Eating healthily: How to achieve the 2&5 rule
Eating healthily: How to achieve the 2&5 rule
According to leading health authorities, one should consume as least 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables everyday as part of a healthy diet and to improve the wellbeing of our bodies. As studies have shown, a lifestyle that incorporates adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables can help prevent and reduce the risk of developing cancer, constipation, obesity, heart diseases, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It is thus extremely important that one consumes adequate amounts of F&V to ensure that ones body is getting the nutrients it needs on a daily basis for optimal health.
In Australia, researchers have found that an average adult only eats 2-3 servings of vegetables per day (half of what is recommended) and 1-2 serves of fruit per day. This means, that on average, many people still need to try and increase their fruit and vegetable daily intake in order to ensure that their body is getting its recommended nutritional needs.
However, the main reason why the average person consumes half the recommended daily consumption of fruit and vegetables, and why many people find it hard to follow this rule, is that eating 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of veggies means you have toeat a lot. Examples of a serving are outlined below.
One serve of fruit is equal to:
1 piece of fruit such as apples, oranges and bananas, or;
6 strawberries, or;
15 grapes , or;
cup of freshly squeezed juice
One serve of vegetable is equal to:
a cup of cooked vegetables
1 whole tomato
10 baby carrots
1 cup of salad vegetables
Thus, in a hypothetical example, you would have to consume 2 pieces of apples, 3 cups of salad vegetables, 10 baby carrots and another full cup of cooked vegetables in order to achieve the 2&5 rule. And remember, we haven't even taken protein and carbohydrates (which are essential in a healthy lifestyle) into consideration yet.
How then, can you ensure that you are adequately consuming the amount of fruit and vegetables to achieve your optimum nutritional needs?
I have put down a few ideas below which will help you achieve your goals.
If you're normally not a fruit eating person, drink a cup of your favorite squeezed juice for breakfast. That is your daily recommended serve of fruit taken care of! (Remember to avoid long-life juice and juices with added sugar. They don't provide as much nutrients and are higher in calories!)
For a snack during the day, munch on baby carrots with low fat dips such as hummus. (That is 1 serve of veggies)
Look up healthy recipes that incorporate more fruits and vegetables in the ingredients.
Ensure that you always add vegetables to your lunch and dinner.
For lunch, a good idea is to add tomatoes, beetroot and onions into your sandwich and have a bowl of fresh salad and light dressing on the side.
For dinner, always serve the main meal with a salad. If stir-frying, add vegetables such as capsicum, onions, beans and bean sprouts into it.
If you're still finding it hard to meet the daily recommended intake of fruit and veggies for a healthier body (ie. If you have a small appetite, or you're trying lose weight and wanting to reduce your portion size, or you just dislike the taste of fruits and veggies in general), it is still possible to ensure that your body receives the level of nutrients and vitamins it needs.
I personally find this the easiest solution to this problem and use it myself. By taking high quality supplements that are packed with the correct combination of nutrients, you can ensure that your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs in a daily basis. By avoiding nutritional deficiency, this will helpkeep your energy levels up, reduce your risk of illnesses and diseases, and keep your body and life in optimum form.
Remember, becoming healthier requires alifestyle change. Even if you are taking supplements (which are fantastic in helping your body get all the important nutrients and vitamins it needs), you can never supplement an unhealthy diet. Eating healthier and developing a healthy diet is still fundamental for a healthy lifestyle. If your current diet needs major changes, start the changes small and set yourself goals. This will ensure that you remain and sustain your motivation for a healthier wellbeing.
Good luck!
Achieve that healthy lifestyle you have always wanted. It is never too late or too hard to challenge yourself and make that first step today.
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