 5 a day + in:

- Powerhouse smoothies (provide at least 2 servings of combined fruit and veggie servings for the the day)-frozen veggies and fruits are now available so you can quickly blend a smoothie together.  This is a great breakfast or post-workout choice.
- Cut up carrots, tomatoes, and peppers and dip in guacamole or hummus with lunch or as a healthy snack.
- A banana PB sandwich on sprouted grain bread is delicious!
- Toss leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes into a to-go container.  Add the new Chicken of the Sea infusions tuna packs or any lean protein.  Drizzle with olive oil and lemon-shake and eat!.  I keep a small container in fridge of olive oil and lemon at all times:)
- snack on apple and PB/nut butter

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Melanie’s Go To Smoothie

1 cup almond or 1 % fair life milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

2 cups leafy greens (spinach)

1 Tbsp almond butter

1 small frozen banana

*If I am running late, I’ll add 1/2 cup of my morning brew and substitute vanilla protein powder for chocolate.  This smoothie provides 2 of your combined fruit and veggie servings. 

Enjoy:)

Melanie Rubery MS, RD, LD