What’s The Best Way To Increase Antioxidant Rich Fruits In Your Health Plan

The amount of fruit depends on your age, height, physical activity, and sex. On average, adults need 1 to 2 cups of fruit daily. You can find general recommendations for daily fruit intake here. 

There are no shortcuts to obtaining the nutrients (antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals) from fruit. Many fruits (blueberries, cranberries) are antioxidant-rich foods that help keep our cells, including those in our eyes, healthy. 

However, some people tend to avoid fruit because of the fear of diabetes or prediabetes diagnosis, reducing their intake of necessary nutrients. And some people eat large servings of fruit, increasing their risk for high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Therefore, to achieve a perfect balance of fruit in our health plan, we must remember that:

1. Fruit contains sugar (mostly fructose).
2. Too much of anything can be potentially harmful to your health. 
3. There is always a way to achieve something. 

Some of the ways you can maintain the recommended intake of fruit for your body and eyes are by:

1. Including one serving of fruit with each meal. Stick to the small to medium sizes to decrease the risk of having too much fruit at one time. Remember, the more you do something, the more it becomes second nature. So as you become more consistent with eating fruit at every meal, you’ll know something is missing when you forget your serving of fruit.
2. Adding fruit to your favorite foods/snacks (i.e., fresh strawberries on cereals, ice creams, smoothies, kabobs, yogurt-parfaits, and others).
3. Replacing canned toppings with homemade toppings. For example, I use 1 16 ounce bag of frozen peaches, 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Swerve, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, 1–2 tablespoons flour to make my peach filling for peach cobbler. 
4. Including your favorite protein (peanut butter, cottage cheese, cheese slice, etc.) and others with an apple or other fruit for a snack. I love eating raisins with a handful of almonds or walnuts early in the morning before my cardio workout.
5. Including fruits in your salads and making homemade fruit salad dressing with olive oil and Swerve. 

As always, you are worth the energy, money, and time to achieve the health you deserve.

Make this lifetime great!

Timika

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