The British Nutrition Foundation’s Healthy Eating Week falls in June and aims to highlight all the benefits of just that – healthy eating! However, whilst many of us try to eat as healthily as possible, life often gets in the way and motivation can be lost.
So, as a little challenge, why not try to introduce a new fruit or vegetable (new to you), for five days of the week, to see whether making some small changes to your diet inspires longer term healthier habits?
To help you on your way Clinical Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer suggests five fruits and vegetables you might not have tried before and how they can support your health.
Celeriac
This vegetable is easily recognisable because it’s very nodular. In fact, celeriac is often called ‘the ugly one’ for that reason!
However, even though it’s related to celery it has a much milder, and more palatable flavour. Once you’ve got through the tough peel, it can be easily boiled and then mashed with butter and a little black pepper. In return for you giving it some plate room, celeriac will deliver you loads of vitamin C, fibre, and potassium, which is great for the heart and helps reduce cholesterol levels.
Jackfruit
This is one fruit often found on vegan menus as it does contain some protein, although quite a small amount. More interesting is its mineral profile which includes magnesium and potassium, together with protective antioxidants and helpful fibre.
Jackfruit has a great texture, very much like pulled pork, hence it can be substituted in pork recipes and also used very well in curries. It’s probably best bought in tinned form as it’s quite difficult to prepare, but it still provides some very useful nutrients and taste.
Purple sweet potato
These guys are not always that easy to find but they are well worth the search. Whilst their nutrient profile is similar to the usual orange coloured variety, it’s their antioxidant content that’s top notch.
Purple sweet potatoes contain more of these antioxidants, known as anthocyanins, than blueberries, making them great to have in the health armoury. Antioxidants help protect the body against free radical damage but also help to manage inflammation which is underlying in all major health issues. Colourful vegetables always contain a wealth of nutrients, and these potatoes are certainly different and will definitely add to your diet.
Dragon fruit
Just as you would expect from tropical fruits, dragon fruits are spectacular in colour on the outside. And the good news is that you should be able to find them in various stores from now until September.
From a nutritional perspective, dragon fruits are rich in various antioxidants, are high in fibre, low in fat and also provide specific fibre called prebiotics. This type of fibre particularly nourishes the gut microbiome and feeds the probiotics that naturally live within us all and do so much good work.
Dragon fruits are probably best eaten simply cut in half and scooped out. Strangely, they are white with black seeds inside, which are all edible and delicious and the colour contrasts are quite spectacular!
Asparagus
Although this vegetable is not necessarily unusual, it really is the right time to be eating it. With English asparagus season coming up, and there’s no better variety to be found.
It’s so simple to cook – lightly steamed, grilled, or roasted in some olive oil or quickly sizzled on the barbecue. It really needs no more than a little butter, salt, and pepper and maybe a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. However, to enjoy them at their best you have to be quick because the season is fairly short.
In terms of its nutritional profile, asparagus provides a great source of energising B vitamins, and is low in calories and fat. Importantly, asparagus provides those all-important prebiotics to feed the life inside, keeping our gut in great health.
Why not celebrate this nutritional week by trying something new?
Add comment