Eating a well-balanced, healthy diet that includes plenty of vegetables and fruits can help you get enough vitamins each day.

Medline Plus has a list of essential vitamins, what they do in your body and where to get them. Might be worth knowing.

Sources:

Medline Plus: Vitamins

Medline Plus: Fruits and Vegetables

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Good advice from @Fruits_Veggies. Here is the link from the tweet about why you should fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables.

I’m not perfect at it but I’m trying to make sure I get more in. Can you?

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March is National Nutrition Month and the theme is “Eat Right with Color.”

“Adding a splash of colorful seasonal foods to your plate makes for more than just a festive meal. A rainbow of foods creates a palette of nutrients, each with a different bundle of potential benefits for a healthful eating plan.”

– Karen Ansel, RD and ADA Spokesperson

Read more from the American Dietetic Association about what kinds of nutrients and health benefits you can get from a variety of different colored foods:

Let Color Be Your Guide to Nutritious Meals

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[Click image to enlarge].

Source: State of the Plate: 2010 Study on America’s Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables

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This was dinner a couple of nights ago.

And this is my 18-month-old cutie.  Just want everyone to know that she’s awesome.  : )

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Been reading about potassium lately.  It’s good stuff.

“Potassium is crucial to heart function and plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function, too.”

Most people need about 2,000 mg each day.  If you’re eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, you shouldn’t have a problem getting all you need.

You can get potassium from more sources than just bananas.  Eat avocado, cantaloupe, tomatoes, potatoes, salmon and broccoli.  Tons of other sources too.

Sources:

University of Maryland Medical Center: Potassium

Ohio State University Medical Center: Foods High in Potassium

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This pic reminded me of my daughter.  She loves watermelon lately. 

I love cold watermelon after a long bike ride or run.  So refreshing.  Have any interesting ways to eat watermelon besides just eating it straight-up? 

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Food today is fuel tomorrow, right?  Or something like that.  This smoothie had skim milk, banana, yogurt, apple, spinanch, and a handful of frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, bluberries, blackberries).  So good. 

Triathlon (oly-distance) tomorrow.  Hoping for a new PR.  Training may not have been as great as I would have liked, so might be wishful thinking. 

Also, here’s a great post from Weighty Matters for you to check out: The two questions to ask before you indulge.

Have a great weekend.

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Their mission includes ending “chronic preventable disease in the U.S. by offering people and organizations a weekly prompt to start and sustain healthy behaviors.”

“Fruits and vegetables are great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.”

— Fruit and Veggies Matter

The Tip: Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables each day will help your body work like it’s supposed to.  Eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruits/veggies daily.  Eat more if possible.  And don’t count french fries.  : )

The Challenge: Today eat at least 5 servings of fruits/veggies.  See what it’s like.  Suggestions:

• Place fruits in a bowl and make it easily accessible
• Make a smoothie with tons of fruit
• Have a homemade salad for lunch or dinner

It’s simple, and we all know we need fruits/veggies, but how many of us still don’t eat enough of them?  Start today.

Have a great Monday.

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Oranges.  I love them.  They’re usually the first thing I look for after a hard workout.  Sweet, juicy, and refreshing. 

Just like mom always said, they are high in Vitamin C, but they also are good sources of folate, potassium, and fiber. 

I like to keep some oranges in the fridge so they are nice and cold when I need them.  I prefer to peel them rather than slice them with the peel on.  Tastes better to me and easier to eat. My daughter likes them that way too. 

How do you like your oranges?

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