E A T M O R E C O L O U R

Gaaaah fruits and veg!!! My favourite things… – Said no child ever. Haha…

To be honest I was never really a child who’s sworn enemy was a plate full of broccoli or who’s toes would curl at the thought of sprouts haha. It was more this innocent, incognizant cluelessness; I just ate whatever my mother provided… I didn’t hate veggies, I didn’t love them… They were just always there… Thank God (or thank mum actually). No but as I grew older and taking more of an interest in the art of dance and fitness, I became way more aware of my body and what I was putting into it.

Having always been a curious cat, I must say it was probably the physiology and anatomy courses (when I realised how magical this piece of equipment I’d been walking around in for years was) that set me off on this never ending search for life’s answers and if you’re reading this and you’re a bit of a geek like me, you’ll know that some of the stuff you can find on science, diet and nutrition is just phenomenal. It’s no secret that the fruits of this earth have some of if not THE most powerful nutrients in them to keep our bodies protected from all of the crap we encounter on a daily basis. For real! And we cannot escape the era… We’re living in such a fast paced century that most of us do eat for convenience half of the time and drive to work unprepared because little Jimmy fell off his bike the night before so you forgot to pack your lunch, stopping at the garage on the way, buying a meal deal and a starbucks because you were up all night with him crying. I know when I have been travelling I’m certainly guilty for being unprepared.

Did you know that you can get what your body needs just by eating a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables?
Mother Nature has found a clever way to highlight the nutrients in foods: different nutrients actually impart different colors to the foods they’re in. For instance, the anthocyanins that turn blueberries blue also keep your mind sharp, the lycopene that turns watermelon and tomatoes red may also help protect against prostate and breast cancers, and the beta carotene that makes carrots and sweet potatoes orange can help keep your bones strong, your eyes healthy and boost your immune system. While fresh fruits and vegetables are great in season, frozen ones are convenient to keep on hand and just as nutritious. So what are you waiting for? Load up! A study from the University College of London suggests that increasing our daily intake of fruits and vegetables is significantly linked to a lower chance of death from stroke and cancer. Ahhhh and Ye olde “apple a day keeps the doctor away” “5 a day” familiar mantra’s that have kept us, our families and our children’s health feeling safe may not, after all, be enough according to a new report by scientists, who suggest we should instead be aiming for seven a day, and mostly vegetables at that. Along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new guidelines stating that we should be eating 5 to 13 servings of nature’s best. I think we better get a wriggle on with the shopping list!

Here is a mixed list of some of my most F A V O U R I T E fruits and vegetables from the top of my head

Avocado Passionfruit Mushrooms Raspberries Blueberries Blackberries Allberries Snozzberries haha Coconut Broccoli Bananas Grapefruit Zucchini Plums Pak Choy Peppers Clementine Strawberries Bean sprouts Butternut Squash Pomegranet Lemons and Limes Pumpkin Spinach Apples Oranges Pears Onions Tomatoes Carrots Ooh I do like a good carrot haha

Well I literally almost named all of the fruits I know hahaha…. Jokes, there’s so much more and I could go on forever but they are definitely some of my favourites! If I’ve missed your favourite, pop it in the comments below… or maybe even an emoji!

Peace and love Olivia xX