When most people think of carbohydrates they think of things like bread, pasta, potatoes and the like. These are not the only carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables are what we call complex carbohydrates. They are essential for our health for so many reasons.
I am sure you’ve heard that the minimum requirement is 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Most everyone, me included, fall short of this worthy goal. We could actually double those five servings and reap more health benefits.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. Because of this, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday can help reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease!
If you are trying to lose weight then a diet full of fruits and vegetables in key. They are loaded with fiber, low in calories and high in water, all important factors in weight loss. You can also eat pretty much as much as you want of them which helps starve off cravings and hunger.
Plus our busy lives require that our food energizes us and balances our blood sugar so we don’t feel fatigued and struggle through the day. Having quick and easy snacks are so important and the best source is a fiber rich vegetable like carrots or snap peas. So much better for you than grabbing a candy bar!
It is also super important to teach your children at an early age the importance of these complex carbohydrates by introducing them to healthy snacks verses something like gold fish or cookies.
So if you find yourself feeling sluggish, constipated, foggy brain and just down right lousy it might be what you are NOT eating!
If you are finding it hard to get your fruits and vegetable daily requirement in you can always substitute with something like Nourishing Greens from Apex Energetics. You can get a lot of the same phytochemicals and vitamins but you will still miss out on the excellent fiber source of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Share with us some of the quick snacks you are using with fruits and vegetables and earn a $5.00 dollar coupon good for your next purchase with OVitaminPro!
My favorite snacks are:
1) nectarines or peaches with Sweet William of Earlville Raw Honey
2) chopped mozzarella salad with lemon juice and Greek yogurt
3) tablespoon of NOW lecithin granules TWICE per day
4) Greek yogurt and toasted Ciabatta bread
5) Dried fruits (Trader Joes orange soaked cranberries)
6) glass of strawberry kefir
Hi i enjoyed the information. I like blueberries and appples with almond butter
Since I grew up with a mom who was an organic gardener (before it was fashionable), fresh vegetables have always been important to me. Though I tend to eat more vegetables than fruits, this summer I’ve been enjoying blackberries and strawberries fresh from our yard, as well as local Gravenstein apples from my friends’ orchard. I have an appreciation for the bounty available to us here in California.
very good prices and selection. good fast service
Melons, apples and bite sized carrots are my lifesaver when dieting! Nothing sweeter and more filling!
I eat carrots and celery with peanut butter, nuts and seeds and fruit smoothies made with fruit, almond milk , ice and vanilla. I have cottage cheese with non sweetened homeaide applesauce with cinnamon too. These snacks are healthy and can curb the hunger.
Patty Paulson
As a holistic health counselor I constantly teach how important fruits and vegetables are. Since our food supply is lacking essential nutrients the more the better. I love the freeze dried frutis snack packs from All Natural Brothers. They are portable and really good for a quick snack and great for lunches when fresh isn’t on hand. Chiquita has also come out with some. When I can, I put fruit in my protein shakes. This time of year, especially living in the midwest, I try to increase the amount of greens by adding anywhere I can to my meals. The more greens, the better the immune system. Best of health to all readers.
For the past year and a half I have been really focusing on replacing my not so healthy snacks with fruits and vegetables. I used to eat cookies for my mid-morning snack and have replaced those with an apple. I don’t even hesitate now, even when there are treats in the house I automatically grab an apple instead. I’ve also replaced my after meal dessert with fruit. I love to buy a variety of what’s fresh and in season to keep in the house. I’ve always loved veggies and still incorporate them into my meals. I’m feeling healthier than I ever have!
I have found that juicing has been a way to add more vegetables to my daily meals. I try to limit the fruit in the recipe to one apple since I eat a lot of fruit every day, but it adds just the right amount of natural sweetness, as do carrots. I also try to include leafy green vegetables, and got a juicer that was particularly good at handling greens. A little bit of ginger adds some zip, and I have increased my daily vegetables in a refreshing and nutritious way.
Smoothies are the best way to get maximum fruits and veges in one meal. I make a smoothie every morning with 1 banana, 1 peach or plum or whatever is in season, 1 cup strawberries or blueberries, several kale, chard and spinach leaves, fresh parsley, 2-3 dried prunes, rice protein, 1 cup of water. It is so delicious. The fruit overtakes the vege flavor and I have energy for the whole day. Later in the afternoon I eat more fruit, organic grapes, nectarine or more berries instead of the chocolate I used to stuff down.
I have struggled to include more fruits and veggies in my kids’ diets…..smoothies are a great way to give them the vitamins and antioxidants needed….bananas and fresh spinach blend remarkably well and are not really “detected”…During sports seasons, I add a scoop of protein to their afternoon smoothie. Perfect when a heavy snack is not advantageous but they need a burst of energy.
My favorite snack has become celery sticks and/or slices of apple dipped in hummus (red pepper flavor is my favorite.) But my biggest change in diet has been to eat some greens every breakfast. Some favorite ways: Poached egg on top of a bed of spinach or kale. Or grill some no-nitrate turkey bacon, cut it up, then saute it with bok choy or chard with garlic, olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Yum. I have lost 60# without “dieting” – just adding more and more veggies and eating them until I am full.
I grew up with a lot of family dysfunction. Had to learn the clean life on my own…….. I now know how good i feel when I reach for fruits and veggies because it makes me feel good from the inside…out. I’ve juiced, sauteed, steamed and eat just about any veggie I can find. Dessert after a meal helps clean my palate ( and the system!) Living clean is a great feeling. :>)
Nurition and whole foods have been my passion for the past few years. Providing your body with great nutrtion and whole foods brings your body in balance where you don’t crave sugars and processed foods. One of the best ways I have found is juicing. I have been juicing for over two years. You get alot of your vegetables in one easy drink. I am an advocate for juicing!! I am a vegetarian and that is most of my food source. I also do smoothies but I prefer juicing. I eat all organic foods and super foods. Eating whole organic foods provides more nutrition than conventional foods. Today I feel better than I have ever felt and have more energy.
I’ve started having melon days. I will have cut up melon for snacks and even for a meal. It’s a great way to do a mini “cleanse” for a day or two.
I’ve been fortunate to have lost several pounds/inches lately and I consider my success due to eating more vegetables and fruits. For me, a garden salad chock full of delicious vegetables makes the ideal dinner. Here in Phoenix where we’ve had extended 100 degree weather, I prefer a light dinner that has a variety of greens, healthy fats like avocado, carrots, artichoke hearts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, hearts of palm and other delectable vegetables. This year’s summer heat wave has produced fruit that is sweeter than normal and the berries have been particularly delicious. Count me as a big fan of eating more fruits and vegetables – good for the body and easy on the waistline!
Fruits and vegetables are staple of my diet. I trained my family to incorporate more of them into their daily meals and continuously work on new, delicious vegeterian soups and side dishes. My husband said he would never believe he would enjoy vegeterian soups and even cook some himself. This is my greatest achievement also due to the well proved fact that he became seriously healthier. My daughter says dad is lucky because mom cooks delicious vegy dishes. I sure take some pride to that…
galina
I work in a holistic medical practice where we regularly recommend an increase in brightly-colored vegetables and fruits as sources of phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Leafy green vegetables have proved valuable in helping to regulate blood sugar. I’ve heard it recommended that one should consume three times as many vegetables as fruits. The fruits we recommend most are berries, as well as other low-glycemic fruits. Here’s to healthy eating!
I LOVE vegetables but I struggle to eat my daily fruit allowance. I make a smoothie just about every day and that is where I get my fruit from organic berries, bananas, etc.. I throw in some greens or an avocado sometimes. I always keep organic baby greens on hand for a fresh salad every night and I load it up with whatever veggies I have on hand. This way I know my family is getting some good raw veggies and I always try to roast some veggies with dinner. If I have fruit on hand that is getting a bit over ripe, I will flash freeze it on a cookie sheet and put it in an air tight container to use in my smoothies – I hate to waste food : ) Health and wellness to all!
I serve an organic salad every night, tossed with an Italian dressing made with olive oil. In my household, our favorite dessert is a fresh fruit salad loaded with watermelon, cantalope, grapes, strawberries and pineapple. Peaches (nectarines, actually) are a great snack at work.
I love Apex products. In my morning protein smoothie, I have used Clear-vite GF, and I add lots of veggies in it. My current favorite is to add cucumber, kale, papaya, coconut milk, and/or oil plus berries or whatever looks good!!! My current favorite Apex product is Glutathione Recycler.
I’m new to being a vegan and I am loving it! I feel energetic, vital and young! I’m grateful for all the amazing websites to assist me in my vegan journey!!! I never knew how many vegan recipes were available online and supplements to purchase! Thank you, Brenda
Love all the farmers markets in the summer!! In Portland, you can shop on Saturday, go ahed and get everything cleaned off and ready to eat … and you have fresh fruits and veggies all week long! Even if its organic, make sure to get it scrubbed up and cleaned….yum … so good for you! I just had fresh peach and blueberries for dessert.
I went on an 8-week raw challenge this summer and learned a couple of extra tricks for fitting fruits and veggies in my diet. I’m cool with vegetables in juices or green smoothies, but I frankly don’t like snacking on them unless there’s a sauce involved. Hence, celery + hummus, or celery + guacamole. Also, my friend at work always brings apples and peanut butter, so I just turned myself on to apples + raw almond butter. I add a little sea salt if it seems “blah”. Juicing takes fruits/veggies to an entirely new level however. I’ve made juices with probably over 20 different fruits and veggies this summer, and hope to keep drinking at least 2 mason jars of veggie juice per day!
I struggled for years with fatigue and muscle soreness and saw my running and triathlon training go downhill. After many misdiagnosis and tests and “it’s all in your head” I saw an article in whole living…fibromyalgia. The medication they gave me, made me sick…so I chose to go the holistic route and try living on fruits and veggies and organic meat (very rarely) I found some fruits and veggies really do help with the fatigue and soreness and have continued to explore this area…I’m now trying to find a holistic nutritionist to work with me as I’m running and riding again and my diet needs have changed. I live for the farmers market…not looking forward to the end of season!
I can’t imagine life without fruits and veggies. Instead of heavy deserts, we grab fruit. We use frozen fruit to make mock ice cream that is every bit as satisfying. Yummy!!
I eat fruits and veggies instead of most processed foods as a snack. They are fresh and ready to go! I have lost weight by eating more fruits/veggies. 🙂
There are so many wonderful fruits and vegetables in this world! There is no room in my food world for unhealthy foods after I’ve eaten my plateful of veggies. My favorite breakfast is a bed of lightly steamed kale, a slice of baked sweet potato and topped with a poached egg. Oh yum!
I barely eat processed carbohydrates now that I’ve realized I can get all the energy I need from carrots and bell peppers. Bell peppers especially make a great substitute for potato chips, as you can dip them in anything.
Mariah, I love how you substitute bell peppers for chips! I also like cucumbers and snap peas!
Keep up the good work Andrea!
I love frozen fruit as well, especially in my morning smoothie! Thanks Rita!
Nicole, It looks like you are on the right track! Please feel free to call us at anytime, we have free nutritional consulting and over 35 years of experience! 877-465-0844
Thanks Thianita! Great tips on how to enjoy snacking on vegetables. I love using nut butters as dips, especially cashew butter!
Thanks Brenda, your comment is why we have added badges to our products so people can clearly see what is vegetarian, gluten free, etc.
Thanks Barbara! Have your tried Apex’s new Clearvite PSF? It is made with Pea Protein and is so very yummy!
Thanks Susan, so nice to hear that you are preparing snacks for work!
Thanks Carleen! I like to barbeque my veggies in the summer. I have a great grilling basket that I place on the grill for about 10 minutes. I toss them with a bit of olive oil and some seasoning!
Thanks Norma! How lucky you are to work in such a wonderful environment! And how lucky your patients are as well!
Alexis, isn’t summer the best for salads made with fruits and vegetables?
Sounds yummy and a great idea!
We love that you are passionate about such a healthy lifestyle!
That is awesome Linda! Keep up the good work!
This comment is such an encouragement to others! Thanks for sharing Betty!
Thanks Jennie! You might try the new Apex Clearvite PSF protein powder. It is made from peas and quite tasty!
I love your smoothie ideas! Thanks Maia!
Thanks for sharing your juicing ideas, Susan!
Cinnamon is one of my tricks as well for a natural sweetener! Thanks Patty
Thanks Dianne!
Thank you Diane!
Nice list Jonathan! Thanks for sharing!
I ALWAYS ORDER PRODUCTS FROM YOU GUYS GREAT PRICES GREAT SHIPPING AND GREAT PRODUCTS ALL AROUND THANKS AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!
Thanks Wendy!
I haven’t eaten flour or sugar for years. This has led me to discover how much sweetness there is in vegetables when they are carmelized. All you have to do is to roast them for a long time. I’ll put a whole winter squash in the oven at 350 degrees for a couple of hours. The sugars ooze out into the skin, and I can eat everything but the stem!
I haven’t eaten flour or sugar for years. This has led me to discover how much sweetness there is in vegetables when they are carmelized. All you have to do is to roast them for a long time. I’ll put a whole winter squash in the oven at 350 degrees for a couple of hours. The sugars ooze out into the skin, and I can eat everything but the stem!
Blueberries for breakfast, watermelon with my lunch! Love summer fruits and veggies.
I’ve been on a health kick for about 6 months now. My doc has taken me off of all grains and all dairy (because of my own health issues), I eat only grass-fed meats and organic fruits and veggies. I bought a Blendtec and make green smoothies everyday. I started out juicing, but the juicer I had took forever to juice a bowl of veggies and it extracted the fiber out. Now, with the Blendtec, I have a green smoothie in seconds, fiber and all! It’s filling and I love it! I add some liquid stevia (Sweet Leaf is the only brand I think that doesn’t have anything else but Stevia) and I add cocoa powder, which makes it taste like a green version of a chocolate shake. It’s not bad, but needs to be cold when I drink it.
I have not had any grains for the last few months while following program to reverse damage from Hashimoto’s disease, and I feel great! My favorite dessert snack:
1/3 cup cooked organiwinter squash
stevia & cinnamon to taste
2 teaspoons organic coconut oil or ghee butter
The above are stirred together. Then I add:
1/3 cup coconut yogart
fresh organic peach or nectarine slices or thawed organic blueberries on top of coconut yogart
When I make this ahead and refrigerate it, the coconut oil or ghee butter hardens and is crunchy and really tastes good. I sometimes spread the fat over the top instead of mixing in with the squash and spices. I will be trying cooked apples and other lower glycemic fruits during fall/winter months. Eating this satisfies my carbohydrate cravings.
Thanks Debbie! Great ideas!
Thanks Laura for sharing Laura and keep up the good work with your diet!
Thanks Jane! I love roasted veggies!
We have discovered snow peas cooked in a saute pan and my 4yr old and 7 yr old love them. They are fast and healthy and they think they are a treat.
We are lucky to have our garden in full bloom right now, so getting our veggies is as easy as going outside to pick tomatoes, kale, nasturtium leaves flowers and buds, snow peas, and herbs. We recently started PrimalBody PrimalMind and she recommends not to do too much fruit, so we have been collecting wild blackberries from our yard and all over the forest where we live, as well as plums from our wild plum trees. When I’m slack on veggies, I go to the local organic store and they make green drinks of celery, kale, cucumber and lemon. They are expensive, so I usually drink 1/2 at a time, and of course, I could juice my own but . . . sold my juicer a month before starting my new plan. So for veggie snacks, it’s simply through the garden door or a swig of the ole green drink and I often eat that with dairy-free, stevia-sweetened Tara’s CoCoYo coconut yogurt for a refreshing pick me up. Coconut is one of my favorite fruit/veg snacks and this new product is knocking our socks off. Cheers, (me too on the roasted veggies schlenger….- yum). Making our own kale chips from the garden using an Aroma Convection Countertop Glass Oven.
Wow! Great post! Thanks for sharing Marcia. I like making my smoothies with coconut water. It cuts back on the calories and is of course dairy and soy free!
They are so sweet that kids do see them as a treat! Thanks for sharing Charlie!
I love fruits and veggies and right now is the perfect time for both! My veggies I love to have with a veggie dip that I make with low fat cottage cheese and fat free sour cream. Add in some garlic, onion, parsley and a little salt and You have a great, low fat dip for them!
I like a fiber shake with grape juice & psyllium husk in the afternoon. It fills you up and keeps everything moving. It’s quick and easy and really does the trick. I also enjoy raw baby carrots, they’re sweet and crunchy and a perfect snack for on the go.
Thanks for sharing Connie!
Sounds like a yummy dip Jenn! Thanks for sharing!
I like to throw a handful of nuts or pieces of dried fruit in with crispy fruits and vegetables.
Thanks Cyndi, great idea!
Transitioning from bread to veggies in my diet over the last 2 years has made such a positive difference in my health but I could really step up the fruit intake! We love our local apple farms and this is the time of year when those apples are perfection for snacks, so I am trying to make the most of it. We can not seem to keep enough in the house!
Thanks for sharing Claire!
Good article! 🙂 Thank you.
I love juicing! It’s been the best way to get a vitamin rich punch into my body. Grapefruit is my favorite fruit drink…carrot/Apple/spinach is my afternoon toddy. I also love packing spinach into my post workout smoothie with my blendtec…my blender and my champion juicer are my most highly used appliances.
Blendtec has a recipe for raw veggie tortilla soup that is amazing!
I love juicing as well! Do you ever add a bit of Turmeric to your smoothie? Great for any inflammation!
Yes adding Turmeric is a great idea! Thanks Lisa!
Yummy!