Top 5 Reasons to Eat 5 Servings of Fruits & Veggies Daily

Here are the Top 5 Reasons to Get 5 Servings of Veggies & Fruits Daily from Certified Trainer and Nutrition Coach Lindsey Day.

Have you eaten your veggies today?! If not, here are 5 reasons why you’ll definitely want to get them in! 

Reason #1: A recent large-scale meta-analysis found that it takes 5 servings of veggies and fruits per day (3 servings of veggies and 2 servings of fruit) to minimize disease risk, ranging from autoimmune to gut to cardiovascular conditions (1). How crazy is it that most Americans only eat 2 servings per day… if that! Accordingly, most Americans suffer from diseases. This is why we should be screaming this info from the rooftop given the numerous credible research studies supporting the role of fruits and veggies in disease prevention.

Think about it like this; If you’re not regularly eating your 5 servings of veggies and fruits daily, you’re opening the door to invite reduced quality of life and disease states into your body. I’d personally prefer to slam the door in the face of poor health!

Fruits – and especially veggies – are a main source of fiber. Fiber is not absorbed through our intestines like other food, as humans lack the enzymes to break it down. Therefore, fiber passes into the large intestine undigested where those little gut bugs feed on it. 

Essentially, fiber is food for our gut bacteria. Getting a variety of fiber sources is needed to keep these gut bacteria levels in perfect harmony. It’s the types and amounts of different bacterial species that determine our health, including everything I’ll mention below (1,2,3,4,5,6). 

Have you heard that good old saying: “disease begins in the gut”? When I say “old”, I mean it’s a really old saying! Hippocrates said this over 2000 years ago! It took us a while to catch up, but we now have a wealth of research to support this ancient wisdom, especially when it comes to autoimmune disease (2,3,4). 

Reason #2: Fiber improves brain health and mood: When our good gut bacteria feed on this fiber, they produce what are called Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs). These SCFAs prevent brain degeneration, promote regeneration of brain cells, and positively impact brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that help you to feel happy and motivated (6,7,8). 

Reason #3: Fiber eliminates toxins (9). 

Reason #4: Fiber reduces cholesterol and supports gut health! Fiber binds to toxins and cholesterol in our gut and allows these to be eliminated from the body when we poop (9). So yes, if you want to lower cholesterol and improve detoxification, EAT FIBER!  

Reason #5: Fiber greatly helps with weight loss! The explanation is multifaceted ranging from increased satiety or feeling of fullness to better blood sugar control to improved gut bacteria levels. Together, these reduce cravings for junk food, and even helps with reversing and reducing the risk of diabetes (10). 

Diversity of plant fibers and diversity of whole foods is important. Researchers find that when diets are too restrictive, some of the good bacteria that keeps us healthy die off (2,3,4,5).  

These are a few of the many reasons you should aim to eat 25 to 40 grams of fiber per day. How do you know if you’re hitting that? Well to give you an idea:

• 1 cup of broccoli has about 4 grams of fiber
• 1 cup of mixed berries contains 3 grams of fiber
• 1 medium sized apple contains 4.5 grams of fiber
• ¾ cup of butternut squash has about 5 grams of fiber
• ½ cup of cooked collard greens has about 4 grams of fiber
• ½ cup of cooked quinoa has about 3.5 grams of fiber

I recommend tracking your food for a day or two in a free app like My Fitness Pal to learn what hitting your daily fiber number looks like. Some of my favorite Paleo On The Go dishes loaded with fiber are: Greek Lamb Moussaka, Bacon Apple Chicken Burger, and Bison Bolognese over Butternut Squash!

The Paleo-1 Monthly meal plan is specifically designed to give you the fiber and veggies you need daily from AIP compliant, chef-prepared meals! If you have questions, we cover a lot if this info in the NuTriDay app Charge up Challenge that is part of the Paleo-1 30 Day Meal Program! 

 

The Paleo-1 30 Day Meal Program is an all-in-one solution to help you simplify your autoimmune diet and fitness needs. With 40 POTG meals split between two shipments, a 30 day digital meal plan calendar loaded with delicious, nutrient-dense recipes, a 30 day digital shopping list, free membership to the NuTriDay app, a customizable fitness plan, and free resistance bands, you'll have everything you need to manage your symptoms and take control of your autoimmune journey. 

 

Would you benefit from a customizable fitness and nutrition challenge program? Are your interested in burning fat, building muscle, balance hormones & gut health, boosting your energy, and bettering your mental health? If so, you would be an ideal candidate for the NuTriDay app developed by Lindsey Day! Visit her Instagram account @lindseydayfitness or the NuTriDay website to learn more about her wellness app and the 12 weeks “Charge Up Challenge."