Vegetables
Ideally adults should consume 5 – 9 portions of Vegetables per day – 2-4 servings can be fruit, but the more vegetables the better. Ideally three quarters of your dinner plate should consist of non starchy vegetables.
To get the necessary nutrients from your veggies & fruit you should look to vary the colours of veggies & fruit, the concept of eating a rainbow a day keeps the doctor away is a some what accepted concept for cardiovascular health plans and cancer prevention.
In addition to eating a rainbow a day it is also important to corporate a good variety of crucifer vegetables into your diet. Cruciferous are vegetables of the Brassica family and are widely known for their health benefits. They are so important to incorporate into the diet as they assist healthy metabolism of hormones & neurotransmitters, aid digestive health & elimination, they are alkalising and known to have anti cancerous properties, have a wide nutrient profile, high in fibre to promote blood sugar balancing and colon health. The health benefits are endless, and its important to note that cooking brassicas are important especially for people that may have a predisposition or susceptibility to thyroid problems.
Example types of Cruciferous veg
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Garden cress
- Horseradish
- Bok choy
- Broccoli floret & stem
- Kale
- Spinach
- Brussels sprouts
Example types of Low Starch/LowGL/GL veg
- Sweet Potato
- Celeriac
- Butternut Squash
- Courgette
- Aubergine
- Onion
- Garlic
- Leek
- Celery
- Bell Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Lettuce
- Green Beans
Salads
Salads can be so satisfying, warming and comforting no matter what the season
Add as much Low GI veg to your salads as you wish ! (and heres why…)
The quality of the calories you eat are key to supporting overall health & digestion, increasing fibre, vitamins, minerals & phytonutrients supporting cardiovascular health, weight management, blood sugar balancing, hormone health and so much more… always consider when your eating a well varied salad, you’re feeding your body on cellular level! Salads should be so substantial that you cant finish it otherwise its a side salad! Check out the salads section on the recipe box for healthy balanced ideas and enjoy salads all year round for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks.
Washing raw vegetables and lettuce throughly is of paramount importance, and a great way to this is with baking soda, and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
Read our blog for more ways to add nutritional boosts to salads!
Lettuce Options
- Cos
- Endive
- Romaine
- Red Oak Leaf
- Frisee
- Green Oak Leaf
- Mache
- Arugula
Power Greens to Turbo your Salad
- Baby Spinach
- Rocket
- Swiss Chard
- Baby Kale
Herbs
- Basil
- Dill
- Flat Leaf Parsley
- Chive
- Coriander
- Mint
- Oregano
- Tarragon
Fruit Bowl
Eating the right types of fruit for health is key, and more often than not we see the same mistake being made by clients in the clinic, a fruit smoothie made entirely of fruit, water/nut milk/yoghurt and thats it! An unbalanced smoothie can cause serious blood sugar imbalanced and lead to hormone disruption, weight gain, mood fluctuations, and conditions as serious as diabetes if consumed over a period of time. So what is a balanced smoothie?
Read our blog for the Building Blocks of a Balanced Smoothie
Good Fruit Options
- Banana
- Pineapple
- Lemon
- Lime
- Grapefruit
- Red Grapes
- Apples
- Pears
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Black Currants
- Cherries
- Pomegranate
- Avacado
Quick health associations with fruit:
- Berries = antioxidant & Low GL
- Yellow & orange fruits = vitamin A and skin health
- Bananas = energy
- Oranges = low GL
- Fiber = Kiwi, pears, apples, mango
- Pineapple = for pain relief
- Papaya = digestive health
- Watermelon = Low GL
- Vitamin C = Kiwi, berries, pomnmogranet
- Grapefruit = liver support & digestive health
- Lemon & lime = Low GL, digestion, Vit C
- Ideal portions per day suggested by cancer research: 2 portions or 160g of fresh fruit per day as part of a balanced diet.