Eat Your Vitamins

Let’s get FITreal. We all know that vitamin supplements are no substitute for a healthy diet, but nobody’s perfect when it comes to healthful eating. It can be particularly challenging to get the nutrients you need if you’re on a specific food plan or if you avoid animal or dairy products. So, many of us take a daily multivitamin as nutritional insurance. But research suggests that multivitamins may not be all they’re cracked up to be, and with cold season fast approaching I want to give you a guide to very nutrient dense foods that you can add to your meals.

Nutrient-dense foods to incorporate in your diet:

• Avocados

• Chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach

• Bell peppers

• Brussels sprouts

• Mushrooms (crimini and shiitake)

• Sweet potatoes

• Cantaloupe, papaya, raspberries, strawberries, oranges

• Greek yogurt

• Eggs

• Seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower)

• Beans (garbanzo, kidney, pinto), peas

• Almonds, walnuts

• Barley, oats, quinoa, brown rice

• Salmon, halibut, cod, scallops, shrimp

• Lean beef, venison

• Chicken, turkey

Now keep your body running smoothly and fight this seasons flu and cold by incorporating some of these essential nutrients and disease fighting foods in to your diet.