Seemingly trendy lifestyle diets like: keto, paleo, vegan, heart health, diabetes friendly, plant based have been around for some time but have really gained traction these last 5 years. Let’s look at the one thing that all of these lifestyle choices have in common.

Adding more produce! Shocking, we know. Seriously though, 5-9 servings of produce a day is where we would love to see people strive. A serving of fruit is currently ½ cup. A serving of vegetables is currently ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw. This might not be feasible in the immediate future but it can be a good goal to grow towards. There are many things that are associated with the increased consumption of produce:

• Better mental health
• Weight loss and management
• Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• A positive effect on blood sugar
• Lower risk of digestive issues
• Lower blood pressure
• Protective against certain cancers and diseases

Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried are all nutritious ways to consume more produce. Fresh is an easy, no-brainer option to go with but some of our favorites outside of that area are are the frozen steamable bags of plain vegetables for when dinner needs to come together fast, canned fruit for desk staple snacks, veggie chips or freeze-dried veggies for crunch in a lunch or on top of a salad.

Each of these lifestyles eliminates certain foods or food groups, and we suggest you exercise caution before cutting out foods. Talk with your healthcare team and make sure it is the best decision for your health.