It’s the last day of Nutrition Month! I’m on News 4 Jacksonville’s River City Live with my realistic tips to boost your nutrition.
Most Americans fall short on meeting their recommended 5 servings of fruits and veggies for the day. A smoothie is an easy way to help meet your recommended 5 servings of fruits and veggies for the day.
Start with mild-tasting veggies like spinach, then add fruit. Two medium Halos which provide half a day’s worth of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps support a healthy immune system and helps enhance the bioavailability of plant-based iron in spinach. Add half a banana for creaminess, plain Greek yogurt for protein and 1 cup of plant-based milk.
My next tip is to make smart snack swaps.
Instead of sweetened yogurt, choose plain Greek yogurt and add fresh fruit, instead ranch dip, try hummus and instead of instead of potato chips, try pistachios! Unlike potato chips, pistachios are a good source of complete plant protein and fiber, with 6 grams of plant protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Plus, one serving of pistachios gives you 49 nuts compared to just 15 potato chips in one serving. (And who eats just 15 potato chips?)
My last tip is to add flavor to meals with less calories, fat and sodium.
Lemon juice is a great option. The Wonderful Seedless Lemons are a game changer when cooking because they have no pesky seeds! Not only do they add a burst of bright flavor to marinades, salad dressing and cocktails, they are also rich in vitamin C, an essential nutrient the body needs to make collagen for healthy skin.
Salsa is another way to add flavor and nutrition to meals for very little calories, while also adding a serving of veggies. The Fresh Cravings Salsa is made with a short list of high quality, organic ingredients like vine-ripened tomatoes, crisp vegetables, zesty peppers and spices. You can find it in the refrigerated section at Publix in a range of heat levels and flavor varieties.
