The 800 Gram Challenge
The Metric System Strikes Again! But For Your Health
"Eat your fruits and vegetables so you'll grow up to be big and strong," said nearly every parent ever to exist. Those generations of well-meaning parents had a valid point. Not much is agreed upon when it comes to nutrition, but when it comes to eating fruits and veggies, most of us (sans hardcore carnivore diet practitioners) can agree that having these as a regular part of your diet is good for your health. Let us count the ways:
They taste amazing, especially when fresh and in season. They are also almost as good when frozen or canned.
Contain fiber, which has been proven to help control blood glucose, improve digestion by regulating bowel movements and promoting the growth of good gut bacteria, lower the risk of colon cancer and diabetes, and help maintain or lose weight by acting as an appetite suppressant.
Harbor an assortment of goodies only found in plants, like vitamin C, resistant starch, soluble and insoluble fiber, and flavonoids, the most common type of antioxidants found in plants.
Our pal Hippocrates noted over 2,000 years ago that "whole-meal bread makes larger feces than refined bread." Of course, nearly everyone knows they should be eating their fruits and vegetables, but doing it is another matter altogether. The CDC estimates that roughly 10% of those in the United States consume adequate amounts. I'd wager that the percentage isn't much better in many industrialized countries where food is too often seen as a commodity and a source of energy rather than nourishment and a source of health.
The 800 Gram Challenge
I first encountered this when reading the excellent book "Built To Move" by Kelly & Juliet Starrett. It's as easy as it seems: for one month each day, you consume 800 grams of fruits and vegetables by weight. Fresh, frozen, or canned, it doesn't matter; just get your 800 grams. The mastermind behind this is EC Synkowski, an LDN who wanted to make it simpler for people who wanted to eat healthier. Instead of fretting about getting enough of certain types of vitamins, minerals, or antioxidants, by consuming 800 grams of fruit and veg daily, you're going to get a solid mixture of all of the above. This comes out to just under 2 pounds for those of us schooled in the imperial measurement system. At first glance, this sounds like a massive amount. Compared to most people's average intake, it represents quite an increase. However, it is entirely doable, and even better, this is something you can add to your diet instead of taking away certain foods and making a more restrictive diet.
Now is the perfect time to begin. The Spring season provides a prodigious amount of in-season spinach, kale, lettuce, beans, peas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Summer isn't too far behind and offers up tomatoes, squash, peppers, and melons of all types.
How To Prepare
A simple kitchen scale to accurately weigh your food is the only tool you'll need should you choose to partake. After enough practice, you'll be able to accurately estimate how much a certain amount of food weighs just by the look of it. For example, I know that half of a large avocado, without the pit, weighs roughly 90 grams. Also, you can use a notebook or app to log your food. Don't worry about your other foods; keep it simple and record only your fruits and vegetables. Trust me, you will only remember if you record it in some form. Now that you're armed with your trusty scale and notebook, all you have to do is buy (or even better, grow) your produce and enjoy it!
Guidelines To Consider
Not all fruits and vegetables are created equally, so let's parse the good from the bad and, in some cases, ugly.
What Doesn't Count
Dried fruits and vegetables, non-dairy plant-based milks, juice, jellies, and jams, deep-fried vegetables such as French fries and tempura, grains, all types of flours, pasta made from vegetables, seeds and nuts, and popcorn.
The Good Stuff!
Raw vegetables and fruits, cooked frozen or canned produce as long as it has no added sauces or is canned in water, not syrup
Tofu, beans, tomato sauce without added oil or sugar
Pickles and fermented veggies like kimchi or sauerkraut
Olives, fruit compotes like applesauce with no added sugar
Potatoes, regular and sweet varieties, corn, peas, and avocado, provided they are not fried or refined into something like potato chips
Fruits and vegetables that you use in smoothies, salsa, or soups. Be sure to weigh them before adding them to your recipe
Addition By Subtraction
Earlier, I mentioned that this is an additive to your diet because you're likely going to increase your overall fruit and veg intake. This could also unconsciously make you eat less of other foods that might not be as good for you. The calories and volume of food, along with the fiber from produce, will cause you to feel fuller, thereby decreasing your appetite. This is known as nutrient density. Cruciferous vegetables are a prime example of this. Broccoli, kale, spinach, and cauliflower are teeming with nutrients but are mostly water and contain very few calories per cup. The sheer volume of these foods will physically fill your stomach if you eat enough. Your typical bag of spinach is 8 ounces; now, imagine eating that entire bag at once! It would be quite tedious, but thankfully, all you have to do is take some of that spinach and turn it into a salad loaded with other veggies to make it delicious. Here are some tips to incorporate more produce into your day.
Make a salad into a meal. You can easily cover half your 800-gram goal in one setting. Make a huge salad, add half an avocado and whatever other vegetables you like, and serve a small baked potato or sweet potato as a side
Steamtable vegetable bags are yet another simple way to knock out 340 grams. Toss the bag in the microwave, and a few minutes later, you've got a bowl full of veggies. Season with salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, or whatever you fancy, and enjoy. Steaming vegetables the old-fashioned way on the stovetop is great, too
Have a piece of whole fruit as a snack or a side with each meal
Smoothies! It's easy to cram some spinach and fresh fruit into a drink. I recommend using whole-fat milk or whole-fat yogurt since the fat from these will help you feel full, along with the ample amount of protein
Air fry your vegetables. Air fryers might be the best kitchen tool since the can opener. You can make almost anything crispy and delicious without the added fat from traditional deep or pan frying. You can fry them dry or toss them in a small amount of olive oil with some salt and pepper; you can't go wrong
Grab your scale, load up your shopping cart, and get started because if not now, when?