Fruits and Vegetables: The Master Keys to Superior Health, Weight Loss, and Longevity!

Fruits and Vegetables should be the main part of your diet due to their health-promoting value–nutrients that they contain! They also provide fiber, (one of the only ways other than whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds), which is lacking in the American Diet.

Fruits are flavorful, versatile, and full of health-promoting nutrients. We need fruit in our diet every day because they not only provide energy and fiber, but they contain many water-soluble vitamins like: vitamin C and the B vitamins. Fruits (and vegetables) provide more of these critical nutrients than any other type of food. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D and E), which are bodies can store for future use, water-soluble vitamins are needed every day for our bodies to function optimally! Fruits are rich in health-promoting phytonutrients (plant nutrients), which act as powerful antioxidants!

• Apple
• Apricots
• Avocado
• Banana
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries Sweet
• Cranberries
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Guava
• Honeydew
• Kiwifruit
• Lemon
• Lime
• Mango
• Nectarine
• Orange
• Olives
• Papaya
• Peach
• Pear
• Pineapple
• Plum
• Pomegranate
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Tangerine
• Watermelon

Just like fruit, vegetables should be included every day because they not only provide energy and fiber, but they contain many water-soluble vitamins like: vitamin C and the B vitamins. Fruits (and vegetables) provide more of these critical nutrients than any other type of food. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D and E), which are bodies can store for future use, water-soluble vitamins are needed every day for our bodies to function optimally!

Vegetables are the most nutrient-rich foods, (provide the most vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients for the least amount of calories), so they are key if you want to lose weight and keep it off!

Vegetables come in many sizes, shapes and from different parts of the plant.

• leaves: spinach and lettuce
• roots: carrots and beets
• stalks: celery and fennel
• tubers: potatoes and sweet potatoes
• inflorescents: flowering vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower
• bulbs: garlic and onions

• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Corn on-the-cob
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Jicama
• Butterhead Lettuce
• Iceberg Lettuce
• Loose Leaf Lettuce
• Romaine Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Onion
• Parsley
• Chili Peppers
• Green/Red Bell Peppers
• Potato
• Canned Pumpkin
• Radishes
• Scallions
• Shallots
• Spinach
• Acorn Squash
• Butternut Squash
• Hubbard Squash
• Spaghetti Squash
• Zucchini
• Sweet Potato
• Tomato
• Yams

TIPS:

1. Try to consume at least 3-5 serving of fruits and vegetables per day.
   
2. When choosing fruits and vegetables, go for colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple, and even white. Each color is a pigment that signifies the presence of certain antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
3. Since some fruits and vegetables are seasonal, choose accordingly–this will help you add variety to your diet.
   
4. Natural, fresh and organic fruits and veggies are best.
5. Choose fresh fruits and veggies over canned and frozen.
6. Don't let any diet (unless you have a specific medical condition like diabetes) tell you that you can't eat carrots, potatoes and bananas!
7. When cooking your veggies, don't over cook them and skip all the sauce and salt.
8. Where appropriate, eat the skin of fruits and veggies, they are full of fiber and other nutrients.
   
9. Watch out for dried fruit, they are okay from time-to-time, however they are much higher in calories for a small amount.
10. If you are lacking in fruits and veggies, try a smoothie or healthy green drink!

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