They are rich in nutrients

Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins, essential to be in shape, including vitamin C, both anti-infectious and antioxidant. They are also rich in carotenoids, vitamin E, polyphenols and minerals. This is why it is essential to consume it every day, at all ages of life!

They are waterlogged

Fruits and vegetables are also rich in water which, added to drinking water, contributes to a good hydration of the body. Their richness in water also allows them to reduce their caloric amount, making them naturally low in calories.

They contain fiber

Most fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. Fiber is essential for a balanced diet: it promotes good intestinal transit and helps avoid small snacks by increasing satiety. A diet rich in fiber also helps prevent the onset of diabetes and helps control blood sugar by limiting the absorption of sugars by the body. The champions of fibers? Leeks, prunes and celery stalks.

They help maintain a good acid-base balance

Daily consumption of fruits and vegetables help maintain the body’s acid-base balance. Plants are alkaline: they promote the maintenance of the pH of our body at a correct level (ideally between 7 and 7.5) and thus prevent our body from being too acidic load, causing diseases and disorders of the body (chronic joint pain, fatigue, osteoporosis, skin problems …).

The right idea: bet on raw fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are particularly fragile: cooking alters their nutritional quality. To benefit from all the virtues of fruits and vegetables, the ideal is to consume them raw, a large part of the vitamins being destroyed during cooking. For example, you can prepare them grated or minced, in a salad, or in juice. Otherwise, the mildest cooking method is steaming, which best preserves the vitamin potential of fresh vegetables. Quick wok cooking also promotes the preservation of micronutrients.

To enjoy the benefits of plants, it is also recommended to consume them quickly after purchase: air, light or a long a stay in the refrigerator can indeed make them lose some of their vitamins. Finally, preserving fruits and vegetables is important for the preservation of nutrients. Vacuum-packing cut vegetables is a great option.

Make accurate lists

Before buying the necessary ingredients for your menu, remember to write a precise list of what you need, going to the essentials. Be as specific as possible to avoid unnecessary purchases. Finally, check your stocks.

Be precise in your quantities

If you need 2 kg of carrots and 3 kg of chicken breasts, no need to increase the quantities. When it comes time to stock up, buy precisely what you need. The goal: to better control your costs and avoid leftovers lying around in the fridge for several days before ending up (almost) inevitably on the bottom of the trash. Also favor bulk when possible, in order to buy the right quantity.

Keep the leaves and Tufts of vegetables

Tufts of carrots or of leeks: do not throw them away! The correct action: keep them to make delicious little anti-waste dishes. For example, add the tops to a velouté or the stalks of new onions to an omelet. The peelings can also be used to make chips.

Recycle leftovers

Do you have any meat left? Why not chop it? You can prepare dumplings or stuffed tomatoes in a few minutes. Leftover vegetables and fruits can be added to a pie or cake, perfect for avoiding waste. Also think of sauces with vegetable coulis. As for leftover cheese, prepare them in the form of a soufflé, on toast grilled in the oven, in small puff pastries, in fondue or why not in a quiche. It’s up to you!

*Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. www.fao.org

The apple

From Reinette to Golden or Granny Smith: there are hundreds of different varieties of apples, each with a very particular flavor. Choose them firm, with smooth and shiny skin, neither wilted nor soft. The apple can be used raw to make juices (using a juicer) or diced and integrated into a fruit salad or cake. It is also delicious whole baked with butter, gin, sugar, jam or grated coconut and sliced almonds.

Lemon

With its particular tangy flavor, the lemon has no rival when it comes to boosting the flavor of fish and other fruit salads. Its juice can also be used to cook the flesh of fish in the case of marinades, carpaccio and other tartars. You can also do it candied, add it in a tagine recipe, use only the zest and or squeeze it to make a lemon meringue pie.  Finally, use it to prevent your fruits from darkening such as apples, pears, bananas, avocados: a few drops on cut fruit will prevent oxidation.

The pear

Delicious pear with its inimitable fragrance! Choose it firm and if it starts to get damaged, do not throw it away. Instead, cut it into quarters to make papillotes, with some red fruits and a cinnamon stick. And why not roasted pears with spices? We also like pear in charlotte, with chocolate or in a savory pie with gorgonzola.

Kiwi

Juicy and sweet with its tangy touch, the kiwi is perfect for making smoothies, juices, winter fruit pies or colorful bowls. Great also for vitamin salads: it works wonders for example with a salmon carpaccio or a chicken salad. Its flavor lends itself to many original uses.

Orange

Choose firm, heavy fruits with smooth, shiny skin. Among the flagship recipes we have: orange salad with cinnamon, savarin or Grand Marnier soufflé. Also, the peel can be delicious in organettes-style, dipped in bitter dark chocolate or rolled in crystal sugar. Then opt for organic or untreated oranges, to avoid the ingestion of chemicals sprayed on the surface. Finally, think of the sweet salty taste in dishes with exotic flavors such as duck or scallops with orange.

Leek

Leeks can be used in many preparations. Cut into rounds and steamed, it can easily be integrated into a pie, for example with smoked fish, quiche or cake. The leek is also perfect with poultry. Finally, you can use it to garnish bricks or slippers and insert it in omelets or salty crumbles.

Endive

Perfect in salads, endives can also be eaten in soups, or gratin. Note that it is not necessary to wash them, because during their cultivation, they are not in contact with the earth. Simply remove the first leaves and cut off their base: now it is ready to be cooked or prepared. For softer endives, pull out the more bitter central part.

Pumpkin

There are different kinds of pumpkin. Among the most common are the big yellow of Paris, the bright red of Étampes with orange flesh and the pumpkin with sweet flesh and chestnut taste. Pumpkins go well with spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg. Like carrots, this delicious squash can be used for the preparation of cakes, gratins or creams.