Phytonutrients may be the key to your improved health, energy, and performance. Especially if you are currently eating the Standard American Diet (SAD, for short) 😉. Michelle Lockhart, RN, BSN, breaks down phytonutrients and how eating all the colors of the rainbow can help us enjoy better well-being and quality of life.
Eat your veggies! Said every mother, for all time. But we said, No! And folded our arms and puffed out our chests. Why? because veggies are, well, boring compared to Key Lime Pie.
If you still struggle with getting the recommended 5–9 servings of veggies in your life, Michelle Lockhart is just the coach for you! Listen in to learn how you can implement “Eating the Rainbow” into your life and make your mother proud, plus, of course, live long and prosper!
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What Are Phytonutrients?
“Phyto” means plant. Nutrients you already get.
“Eating the rainbow” means eating vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, and spices. Choose from different colors every day.
Spices are an easy way to add nutrition and flavor without calories.
Tip! Black licorice (not Twizzlers, but the real stuff) is excellent for women going through menopause.
On “superfoods” (at minute 9:30), “Onions, garlic, and cayenne pepper”.
Pomegranates are another superfood with their dark red color.
The rule of thumb with plant-based foods is that the darker the color, the higher the phytonutrient value.
The stronger the taste, the higher the phytonutrient value.
So switching from a light potato to a purple potato makes a difference.
Carrots come in various colors, including purple. Purple carrots are more nutritious than orange ones.
Check out minute 12:55, “On expanding your world and experimenting with this huge opportunity to eat from the huge list of fruits and vegetables”.
Write a list of fruits and vegetables you have never tasted, buy one, and Google how to prepare it. Krabi is a favorite that Michelle discovered.
Choose purple cauliflower over white to try something new and different!
On 15:20, “Even beets come in a few different colors. Persimmons are wonderful, super sweet, and really good.”
On minute 15:40, “People say, ‘I don’t like vegetables’. What they mean is, ‘I don’t like the broccoli I tried when I was 10′”.
At 16:20, “The best prebiotic on the planet is chicory”.
At minute 17:20, “You don’t know what you don’t know”. Dave’s epiphany from eating more veggies for six weeks.
On the minute mark of 20:00, “I think if people knew how good they would feel after 6 weeks of eating more vegetables, everybody would do it”, says Dave Sherwin
At minute mark 20:45, “On the new landmark study from Stanford, it doesn’t matter whether you eat low fat or low carb; what matters most is the quality of food“.
The two reasons vegetables are so healthy:
Fiber is a cancer killer, and it keeps us full longer. It stabilizes our blood sugar. It keeps our whole digestive tract clean. It manages our cholesterol.
On mark 24:45, “Vegetables are the most amazing carbs on the planet”.
A serving of vegetables: eating 7–10 servings of vegetables is ideal. Shooting for 5 or 6 would be good. Most Americans eat 2–3 servings per day.
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A serving of vegetables is a cup of raw or a half cup of cooked.
Listen in to minute 26:45, on the Ultimate Green Smoothie, “An easy way to get a lot of servings of fruits and vegetables first thing in the morning”.
About the The How Not to Die Cookbook
Michelle’s favorite breakfast: A tropical fruit smoothie with an orange as the base, fresh cubed mango, papaya, and protein powder.
On 48:00, “Plants are our greatest ally and our best fuel”.
On mark 49:00, “Stop looking at the Lucky Charm rainbow and start looking at the fruit and vegetable rainbow!”
Note! Michelle provided an outstanding download by The Institute for Functional Medicine; click here to download it instantly: The Phytonutrient Spectrum Food List.
Get a free consult on michellerlockhart.com!
