vegetables

Veggies: more matters!

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It’s National Eat Your Veggies Day! Did you eat enough vegetables today? If not, know you’re not alone. Just 1 in 10 adults meet the federal vegetable recommendations. Depending on age and sex, adults are recommended to eat at least 2 to 3 cups per day of vegetables as part of a healthy eating pattern.1

Besides simply tasting delicious, vegetables have so many benefits: they reduce the risk for heart disease, stroke and help manage body weight when consumed in place of more calorie-dense foods, and when combined with a healthy diet and exercise program.  Not only that, but vegetables provide color, texture, and appeal to every one of your meals! They are a convenient on-the-go snack option that are low in calories and fun to eat.

Whether its taste, cost, convenience, or texture, people find all sorts of reasons not to eat their vegetables.  If you are a parent and feel like you are losing the war of getting your kids to eat healthier, a college student looking to save money and space in your mini fridge, or someone who just can’t tolerate another serving of boring, steamed vegetables, there are many tricks to help you meet your daily servings!

  • Remember, all forms of vegetables count. Use fresh, canned and frozen foods. Prevent spoilage by using your perishable produce at the beginning of the week and canned/frozen at the end.
  • Get your kids involved. Have them choose vegetables they want to see in their meals and snacks. Let them pick by color or challenge them to try something new! Also use shopping as an educational opportunity for kids learning to read. For example, serve avocados on “A” day; broccoli on “B” day, etc.
  • Don’t be deterred by cost. With careful menu planning, smart storage and preparation, and good shopping techniques, you can make the most out of your food budget. Make sure you stick to your list while at the store. Plan your meals around vegetables and prepare more for leftovers. Soups, stews, and casseroles all make excellent meals that can be frozen for future uses. Finally, shop in season, and stock up when you see items on special.
  • Mix in vegetables for picky eaters. Sneak in vegetables whenever possible. For example, blend spinach and/or kale in smoothies; add zucchini or carrots to muffins. You can even bake mini vegetable quiches in muffin tins and have them ready in the morning.
  • “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” If your goal is to help your family eat more vegetables, then plan! Pick one night a week to chop and dice all vegetables and store in containers. This makes cooking at the end of a long day much easier; pre-sliced snacks are also easily accessible for little hands. Prepare all meals ahead of time. If a meal is lacking in vegetables one evening, for example, keep a bag of frozen vegetables handy. Simply season them and heat up to serve as a nutritious side dish.
  • Eating Greens by PURE on a daily basis adds unique nutrients to your diet that may be lacking in vitamins and minerals. It ensures you are getting a full range of nutrients that your body needs to function properly. Greens is made up of 4 Proprietary PURE Blends that use some of the most beneficial superfoods, botanicals, superfruits and mushrooms available.

How do you include vegetables at every meal? Have you had success integrating a wide variety of vegetables into your family’s diet? Let us know on social media @livepureglobal.

1https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruit-vegetable-consumption.html

Growing big vegetables in small spaces

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Perhaps you live in an apartment, preferring a sleek city skyline over grassy acreage. Or, maybe you don’t have the time to tend to a backyard garden. You can still enjoy the rewards of growing fresh vegetables. Small-scale gardening can be very rewarding. And, you just might have room to spare for that garden gnome.

Where you grow your plants is a number one priority. Will you be using a patio or balcony? Maybe you want to decorate a fire escape or roof top. If you want to bring your plants indoors, you can use wall shelving or windowsill boxes. Get creative with your containers. Think shoe organizers, mason jars, palettes and more. The smaller the container, the less water it will retain, so your plants will require more watering. Herbs are always great for small containers.

Let there be light

Another important factor to consider is how much sunlight your apartment or home gets during the day. Some plants require low light, some require full sun throughout the day. If your room gets six hours of direct sunlight each day, you have full sun. Four to five hours is considered partial sun. If your room receives about two to four hours of sunlight, that’s considered partial shade and anything less than that is shade. Keep that in mind when you are choosing your plants.

Plants that don’t mind tight spaces

Herbs are a great choice because they are easy to grow and a little bit goes a long way in flavoring your meals. Basil, rosemary, sage, mint and chives are all great choices. Grow your own and avoid buying a batch of herbs from the grocery store which will likely go rancid before you’ve used it all.

Vegetables that grow well indoors include radishes, green onions, peppers, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro and garlic. Tomatoes are very hardy and easy to grow, but they require a lot of sunlight. Did you know that tomatoes can also be grown upside down? Lettuce takes up little space, and it reproduces quickly. Cucumbers and green beans are easy and cheap to grow. Marjoram, thyme and geranium can survive in the wintertime. Be sure to read the label on your seeds to learn in which conditions they grow best.

Companion planting

There are some things that just go together better, like milk and cookies. Did you know that there are plants that enjoy growing in the same pot? They actually benefit each other. Basil and tomatoes make a great team, as do radishes and spinach. You can even grow garlic and roses in the same pot! Gardening this way will save you a lot of space.

We want to know how your urban garden grows. What are your favorite container vegetables? Please share with us.

A bountiful fall harvest

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I greatly enjoyed shopping for fresh berries, peaches, cherries, and nectarines during the summer months, filling my basket with the most vibrant flavors and colors summer has to offer.  As seasons change, so do the fruits and vegetables that are at their peak, or “in season.”

Now that fall is here, I can still find berries in the store, but they don’t always taste as fresh, juicy or sweet because they are not at their peak time for harvest. Technically, almost all food can be grown somewhere throughout the world at any time of the year, but fruits and vegetables consumed within a few days of being picked, rather than trucked across the country and sitting in storage, taste better and may even contain more nutrients.

In addition to corn mazes, Jack-O-Lanterns, and Halloween candy, the signs of fall include delicious, robust flavors from fresh apples, pears, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, seasonal squash and more. The list is extensive, so be sure to add a new fruit or vegetable to your shopping cart next time you’re at the store!

Apples:

We are all aware of the “apple a day” adage. These sweet fall favorites are loaded with antioxidants which fight off free radicals.  Some varieties, like Fuji, are highest in phenolic compounds and flavonoids.1 Apples are also packed with vitamin C and pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps with digestion.  Some apples are better for cooking, while others can be enjoyed raw, so pick the right apple for your needs. Make sure you enjoy the peel, as the skin contains up to six times the antioxidant content as the flesh.

Pears:

Another fall favorite, pears are higher in pectin than apples. Pectin is a soluble fiber that helps lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol and helps promote regularity and fullness. Pears are also a good source of vitamin C, copper and potassium.3 Pears are mild and sweet, and full of antioxidant phytonutrients like quercetin, so enjoy these fat-free, cholesterol-free and 100-calorie fall gifts.

Brussels sprouts:

Cruciferous vegetables are packed with phytonutrients, which may help protect the body against health concerns. They are also a good source of Vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, iron and fiber. Cruciferous vegetables are unique in that they are rich in glucosinolates, a sulfur-containing compound that imparts a pungent aroma and unique taste.2 Scientists are currently researching glucosinolates and their health-promoting properties.

Sweet potatoes:

Sweet potatoes peak during the fall. They pack a nutritional punch and are often a popular side dish on Thanksgiving tables. Similar to squash, sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, giving it (and other orange fruit and vegetables) their vibrant color. Beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A and promotes healthy eyesight. Squash and sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium and quercetin when eaten with the skin on. Don’t ruin these nutritional powerhouses with marshmallows or syrups. Instead, add spices, such as cinnamon, to give them unique flavors.

Squash:

Squash is another versatile and delicious vegetable that often takes center stage on tables as decoration during the fall months. But did you know that squash is actually a broad term used to describe various vegetables such as pumpkins and zucchinis?

Summer squash is available through October when winter squash crops into season.  This gourd comes in many varieties, including acorn squash, butternut squash, delicta squash and spaghetti squash (a personal favorite). Each variety packs a nutritious punch with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Be sure to try all kinds!

Stock up now on the season’s best

Don’t forget about pomegranates, rutabagas, cauliflower and a whole host of other seasonal produce.  If your local grocery store doesn’t have the particular fruits and vegetables you are looking for, then check out your local farmers market or CSA (http://www.localharvest.org/), or visit a pick-your-own farm near you (www.pickyourown.org).

You can get a whole bushel of nutrition from Greens by PURE. Greens is made up of four Proprietary PURE Blends that utilize some of the most beneficial superfoods, botanicals, superfruits, and mushrooms available, giving your life the edge it craves and deserves. In this way, your body is benefiting from the whole fruit and vegetable.

 

1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC442131/

2https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/cruciferous-vegetables

3https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods

Your bountiful fall harvest

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As seasons change, so do the fruits and vegetables that are at their peak, or “in season.”

The signs of fall include delicious, robust flavors. Staples such as fresh apples and pears offer essential vitamins and antioxidants; however, other foods peak this time of year, including Brussels sprouts, seasonal squash, and beets.  Don’t be afraid to add a new fruit or vegetable to your shopping cart next time you’re at the store!

  1. Apples: We are all aware of the “apple a day” adage. These sweet fall favorites are loaded with antioxidants which fight off free radicals.  Some varieties, like Fuji, are highest in phenolic compounds and flavonoids.  Apples are also packed with vitamin C and pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps with digestion.  Some apples are better for cooking, while others can be enjoyed raw, so pick the right apple for your needs. Make sure you enjoy the peel, as the skin contains up to six times the antioxidant content as the flesh.
  2. Beets: These are a wonderful source of vitamins A and C. They are also high in fiber and essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function) and manganese (good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas).
  3. Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage: Cruciferous vegetables are packed with phytonutrients, which may help protect the body against health concerns. They are also a good source of Vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, iron and fiber.   Cruciferous vegetables are unique in that they are rich in glucosinolates, a sulfur-containing compound that imparts a bitter flavor and offers health benefits.
  4. Pears: Pears are higher in pectin than apples. Pectin is a soluble fiber that helps lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol and helps promote regularity and fullness. Pears are also a good source of vitamin C, copper and potassium. Pears are mild and sweet, and full of antioxidant phytonutrients like quercetin, so enjoy these fat-free, cholesterol-free, 100-calorie fall gift.
  5. Squash: Squash is another versatile and delicious vegetable that often takes center stage on tables during the fall months. But did you know that squash is actually a broad term used to describe various vegetables such as pumpkins and zucchinis? Summer squash is available through October when winter squash crops into season.  This gourd comes in many varieties, including acorn squash, butternut squash, delicta squash and spaghetti squash.  Each variety packs a nutritious punch with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Be sure to try all kinds!
  6. Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes peak during the fall. They pack a nutritional punch and are often a popular side dish on Thanksgiving tables. Similar to squash, sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, giving it (and other orange fruit and vegetables) their vibrant color. Beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A and promotes healthy eyesight. Squash and sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium and quercetin when eaten with the skin on.  Don’t ruin these nutritional powerhouses with marshmallows or syrups. Instead, add spices, such as cinnamon, to give them unique flavors.

Stock up now on the season’s best

Don’t forget about pomegranates, rutabagas, cauliflower and a host of other seasonal produce. If your local grocery store doesn’t have the particular fruits and vegetables you are looking for, then check out your local farmer’s market or CSA (http://www.localharvest.org/), or visit a pick-your-own farm near you (www.pickyourown.org).