Posted 05/05/2007
As we enter the peak growing season in North America, it’s a perfect time to renew your efforts to eat a fresh, plant-based diet of mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts. If you can eat locally grown produce, so much the better.
With whole foods like fruits and veggies, every mouthful counts: they contain vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, healthy fats, and roughage in the form of fiber. They strengthen your bones and heart, keep your memory and eyesight sharp, help blood vessels stay clear, reduce inflammation, and lower your risk of cancer.
When you eat whole foods you get lots of nutritional bang for every calorie you take in (not so with processed foods, most of which are high in calories and low in nutrients).
In short, eat foods as nouns rather than adjectives. Noun: I’m eating blueberries. Adjective: I’m eating a white-flour blueberry muffin.
Focus on increasing the number of fruits and vegetables you eat every day, along with several servings of whole grains, nuts, and seeds. This can be daunting at first if you’re not in the habit, but the payoff is well worth it. Shop your local farmers market for the best in seasonal produce.