Eat Your Vitamins - How to Get Your Vitamins from Food

     We've probably been told or have read many times that we need to get more vitamins. What most people mean when they say this is, we need to take some sort of multivitamin pill, or supplement. These are good ways of getting your vitamins, but its not the most natural way. We can get most, if not all of our vitamins from the food we eat! Not only is this healthier, but easier and cheaper!

Spring Into a Healthier Life!

 

     Spring is here and I couldn't be more excited! I am so ready for sunshine, warm weather and short sleeves! Spring is a wonder time to get back into a healthier lifestyle after the indulgence and sedentariness of the winter months! There are so many ways to create a healthier lifestyle!

Eating the Rainbow

   Eating the rainbow is one of the best ways to make sure you are getting all the nutrients and minerals that you need for a healthy body. I am not talking about colorful candies, sugary drinks or artificial foods that might be brightly colored. I am talking about the vast variety of fruits and vegetables that come in every color in the rainbow! Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink....and every shade in between!

    So we know we should eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, but why? Why can't we just stick to the ones we know or are used to? Different colored food contain different nutrients. Each color has a different health benefit and to gain all the health benefits, we must eat all the colors!

Red
The color red is bright, bold and beautiful! Red fruits and vegetables contain lycopene, anthocyanin, ellagic acid, vitamin C and quercetin. These nutrients help to reduce the risk of stoke and help to reduce inflammation. They also promote heart health and help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. To gain these benefits, eat more tomatoes, red apples,  strawberries, watermelon, red bell peppers and any other red fruit or vegetable you can find!

Orange and Yellow
Orange and yellow foods contain many of the same benefits because they are so close in color. These foods contain beta carotene, alpha carotene, vitamin C and A. Eating more orange and yellow fruits and vegetables helps boost antioxidant intake and promote anti-inflammation. They also promote healthy eyes and skin and help to reduce soreness after working out! To gain these benefits, eat more  yellow squash, yellow and orange bell pepper, lemons, oranges, clementine, carrots and any other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables you can find!

Green
When most people think 'healthy foods' they probably think of green vegetables, and for good reason! Green fruits and vegetables are very good for us! They contain sulforaphane, magnesium, calcium, latein, potassium, vitamin K and folate. All of these things help to regulate detox of the liver, slow macular degeneration, improve eye health and reduce the risk of certain cancers like breast cancer and colon cancer. To gain these benefits, eat more lettuce, spinach, kale, herbs, zucchini, broccoli, green bell pepper and green apples.

Blue and Purple
Blue and purple fruits and vegetables are always fun, because they add a pop of color to your dish! These foods contain vitamin C, potassium and folate. They help increase antioxidant consumption and promote anti-inflammation in the heart and blood vessels. Eating blue and purple foods also helps to support the immune system and improve skin health and prevent wrinkles! To gain these health benefits, eat more eggplant, blueberries, blackberries, plums, red cabbage and red onion!

White
Yes, we are going to go over white or colorless foods too! These foods might not be as colorful, but they still pack a punch full of health benefits! They contain vitamin C, allium, sulforaphane, and flavonoids. These things help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and several types of cancers. They also support health bones, a healthy immune system and help to lower cholesterol levels! To gain these health benefits, eat more garlic, white onions, mushrooms, potatoes, cauliflower, and white carrots!

Eating the rainbow allows us to gain all the health benefits of each color! Maybe you haven't tried a lot of different types of fruits and vegetables, but expanding your palate will not only expand your culinary horizons, but its good for your health too! Set a goal to try one new fruit or vegetable in a different color each week! You'll find new favorites and discover so many new flavors!

I hope this blog post is helpful to you as you journey to become a healthier version of yourself! If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends and family to help them live healthier too!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinacisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett and on Instagram @ That_Vegan_Runner. Follow on social media for even more Spinach Is Good For You content!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

The Clean Fifteen and The Dirty Dozen

     Organic fruits and vegetable are becoming more and more popular, but they all tend to be more expensive than the 'regular' ones. There are a few fruits and vegetables that you don't have to buy as organic, but there are also a few that you should buy organic as much as possible! Knowing what to buy organic and what you don't have to buy as organic will be easier on the pocket book, while still keeping you healthy!

 

The Dirty Dozen

     If you have never heard of the Dirty Dozen, then it probaly sounds a little strange to you! But, let me explain, and you'll understand what I'm talking about!
     The term Dirty Dozen is applied to the list of foods that should be bought organic. These are foods that we usually eat the skin of, and that tend to absorb the chemicals that might be used when they are grown. Buy these 12 fruits and vegetables as organic to limit the amount of chemicals in your body!

Apples- Are usually #1 on any Dirty Dozen list. This is mainly because you tend to eat the apple's skin, which is a prim place for chemicals and pestisides to cling to!

Strawberries- Strawberries should be bought organic for the same reasons as the apples. We eat the skin, and the skin is where most of the chemicals are. These berries are also very good at absorbing anything, which includes the chemicals sprayed on them while being grown or handled.

Grapes, Celery, Peaches, Spinach, Sweet Bell Peppers, Imported Nectarines, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes and Hot Peppers finish off the Dirty Dozen list. All of the fruits and vegetables are ones that we eat the skin of and are hevaily sprayed with chemicals. Buying these foods organic helps reduce the amount of chemical you ingest on a daily basis. While they might be a little more pricy, these are the foods that you should always buy as organic!

The Clean Fifteen

     To follow up the Dirty Dozen there are the Clean Fifteen! These are the fruits and vegetables that are okay not to buy as organic. They are not as heavily sprayed and/or are fruit and vegetables that we don't tend to eat the skin of. Also, mosts of them don't absorb anything very well, which means that chemicals are as absorbed as much!

Onions- We don't eat the skin of the onion, making it alright not to buy them as organic!

Pineapple- Again, we cut away the skin of the pineapple, so we don't have to worry about eating the chemicals that are on the skin!

Avocados- Once again, we don't eat the skin of the avocados, so they are also okay to buy as not organic.

Cabbage- While cabbage doesn't really have a 'skin', we usually peal away the first few layers of leaves anyways. Also, cabbage tends to absorb the chemicals that might be sprayed on them while growing.

Frozen Peas, Papayas, Mangos, Asparagus, Egg Plant, Kiwi, Grape Fruit, Cantalope, Sweet Potatoes, and Mushrooms are the rest of the Clean Fifteen. These are fruits and vegetables that don't absorb the chemicals that might be used on them, and most of o them we don't eat the skin of. While buying all your fruit and vegetables as organic is great, these fifteen are fine to buy as not organic.

Corn- Corn might be listed on some Clean Fifteen lists, but i have to disagree with it. I belive that corn should always be bought as organic, because otherwise it tends to be GMO( Genetically Modified Organism). GMOs are not healthy for your body, so I suggest always buying organic corn.

I really hope this post as been helpful to you! Buying organic can seem unnecessary and expensive at first, but knowing what should be bought organic and what doesn't have to be, is so helpful! Its easier on your pocket book as well!

If you found this post helpful, please share it with someone else who might enjoy it! Also, please share my blog to spread the love of a healthy lifestyle! :)

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana