The Cleveland Clinic's chief wellness officer has a few healthy tips for you this season (11 Photos)
Cleveland Clinic on Dec 2, 2011 at 10:43AM
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Get four servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables a day -- then you’ll be Great, not just Good. That’s enough to provide you with the vitamins and fiber you need without excess calories. Eating lots of different colored vegetables and fruits increases your intake of phytonutrients, plant-based nutrients and compounds that are believed to help fend off chronic illnesses ranging from cancer to arthritis -- and potentially help slow down aging itself.
A serving is probably smaller than you think -- just half a cup, or roughly the size of a Christmas ornament (or tennis ball) cut in half.
Some of Dr. Roizen’s favorite ways to increase your enjoyment of fruits and veggies:
-- Put other vegetables in addition to lettuce and tomato in your sandwiches
-- Add sautéed vegetables to omelets
-- Toss steamed vegetables into pasta
-- Add fresh fruit to cereal
-- Add fruit to green salads
-- Serve grilled fruit on skewers for dessert
