June is Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month!

Our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists put together some ideas to inspire you to eat and enjoy fruits and vegetables this month (and every month). Here are their “Top 18 Tips With Benefits List.”

Tip: Plan a homemade pizza night with tons of veggies to add as toppings so family members can pick and choose their favorites.

Benefits: The lycopene in tomatoes is a carotenoid with protective properties against certain cancers, including prostate cancer.

Tip: Make your pasta dish with ½ zucchini noodles.

Benefit: 1 Cup of cooked zucchini contains 3g fiber which is about 10% of the daily fiber goal. Consuming adequate fiber can help prevent colorectal cancer.

Tip: Add chopped vegetables into foods such as tacos.

Benefit: Bell peppers are high in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help prevent free radical and cellular damage that can lead to cancer.

Tip: Replace regular rice with cauliflower rice in Mexican-inspired dishes like burrito bowls.

Benefit: Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that contains sulforaphane, a phytochemical which can reduce inflammation, protect DNA, and possibly slow tumor growth.

Tip: Include kale (or other greens) in breakfast smoothies.

Benefit: Kale is a great source of alpha-linolenic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid is a strong antioxidant that can prevent free radical cell damage.

Tips: Freeze fruit (e.g., grapes) and enjoy it as a crunchy snack. A 1/2 cup of frozen grapes count as a serving.

Benefit: Grapes contain resveratrol, a phytochemical which protects against heart disease and the development of certain cancers.

Tip: Put together a charcuterie board with emphasis on colorful fruits and veggies and go lighter on the meats and cheeses.

Benefit: Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables helps lower the risk for many cancers.

Tip: Slice whole oranges (include rind), place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little cinnamon and sugar, and roast at 400° for ~30 minutes (time may vary).

Benefit: Oranges are loaded with vitamin C and phytochemicals that may work synergistically to protect against cancer.

Tip: Heat up and mash-up fresh or frozen blueberries and use them as a sauce for pancakes, waffles, yogurt, oatmeal, fruit salad, or ice cream.

Benefit: Blueberries contain phytochemicals that may help prevent DNA damage.

Tip: Add corn kernels and diced mango to salsa and use it as a dip with whole-grain chips or as a sauce for meat, fish, or poultry.

Benefit: Mangoes have a whole host of phytochemicals, including ellagic acid, gallotannin, and mangiferin (exclusive to the mango), that have cancer-protective properties.

Tip: Purée asparagus and use it as a base for a creamy soup.

Benefit: Besides potentially having anti-cancer properties, asparagus contains fiber inulin which helps support gut health.

Tip: Make kabobs using several fruits and vegetables such as red bell pepper, onion, zucchini, pineapple, and mango.

Benefit: Besides being pretty and tasty, grilling fruits and vegetables will not produce the carcinogens that grilling meat does.

Tip: Add spinach and to your omelet.

Benefit: Spinach has lots of iron and tomato tons of Vitamin C, which helps you absorb the iron.

Tip: Choose a fruit or vegetable appetizer instead of a fried one when dining out.

Benefit: This will help keep the calories to a minimum, promote satiety and help you meet fiber recommendations.

Tip: Make a fruit platter or a watermelon bowl filled with fruit for dessert when having guests over.

Benefit: This is a great low-calorie and nutritious sweet snack without all the fat and refined sugar in “traditional” desserts.

Tip: Sprinkle a little cinnamon on pineapple (or peaches) and grill. Add some goat cheese, and this can be served as a side dish with the main meal.

Benefits: Pineapples have a bromelain product, which helps decrease inflammation in the body.

Tip: Try something different. Add more exotic fruits to your diet, like dragon fruit, figs, gooseberries, or blood oranges.

Benefit: Gooseberries are high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidant protocatechuic acid. Dragon fruit (pitaya) contains several antioxidants (betalains, hydroxycinnamates, and flavonoids) that protect your cells from damage.

Tip: Make a spinach salad with strawberries and blueberries and top with almonds, poppy seeds, and an infused balsamic vinegar.

Benefit: All of the above contain high amounts of disease-fighting antioxidants.