v\“How much is too much?” Quick Quiz: How many portions are in a bag of snack-size whole grain crackers? Or a small bottle of locally-pressed juice? Or a lunchbox pack of granola bars?

Hint: it’s not “one.” Often, the above products actually contain 2 or 2.5 servings per package.

Can YOU Eat Just One? Sure, you could go ahead and enjoy just half the bag, but are you really going to do that? Don’t beat yourself up if the answer is no: If you place food in front of most people, they tend to eat it all. It’s just the way we’re wired.

When you think about healthy eating, do salads and green vegetables usually come to mind? How about adding a little more variety to your plate?

Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates & a great way o add a healthful variety to your diet. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels as refined sweet foods do, these power-packed root vegetables help regulate your blood sugars.

Why Eat More Root Veggies?

Long root vegetables – carrots, parsnips, burdock, and daikon radish – are excellent blood purifiers & can help improve circulation in the body. Round root vegetables – turnips, radishes, beets, and rutabagas – nourish the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and reproductive organs. Which root vegetables do you eat most? If you’re like most of the world, you probably eat carrots and potatoes the most. Here are a few other root vegetables to explore and add to your dinner plate!

“I was determined to know beans.”— Henry David Thoreau, The Bean-Field

How about you? How well do you know beans? Creamy cannellinis, meaty garbanzos, sweet adzuki, tender pintos, and so many more—beans are one of the most powerful, nutrient-dense plant foods around.

Consider this: Beans are packed with tons of fiber, as well as plenty of iron and protein. They are rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients. They are low in calories. Plus, studies have found them to lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.