This is Day 2 of Well’s Mediterranean Diet Week. To start at the beginning, click here.
I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know: Fruits and vegetables are nutritional superstars, packed with essential vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and gut-healthy fiber.
Such nutritional riches may explain why people who regularly eat fruits and vegetables tend to live longer and have reduced risks of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
Yet most people in the United States don’t consume enough.
American fare tends to relegate fruits and vegetables to small portions or side dishes, like a few apple slices or florets of cooked broccoli. But in the Mediterranean diet, produce plays a starring role.
The Mediterranean diet is an approach to eating that emphasizes whole, mostly plant-based foods — with health benefits backed by decades of research. Although exact recommendations vary, it generally calls for at least one serving of fruits and one serving of vegetables at every meal (though some guidelines suggest even more). Below, we offer strategies for doing just that, along with some recipes selected by our colleagues at NYT Cooking.
What to keep on hand
During the winter, I like to stock up on whatever is in season — leafy greens, root vegetables, winter squash, citrus fruits, pears, apples. But come spring, I’ll celebrate the appearance of crisp asparagus, rhubarb, peas and strawberries.
