Summer fruits and veggies to include in your diet

by karen on July 20, 2020

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Happy Monday everyone! We hope you’re all healthy and well. This week, we’re looking to invite you to bring some wonderful in-season produce into your homes.

It can seem daunting to include the Nutrition Connection recommendation of 4 cups of fruits and veggies (2 cups of each) into your diet each day, but with an abundance of in-season produce entering stores this summer, we’re here to show you that plants of all sorts can be a fun and nutritious addition to every meal. 

We all know that fruits and veggies are good for us, but we’re not all taught why. These delicious plants include vitamins and minerals beneficial and essential to bodily processes, and are a high-volume, low-calorie option to help us stay fuller to lose and maintain healthy weight.

For example, phytosterols found in plants (fruits, veggies, grains, etc,) compete with animal cholesterols, reducing overall cholesterol. Potassium and magnesium lower blood pressure, vitamins A and C are antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, and the list goes on. As a whole, fruits and veggies are anti-cancer, anti-dementia, anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, and can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. So, in summary, fruits and veggies are wonderful for you, and there are incalculable benefits to including hearty servings in your diet. 

A few easy ways to sneak plants into your diet:

  • Grilling meats? Throw on a few slices of zucchini, eggplant, or pineapple to add nutrients to your meal, but not time.
  • Heating a can of chili for something quick and easy? Heat a can of green beans at the same time.
  • Put your entree on a bed of greens. Salmon on arugula is a Nutrition Connection favorite.
  • Blend up a delicious green smoothie to have up to your day’s worth of fruits and veggies at once: try 2 cups spinach (it blends in perfectly, we promise), 1 cup of frozen blueberries, and a banana.

Some great, in-season fruits & veggies:

  • Nectarines
  • Peaches
  • Cherries
  • Mangos
  • Radishes
  • Avocado
  • Bell Peppers
  • Chard
  • Beets

Fruits and vegetables are nutrient-dense, and the low-calorie crunch can balance your meal and help you feel satisfied. You can’t overdo your veggie intake, so enjoy!

If you’d like additional consultation on your personal goals, we’d love to hear from you. Please schedule an appointment by calling (775) 360-6500, or visit NutritionConnectionNV.com.


Karen Fisher, MS, RD, LDN, CDE is a dietitian in Reno, Nevada, happily promoting the benefits of healthy foods at her nutrition consulting firm, Nutrition Connection. Find her website at www.NutritionConnectionNV.com

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