Take a look at the following ideas to help bump up your fruit and vegetable intake:
Breakfast
add a portion of mushrooms or tomatoes with scrambled egg on toast
add some chopped fruit or berries to cereal, porridge or yoghurt
have a glass of unsweetened fruit juice with your breakfast
enjoy a smoothie made up of different fruits and veg
add spinach and pepper to a breakfast omelette.
Lunch
add some vegetable crudité to your lunch-time meal
add some salad to your sandwich
finish off your lunch with a fruit pot
add some mushrooms and peppers to a stir-fry
enjoy a salad made up of different vegetables.
Dinner
add some vegetables to your main meal
replace potatoes with sweet potatoes
have a side-salad
enjoy some fruit for dessert
add a handful of beans/pulses to soups or sauces.
Snacks
dried fruit makes for a great on-the-go snack
enjoy fresh fruit as a snack
have some carrot/cucumber sticks dipped in hummus
add cucumber to cream cheese on crackers
try vegetable crisps.
Staying Hydrated
It is recommended that we drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day. This includes water, tea, coffee and sugar-free drinks. Like all things nutrition, water intake depends on the individual and the lifestyle they lead.
We need water to survive – we all know this – but it has many other benefits. Water acts as our body’s solvent. It carries waste, nutrients and other important components around our body, as well as keeping our skin and hair in good condition. Professionals suggest aiming for around two liters of water a day, though they advise listening to your body and monitoring the color of your urine. Dark colored urine suggests your kidneys are conserving water due to dehydration, whereas pale-yellow urine indicates a well-hydrated body.
If you find you don’t drink enough water, consider investing in a one liter bottle and keeping it with you at all times. Be sure to fill it in the morning and again at lunch time, if you haven’t been drinking enough, this will help you keep track. Alternatively, set hourly reminders on your phone and if you’re not keen on the taste of plain water, add some lemon slices.
