By Carolyn Twesten, Produce Merchandiser
The holidays are notorious for stuffing us full of meat, carbs, refined sugars, and alcohol. Now that they are past, consider increasing your intake of healthy fruits and vegetables for your post-holiday detoxification! Here are some top contenders for tasty, healthy additions (or increases) to your diet:
Dark Leafy Greens. Green leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, bok choy, swiss chard, and spinach are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They actually rival milk when it comes to calcium content, with 150 to 250mg of calcium per one cup serving. (Collard greens top the calcium chart with more than 350mg of calcium per cup.) Greens are also high in fiber (along with broccoli, apples, dried fruits, and legumes), which supports natural detoxification: fiber helps us excrete toxins by pushing food through the gastrointestinal tract (think “natural sponge”) and promoting regularity. Even better, increasing your fiber intake can help stabilize your blood sugar and keep you feeling full in-between meals, so you won’t find yourself craving that bag of cookies (as much). My favorite way to cook greens is to coarsely chop and then sauté or braise them in broth, wine, or a marinade (usually with ample amounts of garlic!). We source many of our greens locally from one of Eastern Carolina Organics’ member farms or regionally from Lady Moon Farms in Florida.
(Recipe for Sauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan, here. Or, try Carolyn’s Collard and Cabbage Slaw with Asian Sauce, here.)
Avocados. Although most of the calories in an avocado come from fat, don’t shy away from them! Avocados are full of mono- and polyunsaturated fats that can improve heart health, lower cholesterol, and help to keep you feeling satiated. Eating healthy fats slows the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugar, which helps to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Not to mention the fact that they contain 7 grams of fiber per 3.5oz serving (half an avocado)—27% the recommended daily amount. Avocados are also high in vitamins K and C, potassium, and folate. Their creamy deliciousness can add body to dressings in place of dairy products and can even be a base for a chocolaty mousse! (Recipe here.) Our avocados are sourced directly through PRAGOR, a member co-op of Equal Exchange in the Michoacán region of Mexico.
Sweet potatoes. These tubers pack a powerful nutritional punch and are the #1 most nutritional vegetable according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. One medium sweet potato contains over 100% of your daily needs for vitamin A and is also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and even protein. They have more grams of natural sugars than “regular” white potatoes but more overall nutrients with fewer calories, plus plenty of fiber to keep you feeling full. Our sweet potatoes are always organic and locally grown, which makes them a great choice all around. They are easy to prepare by cutting into fries and roasting with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, or try one of my winter favorites: the sweet potato burrito! (Recipe here.)
And don’t forget to drink plenty of water! Water is so important to our bodies, moreso than any other single input. In fact, we need between nine and 13 cups of water per day (depending on body weight); the eight cups per day recommendation assumes that you are getting at least two to three cups of water daily from fruits, vegetables, soups, etc. Hydration is critical for flushing toxins from our bodies and carrying nutrients to our cells.