Fruits and Veggies…3 Strikes You’re Out!

June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month!

Do you eat enough fruits and vegetables?

In my practice, I come across a lot of adults who don’t like and therefore don’t eat fruits and vegetables. This is often due to the fact that they were not served these wonderfully healthy foods as a child.

A particular male client comes to mind. What a lovely gentleman he is. He came to see me to help manage his diabetes. As I educated him on eating to stabilize his blood sugar levels and to prevent hi and low blood sugar swings, I emphasized the importance of including fruits and veggies with his meals. He looked at me crooked, and said the only vegetables he ever ate as a child were from a can, and that mostly included corn.

I had to break the news to him. Corn is actually a “starchy vegetable” and in a diabetes meal plan, we account for corn as a carb.

Ouch! He was not so happy.

He reluctantly agreed to try some fresh vegetables. His wife was excited and happy. We started with broccoli….and struck out.

We moved to cauliflower, and struck out again.

Asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, …… strike 1, 2 and 3…. I was out!

The only vegetable he “liked” and I say that lightly was carrots. And, he could tolerate green beans.

Okay, I was happy. We were getting somewhere.

We did the same exercise with fruits. This one wasn’t as tough! He was able to find a handful of fruits he agreed to eat.

Fruits and vegetables are not only great low-calorie snacks they also have countless health benefits. For starters, they are a great source of fiber which aids in digestion and lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They also have an abundant amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. These are nutrients found only in plant products and are helpful in reducing risk of heart disease and cancer, among other conditions.

Cooking with Fruits and Vegetables

While fruits and veggies are great to eat raw, there are many ways to cook them such as steamed, stir-fried, roasted or sautéed.

In addition, you can create wonderful recipes around the fruit or vegetable as a main ingredient. Check out the recipes HERE for ideas!

Your turn to take action: Take a trip to the supermarket and try something new you’ve never eaten before. Let me know below what that fruit or veggie is, and how you liked it!

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