Boost Your Plant Intake

Simple tips to boost your plant intake.

Plant foods are packed full of nutrients that support every system of your body. But eating big serves of vegetables and beans can get old. So how can you get plenty of plants into your diet?

Get creative with baking

It’s amazing how many plants can be hidden in baked goods. There are recipes out there such as sweet potato brownies, black bean chocolate cake, chocolate beetroot cupcakes – the list goes on. My favourite vegetable to add in is Beetroot. Beetroot is a good source of fibre, folate and vitamin C. Beet Bean Burger Recipe.

It’s also easy to add nuts and seeds into your baking, assuming you’re not allergic. Chia seeds can be added into pancake batter, hemp seeds can go into almost any recipe. By including plenty of plant foods into your baked goods, you’ll increase the nutrition value of your diet, boost your fibre intake to support gut health and balance your blood sugars to steady your energy and avoid the 3pm slump.

Jump on the smoothie bandwagon

If you are feeling the 3pm energy slump, it’s time to get on board with smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to get plenty of nutrition into your diet without eating piles of veggies at every meal.

I love to add LSA (Linseed, Sunflower and Almond) mix or chia seeds to my smoothies. Using these ingredients will cinnamon will help balance out your blood sugar levels or turmeric is good for its potent anti-inflammatory effect.

Use fruit as a natural sweetener

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’re not alone. But eating processed sugars have been linked to a variety of problems. So it’s best to use natural sugars if you do want a sweet treat.

That’s where fruit can be a more nutritious option. Mashed bananas and apples can be great for any baked goods. A whole batch of bliss balls can be sweetened with just a few dates.

Remember to use the whole fruit, not just the juice. That way, you get the fibre along with the sweetness.

Pick smart snacks

Snacks are one of the easiest ways to get more plant foods in. Over the summer, fresh berries are a delicious snack for on the run. Nuts and seeds can be taken anywhere as a portable option. Some hummus with carrot and celery sticks will get you three different plant foods in one simple snack.

Need a quick easy snack, try our Lavender Vanilla Protein Balls. 

Try different cooking options

There is a big difference between tinned asparagus and fresh asparagus that’s lightly sauteed. Boiled broccoli is never going to taste the same as broccoli roasted in healthy fats. How plants are prepared can make or break the flavour.

So if you’re not eating enough veg because you just don’t like them, get some fresh vegetables and try cooking them a few different ways. See if you can find a way to incorporate them into your favourite recipes. I met a guy when I lived in London and each week he would go to the local food market and buy a bunch of different ingredients and experiment with recipes over the weekend. Some were fails but some were amazing! Be curious and experimental.

If you’re not sure whether you’re eating enough plants, the best way to find out is to work with a practitioner. I can help, book an initial naturopathic consultation. Book Now. 

If you are unsure if naturopathy is for you. I also do discovery calls. This is a 15-20 minute chat to ask me any inquiries about naturopathy and how it can work for you and your health concerns. Discovery Call.

Dee x