What if you could do one simple thing to improve your health? Take a look at how many servings of fruits and vegetables you eat a day. Fruits and vegetables have a lot of good stuff in them; we just have to EAT them to benefit. That is why we should all adopt the five-a-day approach to better eating.
The goal of the five-a-day is to encourage all of us to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day as part of a diet high in fibre and low in fat. The bad news is that most of us fall far short of the recommended five or more servings. In fact, this is the minimal standard - the Food Guide Pyramid recommends eating 3-5 vegetable servings and 2-4 fruit servings daily for optimal health.
The health benefits of eating lots of fruits and vegetables each day is an undisputed fact. It's based on study after study of fruits and vegetables, showing benefits such as lowering the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic illnesses. In fact, as much as 35% of cancer deaths may be attributable to eating a diet high in fat and low in fruits, vegetables and fibre. Many people rush through the day hardly thinking about numbers and portions of food. Unless we make a deliberate effort to integrate better eating habits into our lifestyles, it often doesn't happen.
Here are five good reasons to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day:
1. They taste good and add various colours, flavours, and textures to our meals and snacks.
2. They're packed full of vitamins and minerals - essential for good health.
Butternut, pumpkin, carrots, mango, yellow peaches, pawpaw and deep green vegetables, like broccoli are especially rich in beta carotene, a precursor for vitamin A, needed for healthy skin and eyes. Most fruit and vegetables contain some vitamin C, with good sources being broccoli, brussel spouts, citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi fruits and nectarines. Sources of vitamin E include avocado, spinach and broccoli. Folic acid is important for all of us, but especially for pregnant women, by helping to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as Spina Bifida in babies. Brussel sprouts, broccoli, spinach and oranges are all good sources of folic acid. Fruits and vegetables offer many other different nutrients, if your choices are varied. So make variety a five-a-day goal.
3. They're great providers of dietary fibre.
Fibre helps with bowel action and in reducing the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers.
4. They're low in fat and calories.
Fruits and vegetables naturally contain very little fat, and as you should be aware, diets that are low in fat, particularly saturated fat, are good for health. They are also cholesterol-free. Filling up on fruits and vegetables can help to reduce or replace the amount of fatty foods eaten. Moreover, fruits and vegetables are lower in calories than many other foods, so they make a superb choice for helping to keep our weight in line.
5. They're rich in antioxidants and also contain phytochemicals.
Antioxidants (which include vitamin C and beta-carotene) work by neutralising potentially damaging molecules within the body called free radicals. These are produced during normal bodily processes, but their production can be increased by cigarette smoke and pollution, and can lead to diseases like cancer and heart disease. Fruits and vegetables also contain many non-nutrient plant compounds called 'phytochemicals' such as flavonoids, indoles, phenols, and allium compounds, which may provide additional protection to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. More likely, it is a combination of all the above factors, and others not yet explored which may confer the protection we talk about.
Which fruits and vegetables are the best?
# Choose fresh, whenever possible.
# During the off-season, buy frozen vegetables and fruit, or canned fruit without added sugar.
# Look for variety in colour.
# When cooking vegetables, a quick steam in the microwave with a minimum of added water protects against the greatest nutrient losses.
# Remember to avoid adding fat in the form of butter, margarine or oil to vegetables - try adding stock for flavour, if necessary, and instead of cream, try low-fat yoghurt or lite custard on fresh or canned fruit.
So what is a portion?
# 1 medium fruit - for example an apple, orange or banana
# Very large fruit e.g. melon, pineapple - 1 large slice
# Small fruits e.g. plums, kiwis - 2 fruit
# Raspberries, strawberries, grapes - 1 cupful
# Fresh fruit salad, stewed or canned fruit - ½ cup
# Dried fruit - ¼ cup.
# Fruit juice - ½ cup (125ml) - must be 100% pure fruit juice without added sugar
# Vegetables, cooked, frozen or canned - ½ cup
# Salad (including raw vegetables) - 1 side plate
Many of us concentrate on eating low fat foods and watching calories, often forgetting that there are certain foods where "more is better." Planning ahead and coming up with new ways to make fruits and vegetables easily accessible will help increase consumption. It might be easier than you think to meet the five a day.
Tips to get you started.
# Keep washed and pre-cut celery sticks and carrots in the refrigerator for snacks.
# Place a bowl of fruit such as apples and bananas on the kitchen table or counter.
# Start the day with a glass of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice such as orange or tomato juice.
# Add banana slices, raisins, strawberries or kiwi fruit on to your favourite high-fibre breakfast cereal.
# Drink fruit juice instead of carbonated drinks.
# Vegetable soup is an ideal hot treat in winter.
# Eat some salad with at least one meal per day. Add crunch, colour and flavour with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green pepper and tomatoes.
# Fruit makes great snacks - pack an apple for the morning and an orange for the afternoon. Keep snacks of dried apricots and figs in your car and desk drawer.
# Stuff sandwiches with sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
# Use chopped and grated carrots and cabbage as a garnish for other foods.
# Try including two servings of vegetables with your evening meal.
# Vegetable stir-fries are a delicious way to ensure variety.
# Add chopped vegetables such as carrots, peas, cabbage, onions or lentils to soups, stews and casseroles to enhance the nutritional value of your meal.
# Vegetable and fruit kebabs are great meal accompaniments.
# Prepare baked apples and pears for desserts or even add chopped up fruit to jelly.
More important tips:
# Eat at least one vitamin A-rich fruit or vegetable, such as carrots, sweet potato, spinach, or broccoli every day.
# Eat at least one vitamin C-rich fruit or vegetable, such as grapefruit, oranges, green pepper, or tomatoes every day.
# Eat at least one high-fibre fruit or vegetable, such as apples, grapefruit, or broccoli, every day.
# Eat cabbage-family vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and cabbage, several times each week.
Fruit and vegetable consumption needs to become habit and part of the everyday ritual like brushing your teeth - an action that is part of your daily lifestyle, something that you do without even thinking about it. Consider investing in a cookbook devoted entirely to fruits and vegetables and experiment on your own. The message is simple - eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day for better health.
health.iafrica.com | good food | weightloss & lifestyle The five-a-day approach to healthy eating
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