It might seem like I have an obsession with fruits, vegetables and herbs, but from my experience, people aren’t eating enough of them.
We can’t deny that these three remarkable food groups are fundamental components of a healthy diet, offering a range of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds that support overall health.
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The problem is the consumption of discretionary foods in Australia has been rising since the 1980s. Discretionary foods include items like sugary drinks, cakes, biscuits, fried foods, and alcohol, which are typically high in added sugars, saturated fats, and salt.
"Based on self-reported data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2017–18 National Health Survey (NHS), 1 in 2 people aged 18 and over (49%) did not eat the recommended 2 serves of fruit, while over 9 in 10 (92%) did not eat the recommended 5–6 serves of vegetables."
Australian Bureau of Statistics
So what’s the solution? It doesn’t have to be complicated and recipes we choose can be simple. It becomes a game of swapping one discretionary food out for a healthier food.
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If your kids and you are hooked on sugary drinks and plain water is considered boring, try putting sliced fresh fruit (lemons, limes or strawberries are easy choices) into the water bottle. Not only will it taste fresh, it will look pretty and get the kids hydrated.
Once you've become used to that change, look at your breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between meal snacks. What else can we swap out? Instead of taking a high sugar, high GI muesli bar to work, how about some Greek yogurt with fresh fruit? Or cucumber sticks and hummus, if you have a savory tooth?
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What’s for lunch? How you have your lunch may depend upon your environment so this will influence what you may eat. Do you eat your lunch on the go? No matter, use a wrap rolled up with crunchy salad items – nothing too watery like tomatoes! Grated carrots, lettuce, onion, cheese and a smidge of dressing.
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Many of my health segments also make suggestions on how to cook those ‘boring vegetables’ or ‘ordinary fruits’ into something a little more interesting. It can be as basic as roasting brussels sprouts with some extra virgin olive oil and rosemary, turning sweet potatoes into crispy oven baked chips or stewing a pear with a sprinkle of cinnamon and raw sugar.
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Our grandparents actually had great ideas around taking basic foods and turning them into home made delights. Our time poor generation now has to take that knowledge and adapt it to suit our busy lives.
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And we can all do it, one discretionary food at a time.
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References:
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ABS 2018. National Health Survey: First Results, 2017–18. ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.