March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign created by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), and this year’s theme is “Eat Right with Color.” The theme highlights the importance of consuming a colorful diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy.
And there are many options offered in grocery stores and restaurants that can help people accomplish this, the ADA says. Food processing and technology have made it possible to eat seasonal foods any time of the year. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are an example of this; these packaged foods can offer equal nutritional value compared to fresh fruits and vegetables.
The ADA points to other types of packaged foods that can play a beneficial role in a healthy diet, such as brown rice, yogurt, cereal, soup, and juice. Fresh tomatoes can be found in produce sections of grocery stores even in the winter. Canned, diced, or jarred sun-dried tomatoes are also generally always available to enjoy year round.
The color of certain fruits and vegetables is often strongly linked to the health benefit of that food – the deep red of cherries, bright orange of apricots, or deep green of spinach, the ADA explains. Meals should be planned around vegetable dishes as often as possible and fruit makes a great snack or dessert substitute, the ADA says.
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