Get 5 a Day

Veggie-fy your diet this summer 

By Holly Ford

Adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet can do wonders for your health—not to mention help you slim down for summer. So why, then, do so many of us slack off when it comes to serving up the “good” stuff? 

Why we avoid vegetables

According to Mary Lou Perry, Registered Dietitian for UVA's Heart and Vascular Center, as many as 77 percent of us aren’t getting the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. There are many reasons. Convenience, cost, a lack of preparation know-how … We have all kinds of excuses for choosing packaged and processed over natural and nutritious foods. 

Super foods for a slimmer you

The greatest motivator for finding a way around these stumbling blocks should be this: fruits and vegetables are super foods that have been proven to lower your blood pressure (improving your heart and decreasing inflammation), lower your risk for cancer and other chronic diseases and increase the nutrients you need to keep your energy up. Still not budging? Two words for you: swimsuit season. Studies have shown that filling up on fruits and vegetables is an effective way to lose weight because these foods are naturally low in calories and high in fiber, which makes you feel fuller.    

Simple changes add up

Produce is at its best this time of year. To see just how simple it is to “veggie-fy” your diet, take a look at the before-and-after menu below. Then think about ways you can work in more super foods into your everyday diet.

SMART Goal: Sneak in some added nutrients by grating zucchini or squash into meatloaf, soups, breads and more. Make fruit a side dish at dinnertime by throwing some on the grill alongside your main course; the sweetness blended with the meat can produce a wonderful flavor.