Get more nutrition in every bite

When it comes to maximizing your grocery use and getting more nutrition, simple changes in the way you store and prepare your food can work wonders. Fruits and vegetables are very sensitive; the minute they are picked, the vitamins in the fruits and vegetables start depleting.

Because a healthy body begins with a healthy start at the farmer’s market or at the grocery store, here are a few things you can do to ensure the veggies you put into your body are

Keep the Skin On

In the case of pears and cucumbers, the peel is where the magic is. In fact, the peel with the fruit can hold as much as half the fiber or most of the antioxidants in a pear. For cucumbers, their green dense peel contains most of their Vitamin K or fiber.

Tip from a Pro: “Give them a good scrub with water and a bit of vinegar instead of going for a peeler.”

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Eat Soon, or Freeze Fast

Water-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin C found in oranges and pineapples, are unstable and readily broken down by heat, light, and air.

Pineapple: Once cut, it has to be refrigerated in an airtight container immediately.

Oranges: Store them intact until it is time to eat them. Opening them hours before eating is counterproductive, exposing that all-important vitamin C to oxygen breakdown.

Pears

If the pears are ripening too quickly, you can peel and freeze them. Fruit can often be just as healthy when it is frozen because the nutrients are “locked in” when it is frozen.

SMART Pairings for Enhanced Absorption

Your body can more easily absorb some nutrients if it can “partner” with them. When you take a vitamin supplement that contains iron

Healthy Fats: A, E, and K, which are found in cucumbers and pears, are fat-soluble vitamins. Drizzling a cucumber salad with a little olive oil or a pear with a handful of walnuts aids in their absorption. Iron and Vitamin C: When you are consuming iron-rich foods such as spinach or beans, have the juice of a few pieces of citrus on the side. Vitamin C will enable your body to make better use of the iron. The Whole Plant lb Please don’t discard the core. While it does have a slightly harder texture, it’s also chock-full of bromelain, an enzyme that’s a powerful aid in digestion that also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Kitchen Hack: Rather than discarding the core, you can puree it for a smoothie or cut it up small for a salsa.