In Health, Variety Is The Spice of Life - Literally

ByRandy Rowles

Did you know that variety is the spice of life in many things, including your precious health? The new food guidelines issued by the United States government recommend that all Americans eat between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. That number may seem like a lot, but it is actually much easier than you think to eat that many servings of fruits and vegetables with your daily diet. For one thing, the produce department of your grocery store is fairly overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, fruits and vegetables are some of the least inexpensive, most nutritious, foods at the grocery store. With all these fruits and vegetables to choose from, it is very easy to make these healthy, delicious foods part of your daily meals and snacks.

When you take into account how much a serving really is, it is actually quite easy to get five to nine servings of vegetables and fruits per day. For instance, the recommended daily amount actually equates to two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables every day. When you consider the availability of fruits and vegetables, and how low the prices usually are, it is easy to see how attainable this daily requirement really is.

An easy way to get the nutrients you need from fruits and vegetables every day is to take advantage of the huge variety of these foods that are available. Eating the same thing every day quickly becomes boring, so pick a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, in all colors of the rainbow and in every imaginable shape, size and texture, to give yourself a wide-ranging diet every day.

When shopping for fruits and vegetables, it is important to choose a mixture of different colors. This is for more than purely creative reasons. Different colored fruits and vegetables have different types of nutrients, and choosing a mixture of colors will help ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day.

Finding new recipes is another great way to ensure you get those five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Almost everyone likes to try out new recipes, and the new recipes may just provide the momentum you need to eat all the required fruits and veggies.

New recipes can also provide you the key chances to try out some of those fruits and vegetables you have never tried before. For instance, almost everyone has eaten oranges, but have you tried kiwi fruit or mangoes? How about spinach or kale? Trying new things is a great way to find new favorites while getting the best nutrition possible.

A lot of people mistakenly think that they do not need to eat the full five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day if they just take a vitamin pill. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is because fruits and vegetables contain far more than the micronutrients identified by science and artificially manufactured in vitamin pills. While these micronutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E are important to excellent health, so are the hundreds of other essentials that are contained in healthier foods like fruits and vegetables. These fundamentals are not available in any pill. They must be taken in through a healthy, balanced diet that contains an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

To boot, fruits and vegetables are much less pricey than vitamin pills. Fruits and vegetables are very inexpensive, especially when purchased in season or grown locally. Ultimately, getting the nutrition you need from the food you eat is much less expensive, and much better for you, than those artificial vitamin pills.

It is easy to get your five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day by including fruits and vegetables as snacks, as garnishes, as side dishes as well as meals.

As the chefs say, presentation is everything. By using a variety of fruits and vegetables on your plate, not only with it look great and taste better, but also will provide you with the proper nutrition to carry on a healthy lifestyle and live longer.

About The Author

Randy Rowles is a researcher and author with Sorcerer Publishing. More Healthy Eating articles may be found at http://www.eating-for-better-health.info.