According to the CDC, only 9% of Americans are eating the recommended amounts of vegetables and 12% of fruit. 😮
Aside from micronutrients and fiber, fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, 🌿which help the healthy messages of vitamins and minerals be heard by the body and influence healthy function and aging. 💪🏻
Research has shown that it is more important to get a wide range of phytonutrients from a VARIETY of superfruits and vegetables, over large doses of the same few phytonutrients. It is suggested to have three different vegetables per day, and to vary them. To vary phytonutrients, incorporate as many colors as possible. 🌈
One way to get kids engaged in increasing their vegetable intake is by involving them in selection, preparation and cooking. 🥕🥦🥭🥬🍅 MAKE IT FUN! Try letting your child choose any vegetable at the market, help to wash and prepare it, and then choose from a couple options of how to cook it. 👨🍳 This will engage your child and even if they don’t love it at first take, they will have exposure and positive associations with it, and will be more likely to eat it in the future.
The Power of Phytonutrients
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