Week 4 is about eating more fruits and vegetables.
Almost everyone needs to eat more fruits and vegetables. They are critical in promoting good health. They contain essential vitamins, minerals, and other fibers that may help protect you from chronic diseases such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Substituting fruits and vegetables for higher caloric food intake is a healthy alternative towards weight loss strategy.
Most people know these facts, but the question lies to how much is the recommended daily intake for each individual? Every individual is unique. We should base it according to our daily activities, age and sex. I know that they've come up with a minimum of 5-a-day campaign. But that doesn't really hold true for everyone.
I have found a fruit and vegetable calculator that measures according to your daily activity, age and sex. And that explains to you why you have to take that much too.
If you follow this link, it should take you to their site as well to read more.
If you notice, fruits and vegetables also come in unique colors. But their beauty lies within those colors. For children, the best way to encourage eating fruits and vegetables is by using the RAINBOW system.
What is the Rainbow System?
If you haven't heard of "Today I Ate A Rainbow", follow this link for better explanation. I have used this system at home for a while and have found better results on my kids. My daughter, who's not a veggie fanatic, would try at least one or couple of bites just to say that she's eaten a rainbow per meal. It's not enough, but this encourages her to eat healthier. Over time, she would adapt to the idea of healthy eating and would soon be part of her system. Kids love color, and is a good way to reinforce eating vegetables and fruits at home and beyond.
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| courtesy of I ate a Rainbow |
If you haven't heard of "Today I Ate A Rainbow", follow this link for better explanation. I have used this system at home for a while and have found better results on my kids. My daughter, who's not a veggie fanatic, would try at least one or couple of bites just to say that she's eaten a rainbow per meal. It's not enough, but this encourages her to eat healthier. Over time, she would adapt to the idea of healthy eating and would soon be part of her system. Kids love color, and is a good way to reinforce eating vegetables and fruits at home and beyond.
We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers and healthy eating advocates to host aHealthy Every Week Challenge, a month-long initiative to develop healthy eating habits. The plan is to develop a manageable healthy habit each week that will carry through the new year. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #gethealthy.
Disclaimer: I was not provided of any free samples by I ate a Rainbow. I found this online while I was finding ways to efficiently feed my children with fruits and vegetables in a fun way. I did not purchase any of their kit, but made one for each of my child that tailors to their daily needs. I will post next time once I figured out how to convert it into Jpeg files to help your child start eating healthier too.