WLS, Fruits, and Vegetables: Our Healthy Balanced Diet

The 5 Day Pouch Test: Express Study Guide

"Your good health lies at the end of a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. There is an abundant array of colors, shapes, sizes and textures in the fruit and vegetable world. Crunchy apples and celery, creamy bananas and butternut squash, crispy jicama and radishes—an endless variety of produce is out there!" American Heart Association.

After WLS we follow a high protein diet, often forsaking fruits and vegetables for no more reason than practicality - there isn't room in the reduced stomach pouch for fruits and vegetables after we eat our protein course.  In so doing we lose the minerals, phytonutrients, and vitamins plants provide.

So our task, once we have adjusted to the high protein diet, is to include plant carbohydrates as ingredients in our meal preparations; snacks when appropriate, and side dishes when possible.

The American Heart Association, a long time proponent of the well-balanced diet, provides this infographic to guide us in purchasing seasonal fruits and vegetables to benefit our overall health and wellness. (Click the image to get the infographic in printable format directly from AHA).  The following is an article from AHA with more valuable information to include vitamins from fruit and vegetables in our diet:

For a change-up on your egg salad that includes heart healthy vegetables pop over to Bariatric Foodie and try this contest winner: Margaret's Avocado Egg Salad.  It will change your life!

 

The Natural Beauty of Fruits and Vegetables
Article copyright © 2014 American Heart Association

Your good health lies at the end of a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. There is an abundant array of colors, shapes, sizes and textures in the fruit and vegetable world. Crunchy apples and celery, creamy bananas and butternut squash, crispy jicama and radishes—an endless variety of produce is out there!

And they're so good for us! Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber and low in fat and calories. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control your weight and your blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends eating eight or more fruit and vegetable servings every day. An average adult consuming 2,000 calories daily should aim for 4.5 cups (9 servings) of fruits and vegetables a day.

Choosing Fruit and Vegetables
When shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables, let your senses be your guide. Select those that look fresh and appealing. Leafy greens should be vibrant, with no hints of yellowing or wilting. Root vegetables like carrots, turnips and beets should be hard.

Ripe fruit ought to be plump and wrinkle free. As a general rule, naturally hard fruits and vegetables will keep longer than naturally soft ones.

Use your nose to tell if a pineapple is ripe-there should be a strong sweet smell at its base. A ripe cantaloupe or honeydew will also have a sweet smell at its base and will be slightly soft. Citrus fruits should feel heavy.

Fruits and vegetables that are deeply colored throughout - such as spinach, carrots, peaches and berries - tend to be higher in vitamins and minerals than paler ones, such as potatoes and corn.

Optimize taste and nutrition by buying fresh fruits and vegetables when they're in season. The price will be the lowest then, too. But remember, you can enjoy the taste and nutrition of fruit and veggies any time of year-canned, frozen, dried - it all counts!

Choose canned fruits packed in water, not sugary syrup, and look for canned vegetables without salt. Frozen fruits and veggies should be without added sauces and sweeteners.


Article copyright © 2014 American Heart Association. This recipe is brought to you by the American Heart Association's Simple Cooking with Heart © Program. For more articles and simple, quick and affordable recipes, visit heart.org/simplecooking.