ARE YOU EATING YOUR FRUITS AND VEGGIES?
By Hannah Ennis, RDN, Nutrition Educator
Do you know why fiber is so important? Fiber is found in many different fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Many traditional Indigenous foods have naturally occurring fiber such as wild rice, berries, and squash. Fiber is most often found in the outer skin of whole fruits and vegetables such as the skin of an apple, the skin of a potato, or the skin of a pear. Fiber is so important and special because it can aid in improving bowel movements, nourish the gut, lowers cholesterol levels, helps lower blood glucose levels, assist with weight loss, and weight maintenance.
Many whole foods contain fiber and can produce many of the same benefits as fiber. Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed or very minimally processed. These foods have little to no added sugar, syrups, salt, or preservative juices. Think of a pear: by itself is a whole food. A pear in a can with juice or syrup and with its outer skin removed is a processed food and it is no longer considered a whole food. Or think about a chicken breast: by itself is a whole food, but canned chicken in preservatives is considered a processed food.
Consuming more whole foods, fruits, and vegetables increases health and life longevity, while decreasing disease risk factors. A simple way to ensure that someone is getting all their required fiber, macro nutrients, vitamins, and minerals is using the MyPlate visual as a guideline. The MyPlate looks like a circular plate split into 5 components, fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy in the upper right-hand corner. Using the MyPlate as a guideline for all meals and eating whole foods can help reduce disease risk factors and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
September is National Fruit and Vegetable month! Join HHS in celebrating by participating in September’s Community Wellness Challenge. Fruits and Vegetables are often the hardest food groups to incorporate into the diet, but often offer the most fiber! This month, strive for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day. Pick up a tracker at the Ne-Ia-Shing clinic, the Dll and Dlll outer clinics, or the Dl, Dll, and DllI senior living facilities. Yes, there will be prizes! Contact Hannah Ennis for more information: hannah.ennis@hhs.millelacsband-nsn. gov, 320-532-7835
