Add a bit of colour to your plate

By adding a splash of colour to your meals, not only makes them look better, but it can also improve your health.

By now we all know that fruit and veg are good for us, but by varying the colours you have will give you a better variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help prevent some medical conditions.

Choose from the following:

❤️Red – Strawberries, raspberries, red apples, red onion, grapes, cherries, tomatoes, watermelon, redcurrants - high in antioxidants

💚Green – Kale, Watercress, Broccoli, Cabbage, Spinach, Asparagus, Peas, Kiwis, Rocket, Basil, Sprouts, Green Peppers - Good for Vitamin C

🧡Orange – Carrots, Mangoes, Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, sweet Potato, Peppers, Apricots, Papaya - Good for beta-carotene

💜Purple – Blueberries, Raisins, Blackberries, Plums, Grapes, Aubergines - excellent antioxidant properties

💛Yellow – Lemons, Grapefruit – good for Vitamin C – essential for fighting infections

🤍White / Green – Onion, Garlic, Shallots, Leeks, Chives, Spring Onions – Mixture of antioxidant properties.

🙌🏻Upping your intake:

• Use sweetcorn in sandwiches
• Add watercress to salads
• Add berries to your cereals
• Have carrots and sliced peppers for between meal snacks
• Snack on raisins instead of sweets if you are hungry ( and don’t forget hunger may be a sign your band needs adjusting)
• Mix blueberries with natural low fat yogurt
• Use lemon juice as a salad dressing
• Makes wedges with butternut squash (roast with spray oil)
• Add garlic to stir fry’s
• Add onions and mushrooms to casseroles stews and – don’t forget to crunch up this meal with crunchy veg on the side
• Try crunchy celery sticks to add a bit of a bite to light meals

🍽️Use your small side plate as a gauge - 1/2 plate veg/salad - 1/4 carbs - 1/4 Protein to give you a balanced meal 🥘

And don’t forget skins on foods can be problematic for the band, so either cut up small, peel and don’t forget your 20+ rule 😬😬😬

For more hints and tips with your band follow@gastricbandclinic

💻gastricbandclinic.co.uk
📧info@gastricbandclinic.co.uk