The Mediterranean Diet - Eat Your Fruits and Veggies

The Mediterranean Diet suggests that you eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables--up to 10 servings a day. Fruits and vegetables are high in nutrition and provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Another benefit--particularly for weight loss--is that they are low in calories and high in fiber and water content which helps you feel full. Here are some suggestions for getting in your fruit and vegetable servings:

• Eat fruits and vegetables alone - keep baby carrots, pepper slices, grapes or a banana as a handy snack.
• When you make a salad, add as many colors as you can - red pepper, carrots, yellow pepper, spinach greens, beets, hearts of palm (don't forget to use a little olive oil in your salad dressing).
• Add vegetables to pasta and grain dishes and pizza.
• Grill vegetables or make vegetable kebabs.
• Add tomato, lettuce or other vegetables to your sandwiches.
• Cut up fruit for a fruit salad with the delicious spring and summer fruits that are available.
• Add fruits to your vegetable salads - cut-up strawberries, raisins and mango are all great additions.
• Eat fruit for dessert in place of processed treats.

Read more:

The Mediterranean Diet - Healthy Fats
The Mediterranean Diet - Grains and Legumes
The Mediterranean Diet - Poultry and Fish
The Mediterranean Diet - Dairy and Eggs
The Mediterranean Diet - Wine and Exercise