By Julia Boyle and Christine Haglund, MS, RD
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
They’re tasty. They’re nutritious. They’re fruits and vegetables—“nature’s perfect convenience food,” says www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.com, the consumer website of the Produce for a Better Health Foundation.
Yet only 33.1% of New Jersey residents 65 and older eat the recommended five or more fruits and vegetables a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Suggestions from Seabrook
Christine Haglund, registered dietitian at Seabrook in Tinton Falls, works as part of a health care team of doctors; nurse practitioners; nurses; social workers; and speech, physical, and occupational therapists to come up with and maintain a plan of care for the people who live there.
She says she focuses on preventive rather than acute illness, and the vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables help maintain health.
“My main goal is to enable people to maintain the highest quality of life possible as they age. I try to offer creative ways to add fruits and vegetables into their diet because healthy foods are important no matter your age,” she says.
Haglund shares five creative tips:
1. Start your day with fruit.
Add sliced bananas or strawberries to your cereal. Use unsweetened apple sauce or blended berries on your pancakes or waffles instead of syrup. You don’t necessarily save on calories, but it does give you more bang for your buck—you get the health benefits of fiber, plus the vitamins and minerals.