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Expert Q&A
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| By Bridget Swinney, M.S., R.D. General Nutrition Expert Prenatal Nutrition Expert | ||
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If you had to give one tip on how women can increase their daily vitamin intake what would it be?
If I could only give one tip, I would definitely advise women to try eating "five a day" of fruits and vegetables. This one dietary change can boost intake of vitamin C, fiber, carotenoids and other phytochemicals that are important for prevention of heart disease and cancer.
Generally, the darker and brighter fruits and vegetables have the most antioxidants – think mango, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and broccoli. Forego iceberg lettuce and choose romaine or leaf or a spring mix that contains a variety of healthy greens. It's always better to eat your fruits rather than drink them – eating a whole orange is much more filling that drinking an 8-ounce glass of orange juice. And it also has fewer calories. However, a great way to have your veggies on the go is to grab a can of V-8 or tomato juice."
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