Eat Pretty Week 2: Fiber

Happy Friday my friends! How’s the first week of the challenge going for you? This is by far the hardest week of the challenge in my opinion. I am proud to say I have not screwed up a single time this year! I usually forget about the challenge at a certain point and end up drinking coffee or juice. BUT NOT TODAY FRIENDS! I am a proud survivor of week 1 of the eat pretty challenge!

Starting Monday we will start the second week of the challenge- which is a whole lot easier! Unless you hate vegetables, than this week might be difficult. So this week will be a little different because instead of taking something away, we will be adding to our daily diet. The challenge is to eat at least 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day. You can definitely eat more but you are shooting for at least 2 1/2 cups per day. Not bad, right?

Why Vegetables?

According to the USDA women ages 19-50 should consume 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day. Too see a full recommendation list click here. So what exactly counts as a vegetable for this weeks challenge? Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed. In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group. The chart lists specific amounts that count as 1 cup of vegetables (in some cases equivalents for ½ cup are also shown) towards your recommended intake. Here are some nutrients found in vegetables taken directly from USDA My Plate website:

• Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol.
• Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C.
• Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Vegetable sources of potassium include sweet potatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato products (paste, sauce, and juice), beet greens, soybeans, lima beans, spinach, lentils, and kidney beans.
• Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
• Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods, and in addition 400 mcg of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
• Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections.
• Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption

Vegetables also have something called phytochemical power. Wait.. is this some kind of super power?! Not necessarily but they are super nutritious! Phytochemical’s are chemical compounds found primarily in plant- based foods that deliver major beauty and health benefits. Some of these phytochemical’s include:

• Carotenoids- to protect eye health- Apricots, beets, bell peppers, carrots, kale, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, winter squash, chard, spinach
• Flavonoids- to reduce inflammation and defend against aging- Fennel, onions, green beans
• Glucosinolates- to help balance hormones and block wrinkle formation- Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage

Fiber

Another reason why we are adding more vegetables to our daily diet is because of the fiber. Fiber is a type of non-digestible carbohydrate found only in plant-based foods we eat. Carbohydrates, protein and lipids (aka fatty acids or fats) are all macronutrients that provide energy to our cells. Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams per day.

Now let’s talk about why fiber is so important. Fiber plays many important roles in our bodies. A few include helping slow the release of sugar into our bloodstream, helping regulate cholesterol and helps to promote digestive health by attracting water into the intestines, which prevents constipation.  Also, research shows that by increasing daily fiber intake will promote weight loss. Have I convinced you to add more fiber now??

Beauty Challenge

So this week will be a little bit different. It has to do with our inner beauty, and finding beauty in others! Each day this week, I want to challenge you to give at least one compliment or sweet word to someone. Whether they are with you in person, or you give them a call- remind others around you how special they really are!

It is easy to get discouraged but a kind word can totally change your day. So get out there, and give a compliment. Or two. Or three. We might be cutting out sugar from our diet, but there is always plenty of room to spread love and kindness!

Remember to keep sharing your eat pretty challenge journey on social media and tag me in your post! Use hashtag #eatpretty19 to join the community of pretty eaters as well!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cucumber, spiralized
• 1 tablespoon red pepper hummus
• Optional: Shredded chicken

Instructions:

1. Prepare quinoa- for added flavor cook in chicken stock.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.
3. Toss the roasted sweet potatoes with the quinoa, spiralized cucumber and 1/2 tablespoon of hummus in bowl. Squeeze half a lemon and mix. Optional: Add shredded chicken for extra protein!

Xo,