Watch for recipes using greens to be posted here!

Vegetables!

It is said that you should have 50 different vegetables and fruits each week with the bulk of them being veggies. For some this sounds difficult but with a little creativity and willingness to try new things, it is easier than you think!  Vegetables provide many nutrients - vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants are just a few!

For instance, carrots come in a variety of colors. Each color can be counted as a different vegetable as each one has different nutrients. The same is true for greens...so get creative and try new things you don't normally buy.

Watch for recipes using vegetables to be added here during the program!

Fruits

Fruit is an important part of your diet.  Fruit provides vitamin C, fiber, potassium, folate, antioxidants, and many other vitamins and minerals. It is best to purchase organic, local fruit when available.  Next would organic, grown in the USA.  

Purchasing all organic can be expensive - check the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen list from EWG.org for a listing of fruits and vegetables that you should always purchase organic or specific produce you can purchase that is not organic, also called "conventional".  

Organic, frozen fruits are also convenient for making smoothies, cooking or other dishes that do not require you use it fresh.

One of the challenges with fruit is than many people focus on fruit more than vegetables. Fruit, although healthy, is a sugar to the body.  Too many bananas or other fruits higher in sugar concentration can affect your health. Understanding serving sizes and which fruits have more sugar is important. Berries are always a great option as they are low in sugar.