Benefits
Beyond Vitamins and Minerals -
Importance of Fruits and Vegetables
Beyond Vitamins and Minerals -
Importance of Fruits and Vegetables
By increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, you can reduce your risk for chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Nutritive components like vitamins and minerals are important to good health but aren't the only reason to eat a good variety of fruits and vegetables. Non - nutritive compnents like fiber, antioxidants and other phytochemicals may help prevent chronic diseases. This classifies fruits and vegetables as "functional foods".
Antioxidants
Some vitamins and mineral can act as antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E and selenium), but there are thousands of other plant components that have the potential antioxidant properties. Scientists are still trying to discover and categorize all of them.
Phytochemicals
The term "phytochemical" simply means any compound a plant makes. These compunds are important for colour, taste, scent, growth, and defensive mechanisms of the plant. There are probably hundreds of thousands of different phytochemicals and scientists have only begun to examine a few of them. So far, phytochemicals appear to have unique beneficial effects on human health.
Fiber
Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which helps to prevent constipation and other conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and kidney stones. Fiber from fruits and vegetables adds bulk to your meals which prevents overeating and helps you feel full on fewer calories. Fruits and vegetables contain both soluable and insoluable forms of fiber.
Additional Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables add a lot of volume and only a small number of calories to a well-balanced eating pattern. This helps reduce the intake of other calorie-dense foods eaten at a meal. Fruit juices and canned fruits are more calorie-dense than their fresh and frozen counterparts and should be eaten less often. Fresh, frozen and canned vegetables are great anytime.
Fruits and vegetables add variety, texture and flavour to every meal. If you are not accustomed to eating fruits and vegetables, you may need to try them a few different ways to find something you like.
Antioxidants
Some vitamins and mineral can act as antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E and selenium), but there are thousands of other plant components that have the potential antioxidant properties. Scientists are still trying to discover and categorize all of them.
Phytochemicals
The term "phytochemical" simply means any compound a plant makes. These compunds are important for colour, taste, scent, growth, and defensive mechanisms of the plant. There are probably hundreds of thousands of different phytochemicals and scientists have only begun to examine a few of them. So far, phytochemicals appear to have unique beneficial effects on human health.
Fiber
Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which helps to prevent constipation and other conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and kidney stones. Fiber from fruits and vegetables adds bulk to your meals which prevents overeating and helps you feel full on fewer calories. Fruits and vegetables contain both soluable and insoluable forms of fiber.
Additional Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables add a lot of volume and only a small number of calories to a well-balanced eating pattern. This helps reduce the intake of other calorie-dense foods eaten at a meal. Fruit juices and canned fruits are more calorie-dense than their fresh and frozen counterparts and should be eaten less often. Fresh, frozen and canned vegetables are great anytime.
Fruits and vegetables add variety, texture and flavour to every meal. If you are not accustomed to eating fruits and vegetables, you may need to try them a few different ways to find something you like.
Portions
Most people should aim for at least nine servings of vegetables and fruits a day, and potatoes don't count. Examples of portion sizes of fruit and vegetables are given below:
- 1 portion = 80g=3oz=1/2 cup=3 tbsp
- 1 medium piece of fruit apple, pear, orange, banana)
- 1 handful of grapes of cherries
- 2 small fruits such as plums, apricots
- 1 slice of large fruit e.g. pineapple, melon
- 1 glass of fruit or vegetable juice
- 1 small packet of dried fruit e.g. prunes, raisins
- 1/2 an avocado or grapefruit
- small side salad
- 1 large tomatoe or 6 cherry tomatoes
- 1 small tin of fruit (150-200g)
- 3 large tbsp of vegetables
- 3 tbsp of pulses - chickpeas, beans, lentils
- 1 corn on the cob
- 1 bunch of watercress or rocket
What to eat
Go for a variety of kinds and colours of produce, to give your body the mix of nutrients it needs. Include dark leafy greens, cooked tomatoes, and anything that's a rich yellow, orange or red colour.
Reference
www.helpwithcooking.com
http://efed.aces.uiuc.edu
www.hsph.harvard.edu
Reference
www.helpwithcooking.com
http://efed.aces.uiuc.edu
www.hsph.harvard.edu
