Week One Challenge & Bonus - New Fruits & Veggies!

THIS WEEK IS ALL ABOUT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES! 

Remember that you can get ONE point each day for eating five servings of fruits and vegetables. You can actually get TWO points if three (or more) of your servings are from vegetables! That's 14 possible points each week.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE is to eat some fruits and veggies you've never tried before, or perhaps you've had only once or twice in your life. Expand your horizons and see what you can find at the grocery store, or perhaps a marketplace for exotic foods.

You get ONE POINT per NEW FRUIT or VEGGIE, with a maximum of 5POINTS. You get an additional ONE POINT this week for posting about a new fruit/veggie on our Facebook Group. Let us know what it is, how you prepared it, and how it tasted. Pictures would be great but not required. That's SIX weekly challenge points possible.

THIS WEEK'S BONUS is to get a perfect 14 POINTS on your fruits/veggie category this week. If you eat all 5 servings every day and get your fullpoints, you will get an additional 5 BONUS POINTS.

Here are some reasons why fruits and vegetables are so good for you, copied from a fitness website

(1) Fruits and vegetables contain key vitamins and minerals. Folate, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, C and K are just a few of the all-stars you'll find in fresh produce. All of these nutrients play different roles in health and fruits and veggies are some of the best ways to get them.

(2) Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber. Fiber has many important effects in the body. It keeps your digestive system healthy, can help keep you full (especially important if you are cutting calories for weight loss), and prevents numerous health conditions while also promoting a healthy heart.

(3) Fruits and vegetables are also rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals. These nutrients reduce inflammation which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Molecules in the body called "free radicals" cause damage to our cells all the time, but antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables actually neutralize these molecules, slowing down the aging process. So you won't just look younger, your body will be healthier from the inside-out!

(4) Fruits and vegetables help with weight loss. Because they're naturally low in calories while being rich in fiber and nutrients, eating more fruits and vegetables helps to fill you up without consuming a lot of calories.



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