This week is National Nutrition Week, providing a time to reflect on our own nutrition and consider if we are achieving balance and meeting our needs for optimal health and performance. The focus for this year’s Nutrition week is “Get more veg in your life”.
Sounds simple enough, right? Yet only 7.5% of Australian adults and 5% of kids eat enough veggies! It's crazy when you think of all the nutritional and health benefits to be gained from eating vegetables. They're packed full of important vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and gut healthy fibre.
There is definitely a well-established link between increased intake of fruit and vegetables and improved health outcomes. With protection shown against high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
So, what are you waiting for?
Ideally, we should be eating five serves of vegetables per day, every day.
1 serve is equal to:
- ½ cup cooked vegetables
- ½ medium potato or other starchy veg
- 1 cup raw salad leaves or 1 tomato
- ½ cup beans, peas or lentils
Take the challenge of eating 5 vegetables every day this Nutrition Week and then see if you can extend it beyond the week. It could be as simple as adding an extra cup of vegetables at dinner, trying a new veggie or new recipe and/or snacking on vegetables between your meals.
Visit Nutrition Australia’s Try for 5 website HERE, aimed at getting more Aussies eating vegetables. You’ll find recipes, tips, hacks, and resources to help you increase your veggie intake.
Throughout the week, we will also share some tips and tricks from our Nutrition team at VIS, as well as from some of our veggie loving athletes - so be sure to follow our Instagram account. Here are some key things to look out for during the week:
- Tuesday: Q&A with one of the VIS' expert dietitians
- Thursday: A live cooking class with VIS scholarship holder and Tokyo Olympian Jemima Montag (more details to follow)
About VIS Nutrition
The VIS Nutrition team work to empower our athletes to be self-sufficient by providing evidence based, individualised nutrition advice and practical strategies that are sport specific and targeted toward achieving their goals.
The Nutrition team provide the following nutrition services to our athletes across all sports:
- Individualised assessments and periodised nutrition plans
- Competition nutrition advice and plans
- Group workshops and education
- Supplement advice & protocols
- Hydration testing and plans
- Physique monitoring
- Nutrition support to assist rehabilitation from injury
- Travel nutrition advice
- Food service support
- Nutrition education and support for coaches and other service providers
The Team:
Kylie Andrew (Nutrition Coordinator and Advanced Sports Dietitian)
Elaine Bo (Accredited Sports Dietitian)
Jessica Rothwell (Accredited Sports Dietitian)
Rebecca Hall (Advanced Sports Dietitian)
Get Started
To get you started, try this Chargrilled Corn, Zucchini and Tomato Salad with Yoghurt Lime Dressing provided by Eat Well Tasmania.
INGREDIENTS
3 ears of sweetcorn, husks pulled back and silks removed.
2 zucchinis, sliced lengthways
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
½ cup coriander leaves
½ cup black beans, cooked (tinned and drained is fine)
1 avocado, sliced
CREAMY LIME DRESSING
½ cup sour cream or creme fraiche or yogurt
½ teaspoon lime zest
2 tbs lime juice
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Serves Four
METHOD
- Preheat a chargrill pan to hot and grill the corn until it starts to turn a golden colour, turning several times to get a nice even charring, remove from what season with slate and pepper and set aside while you grill the zucchini. Season the zucchini, brush with a little olive oil and cook on the grill until golden, but not too soft a couple of minutes each side should do.
- When the corn is cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cob, Discard the code and set aside the kernels.
- On a large serving platter or bowl, assemble the salad by layering, starting with the zucchini, then the corn, cherry tomatoes, black beams and finish with the avocado slices. Drizzle a little dressing on each layer as you go. Season with slate pepper, drizzle remaining dressing and scatter coriander leaves on top.
- To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until combined. Taste for seasoning. Add some water, a tablespoon at a time until you get a tin pouring consistency like cream.
