As children, we’ve all heard the classic "Don't leave the table until you've eaten your vegetables!” Well… they may not look the best, but these greens are low in calories and rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and water. So much that you can't even memorise it all! Eating this type of food protects the organism from various diseases, as well as helping you to control your weight.
For the body to function well, it is essential that you consume fruits and vegetables. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), low consumption of fruit and vegetables is among the 10 risk factors for the onset of disease and premature death.
To find out how much you should eat every day, consult the food wheel below.
But does food circle all around?
Kind of! In fact, food circles back from the kitchen table to your plate. However, to understand the quantities, we should serve, a guide has been created to help us combine foods. This guide is called the food wheel and is divided into seven groups.
Here are the seven magnificent ones:
Cereals and derivatives - 28%
Vegetables - 23%
Fruit - 20%
Dairy products - 18%
Meat, fish, and eggs - 5%
Legumes - 4%
Fats and oils - 2%.
Water is represented in the centre. Not only because it is vital to the organism (daily consumption should be between 1.5 and 3 litres), but also because it is part of the constitution of most foods.
You don't need to be feeling dejà vus.
The good thing about having so many vegetables is that you can eat them every day and never repeat the same dish. The best part is that every time you eat you are contributing to a balanced diet. But while for some people eating vegetables and legumes is no problem, for many it is still difficult to reach the right portion. But don't worry, we are here for you! We have 5 ideas to include more fruit, vegetables, and legumes in your diet. You'll even feel like Gordon Ramsay.
1 | Roasted, sautéed, or baked veggies?
Try sautéed vegetables, seasoned with herbs and spices. Without overcooking them, so that they retain a little of their firmness. Add a pinch of seeds and voilà: even your plate will be watering its mouth.
If you're going to cook your vegetables in the oven, don't be shy. Include several at once. Add a touch of magic and season your vegetables with herbs and spices (like ginger and turmeric). And don't forget, use seasonal vegetables, they're always better.
2 | A fruit salad and a tutti frutti of flavours
Fruit salad is a great way to get nutrient variety and flavour. Leave the sugar in the cupboard and the seasonal fruits will take care of the rest. They are more nutritious and tastier. Use only lemon juice, which in addition to preventing oxidation, helps enhance the natural sweetness.
3 | Smoothies and natural fruit juices? It is Sonatural
Avoid artificial fruit juices or those with added sugars. You can prepare natural fruit juices at home, combining the fruits you like the most. If you buy natural fruit juices, choose those that contain 100% fruit or at least 70%. Sonatural natural fruit juices are made with 100% fruit. They have no sugars, additives, or water.
In the smoothies you can concentrate the benefits of the fruits, vegetables and other ingredients like cereals and seeds. Our açai smoothie combines the benefits of fruit and oats in a perfect highly nutritious snack.
4 | It's all that and soups
The best way to get all the nutrients from vegetables and legumes is in soup. Not only can we add a rich variety of vegetables, but we also take advantage of all the nutrients from the water in which the vegetables were cooked.
5 | Frozen fruit? Yes, and not only!
Did you know that you can freeze your fruit, vegetables, and legumes if you are not going to eat them within one or two days? And you can also buy them already frozen.
Frozen fruit and vegetables can have as many or more vitamins than fresh fruit and vegetables. Generally, the foods that are picked to be frozen are at peak ripeness, meaning they are more nutritious. When they are sold fresh, they are sometimes picked less ripe, with less nutrient richness.
Now there is no excuse not to always have fruit, vegetables, and legumes at home, which will make your diet healthier and tastier. Enjoy your meal!
