Vegetables > Fruit
 

Hey all, I have a quick question that I'd like your views on.

I eat a LOAD of different vegetables of all different colours and cooked in different ways, but don't tend to eat much fruit. I suppose I always think of fruit as sugary and something to avoid. When I do buy, it tends to go rotten before I can eat it all.

Do you think I need to try harder to introduce fruit into my diet? Or are vegetables enough to give me all the vitamins and minerals I need?

Thanks for any thoughts!

I don't think you need to be too worried about it. Perhaps try and incorporate a couple of pieces a week. I wouldn't suggest you go out and start eating 3 servings a day.

You are right, some fruits do have a lot of sugar but there are also those that don't. I would stick to things like apples and oranges. Not as sweet.

Well done on getting all those veggies in :)

I don't eat much fruit- I eat more veggies. I eat fruit a few times a week, since I am on south beach I try to only have fruit a few times a week, I stick with berries mostly since they are lower sugar/carb.

Buy what you will eat or fruits that last- apples and oranges last a long time IMO. Strawberries are something you need to eat in a few days. When I get home I'll prep my strawberries so I can eat a few whenever I feel like it. If I want to eat it with my lunches I pack them in tupperwares for the next few days :)

Oh and when I do buy apples I buy like 2 or 3, I don't buy a lot.

I don't know if there are nutrients in fruits that can't be obtained by vegetables. I limit fruits much more than vegetables, but I still include at least two servings of fruit per day (one largish apple is two servings of fruit on my exchange plan). I usually have three servings and occasionally 4 or more, but I love fruit. Because of the sugar content, and my fondness for fruit, I do have to be careful as I can overeat even healthy foods.

I also tend to buy too much fruit if I'm not paying attention, but I've mostly gotten out of that habit. The exception is watermelon. I love it, and I just can't justify buying a small watermelon for the same price as a large one, so I just buy a large one every once in a while and don't eat other fruits until the melon is gone.

Most firm apples will keep for weeks in the fruit crisper drawer. Oranges also keep in the fridge longer than most other fruits. Frozen fruit is another nice way to have fruit on hand when you want it, without having to worry about it going bad on you.

Those green bags really work too for both fruits and vegetables too.

I agree- if you are eating lots of veggies of many colors- don't sweat the fruits. Other than watermelon (which I can get in personal size for 99 cents at the 99 cent store YES!) I tend to use other fruits in savory preps like salads and even roasted with proteins. I know there are watermelon salads, but I like to enjoy mine in its pristine state - in chunks or pureed in blender with ice as the ultimate hot weather refresher.

Thanks guys! You've reassured me :)

I think I will stick to my veggies and add fruit in every now and then, rather than trying to force it into my plan.

I'm not a big fruit fan either. I really love berries and cherries so when I do eat fruit it is either of those however they tend to be really expensive so I don't buy them that often. It doesn't really worry me, given the amount of veggies I eat and the multivitamin I take I think it's an acceptably healthy way to eat.