While you can get micronutrients from a multivitamin, getting them from whole foods rather than a processed product is always better, according to food expert Marion Nestle. Humans are omnivores, so you shouldn't feel the need to exclusively eat fruits and leafy greens. But making them the bulk of your diet can benefit your health. A diet with a large number of fruits and leafy greens is rich in antioxidants that possibly lower your risk of cancer, and in phytochemicals that aid digestion; it is also rich in fiber and healthy omega-3 fats. Omega-3s play an important role in neurological development and processing, as well as the metabolism of glucose and the calming of inflammation, according to food expert Michael Pollan.
Definition
A fruit and green leafy vegetable diet is one in which fruits and leafy greens dominate. Fruits may range from summer berries to fall apples and pears, and include the standard tomatoes, bananas and citrus along with the more exotic dragonfruit, passionfruit and pineapple. Examples of leafy green vegetables include lettuce, spinach, arugula, bok choy and beet greens. Experts emphasize eating green leafy vegetables in particular because of their richness in micronutrients that people typically lack. According to a 2009 study in the "Archives of Internal Medicine," three out of four Americans don't consume the U.S. recommended daily allowance for vitamins and nutrients.
History
As Americans have become aware of the tremendous social and financial costs of unhealthy diets, which cause diabetes and heart disease rates to soar, food experts such as Michael Pollan, Marion Nestle and Mark Bittman have scrutinized not just the nutrients in the typical American diet, but the American diet itself. These experts write about ways in which the global food industry has made it easier for people to eat processed foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients and micronutrients. All three experts recommend that for better health, Americans should try to eat fewer processed food products and instead get more of their calories from whole foods such as fruits and green leafy vegetables.
Benefits
These fiber-rich but relatively low-calorie foods will make you feel full faster. This means they can help you maintain a healthy weight without leaving you hungry all the time. Also, fresh fruits and leafy greens don't have saturated fat. Replacing fattening elements of your old diet with fruits and veggies can help you lower your risk of heart disease and clogged arteries, and supplies you with the beneficial omega-3 fats that many people lack. You'll also benefit from the antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals that leafy greens deliver, in contrast to sugary sodas or fast food, which provide calories but often lack the essential micronutrients your body needs.
Preparation
Preparing fruits to be a larger part of your diet is as simple as blending a smoothie or chopping fruit for a salad. Getting leafy greens on your plate more regularly takes a bit more time, as you'll need to wash them well once they're home from the market. But you can whip up tasty and refreshing salads, steam greens to serve as delicious side dishes or stir-fry them in olive oil along with some nuts and sesame oil for a tasty dish with an Asian twist. The flavor of leafy greens can be bland, but it's easy to get creative with spices, flavored oils, soy sauce, lemon juice, fish sauce and other flavor-packed additions.
Going Organic and Local
When you're integrating more fresh fruit and leafy greens into your diet, you should consider going organic and local. Doing so is smart for several reasons. First, you'll protect yourself and your family from pesticides. Also, while you might not have as much selection, going local will help you spend less than you might for exotic foods. In addition, going local will enable you to ask growers about how the food you're eating was raised, how to prepare it and what fruits and veggies complement each other. You'll also become a part of your local food web--the natural relationship people have always had with their food.
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