Now that we have entered the fall season, it’s important to focus on keeping your immune system strong and nutrition plays a big role in that. Your daily lunch plate is a great place to begin by including fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients you need. Every plate at Project Open Hand’s meal sites is designed to help seniors meet their nutritional needs, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Here are a few of the superstar nutrients we focus on:
Vitamin A has a role in immunity and is essential for normal vision. This vitamin is found in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, cantaloupe, mangoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, and bok choy. We include a high vitamin A source on the menu several days of the week.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant to help you kick the cold! Found in fruits and vegetables like oranges, melon, kiwi, pineapple, tomatoes, cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and bell peppers. We serve a vitamin C source every day.
Fiber is very important for not only our digestive health, but also in lowering cholesterol levels. High fiber foods are also very important in keeping our hearts healthy and strong. Fiber is found in a variety of plant foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Fiber is the reason we focus on whole grains in our menu including brown rice, whole wheat pasta, barley, and quinoa.
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