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Your Daily Dose of Vitamins
5 Ways to Increase Vitamin Intake
By Donna Smith
Dark green vegetables like collard greens, kale, spinach, red chard, broccoli, green beans and peppers are vitamin-packed and good choices. And the darker the color, the better, Montag says. "They are more nutritious, especially with antioxidant vitamins E, C and beta-carotene." Pirello agrees that brightly colored vegetables should top the list. "Particularly dark green, orange, red and blue are the best – the most nutrient rich, with vitamins, antioxidants and tannins – all nutrients essential for good health," she says.
If you're dealing with someone who just refuses to eat any vegetable, Montag says grated zucchini and carrots are the most easily disguised. "They are mild and sweet at the same time," she says. "No one seems to mind them." Pirello agrees, but says to also consider other squashes and daikon radish.
To get the most nutrition punch from your vegetables, Montag says to eat them slightly blanched or raw. "This supplies maximum enzymes and the blanching aids digestibility for those with digestive challenges," she says. Pirello suggests purchasing the freshest vegetables available, and using them quickly. "Veggies that sit in the crisper drawer for many days will have less vitality," she says. "Both raw and lightly cooked vegetables pack a nutritional punch if they are very fresh."
Did you know soaking up some rays is one way to get vitamin D? Vitamin D is actually absorbed into our skin in the sunlight. "Having the face and hands exposed for 20 minutes midday is enough to generate the minimal amount of vitamin D," Montag says.
Sonds simple enough, but with our schedules and sedentary lifestyles, many of us may go days without seeing the light of day for 20 minutes at a stretch. Montag suggests taking a walk at lunchtime and exercising outdoors as much as possible, and not to use the weather as an excuse, even in cold climates. "Purchasing wind pants allows us to be comfortable into much colder weather, so we can walk outdoors, even when the thermometer hits the teens and 20s."