According to research, it has been established that fruits and vegetables are important for healthy diet and living.
To eat healthily is to eat fruits and vegetables in a great measure. However, it is saddening that many find it hard to feed on fruits and vegetables, thereby we have more sicknesses as a result of unhealthy diets.
However, if only we can change the narrative and feed more on fruits and vegetables, many sicknesses will be prevented and we will live more healthily.
This is because a diet rich in vegetables and fruits have so many health benefits such as lowering of blood pressure, reduction in the risk of heart disease, provision of nutrients and vitamins needed for health, etc
Therefore, it is important to embrace fruits and vegetables more in our diets.
This article is to provide different ways by which one can consume fruits and vegetables. This Is to prevent getting bored with one way of consumption and also help those that find it hard to eat some fruits and vegetables directly.
We can consume fruits and vegetables as:
1) Snacks: The most common way of eating fruits and vegetables is to buy them, wash or peel as the case and snack on them directly. In this case, you are eating the whole fruits and veggies in their raw and untampered form hence getting the maximum nutrients from them.
2) Smoothies: Smoothies are usually thick drink made from blending fruits and vegetables with liquid base such as fruit juice, milk, yogurt, ice cream or water.
3) Puree: The process of making puree is similar to smoothie but slightly different. To make puree, the fruit or vegetable is slightly boiled before blended (and some times sieved). The texture of puree is usually creamy, smooth, and having no lumps like a pudding which makes it different from smoothies. Most times, puree doesn’t need any base for blending.
4) Sorbets: To make fruits sorbet is very simple. All it take is to cut the fruits, freeze and blend the frozen fruit. One type of fruit or combination of fruits can be used. Fruits that can be used include watermelon, banana, mango, strawberries, and oranges. One can add honey or syrup to enhance the sweetness and lime or lemon juice to prevent browning.
5) Popsicles: Smoothies can be frozen and turn into popsicles. The process is simply to blend the fruits and vegetables and pour into a popsicle mold and freeze. You can add coconut milk and syrup or honey if desired.
6) Salad: Salad is usually made up of various mixtures of chopped raw fruits or vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing.
7) Vegetable stock: To make vegetable stock, one need to chop the vegetables, put in a pot of water and allow to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. After removing the pot from the heat, allow the stock to stay for about 2 to 3 hours so that the natural flavour of the vegetables get infused into the water. After these few hours, remove the vegetables and strain out the stock.
Refrigerate the stock in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Note: The lesser the water used, the more the stock will be concentrated. Common vegetables used in making stock include carrots, onions, celery, cabbage and garlic.
The difference between stock and broth is that a broth contains more seasoning than stock.
8) Soup: Making soup is a great way of getting to consume different types of vegetables.
It can be by cooking them directly or by pureeing them and adding spices.
9) Addition to meal: Another way to eat more fruits and vegetables is to add them to every meal. For example, you can add
a) vegetables to your sandwich, such as cucumber, tomato, lettuce or avocado.
b) add vegetables to fried egg, rice, pottage, etc
c) add fruits to your cereals
There will articles on different recipes of soups, smoothies, juices, popsicles, etc soon.
10) Fruit Juice: Fruit Juice is simply made by extraction of the liquid contained in fruit and vegetables.
Juicing can be done using a juice extractor that helps in separating the fruit pulp and the juice.
Juicing can also be done manually by first blending and sieving the pulp from the juice.
Thank you for reading to this point. I hope you incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet more from now.
Great read!
Wow! Thank you ma ❤
Straight to the point and simpe.
Enlightening and inspiring. Thank you Ma