It’s called the 800g Challenge.
I quickly want to set the scene before I spill what it is.
Tracking calories is a hot topic when it comes to weight loss. The problem with calorie and macro (protein/carbs/fats) tracking is that it has little to do with micronutrients (vitamins/minerals) which is where we all of the good stuff from. Foods that contain vitamins and minerals are whole foods like fruits and vegetables.
Reality is a person can hit their calorie and macro goal without eating a single fruit or vegetable… if that person continues to eat a diet that has little fruits and veggies, there will eventually be serious health implications.
Got an energy issue? You may not be getting enough micros. Got a gut issue? You may not be getting enough micros. Having trouble losing weight? You may not be getting enough micros. Get sick often? You may not be getting enough micros. I could go on and on.
There is some guidance on how much fruits and veggies we should be having. Actually, the United State Departments of Agriculture has given serving size recommendations. The problem with it is it is so complex that it is hard to even try to adhere to the recommendation.
Until now…
Recent research by Aune et al. (2017) showed that eating 800g of fruit and veggies a day was associated with a 24% reduced risk of heart disease, a 33% reduced risk of stroke, a 28% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, a 13% reduced risk of total cancer, and a 31% reduction in premature deaths.
NOW I INTRODUCE TO YOU THE 800g CHALLENGE
I do want to mention that we can’t take credit for creating this challenge. This challenge was originally created by EC Synkowski, but we love it and wanted to spread the micronutrient awareness.
GOAL: Eat 800g (weight) of fruits and vegetables a day.
The only restricted fruits are dried fruits and premade juices. Otherwise, all other fruits and veggies are free game…. Yes, that means you can include potatoes in your 800g allotment.
There is one recommendation that I do have before you jump start your challenge, and that is to track your current intake to see how much you are currently eating. Your mind will be blown!
Let’s get this thing going! Here is to getting healthier!
If you have any questions about the challenge or need help with some accountability please email us at coastrangenutrition@gmail.com.
- Coast Range Nutrition Team
References
- Aune, D., Giovannucci, E., Boffetta, P., Fadness, L.T., Keum, N., Norat, T., … Tonstad, S. (2017). Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality-a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. International Journal of Epidemiology, 46(3), 1029-1056. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw319
- https://optimizemenutrition.com/2018/01/07/putting-a-metric-on-quality/
