The Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

Last Updated on Wednesday, 12 May 2010 01:55 Written by Natural Health Team Wednesday, 12 May 2010 01:55

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

Fruits and vegetables are essential components of your daily diet. Some contain natural antioxidants that can help to keep you healthy and fit, providing nutrients which are valuable resources of energy and sustaining the quality of your life.

The common vitamins present in fruits and vegetables include vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Almost all fruits and vegetables are low in fat and calories. Many are excellent sources of natural fiber.

Some health professionals recommend from five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables. The serving depends on your daily caloric intake. If you need around 2000 calories each day, you might need up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

You should get best results if you consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. Eating a single type or color of fruit and vegetable may not offer the required nutrition. Each type and color of fruit or vegetable that is generally available has some benefit.

To get the best nutrients from your fruits and vegetables, eat those which are in season in your region. Fresh produce has the best levels of the nutrients we may need during the season.

If you eat out-of-season fruits and vegetables, their nutrient value might be less, they will probably cost more and their production and transportation may have a greater financial and environmental cost.

Your diet has a critical role in defining your health and energy levels which affects every other part of your life. The fruits and vegetables you consume regularly are a powerful storehouse of beneficial, even vital, vitamins and nutrients which help out body to protect itself against many diseases and other negative factors in our environment.

Different fruits and vegetables offer varied benefits for your health.

Vegetables that are said to be high in antioxidants and nutrients include broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, onions, cauliflower, red peppers, squash, tomatoes, and garlic.

Fruits that some say are high in antioxidants and nutrients include apples, blueberries, apricots, bananas, cherries, cantaloupe, oranges, kiwifruits, peaches, and pink grapefruits.

Nutrients of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain many different varieties of nutrients. Some fruits and vegetables are a virtual storehouse of beneficial minerals like anthocyanins, resveratrol, lycopene, and more phytochemicals are being found as research into the fruits and vegetables is conducted.

Phytochemicals

These plant nutrients help sustain your body against the worst ravages of the aging process and may help to reduce health risks like heart ailments, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Some of the phytochemicals include:

Anthocyanins, available in blackberries, blueberries, cherries, eggplant, plums, and kiwi fruit are claimed by some to have important properties that may help reduce the occurrence of severity of some urinary tract infections.

Lycopene, available in watermelon, tomatoes, and pink grapefruit.

Resveratrol is available in red grapes and peanuts. CAUTION: more people are finding they may have an allergic reaction to peanuts every year

Suggested Servings of Fruit and Vegetables

People are often confused about the quantity indicated by a single serving or a cup.

Ideally, one cup refers to:

Vegetables

2 cups raw leafy vegetables

1 cup raw or cooked vegetables

1 cup baby carrots or approximately twelve carrots

1 cup cooked or canned dried beans or peas

1 medium potato

1 cup vegetable juice

Fruits

1 cup cut-up or cooked fruit

1 medium piece of fruit

1 large banana

1/2 cup dried fruit

1/4 small cantaloupe

1 cup berries or grapes

1 cup 100% fruit juice

A great e-book is focused on showing you the benefits which are claimed for adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet and broadening the choices which you know about. It will also give you a variety of tasty and nutritious recipes toward the end of the book.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

fruit health

Tired of Being Tired? Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables!

Last Updated on Monday, 10 May 2010 03:04 Written by Natural Health Team Monday, 10 May 2010 03:04

All raw fruits and vegetables have nutrients and minerals that if consumed on a daily basis keep the immune system strong and the body healthy. But, alas, we are a fast food quick fix nation and getting enough fruits and vegetables can be a daunting task these days.

We have slowly learned to adapt to eating high sodium, sugar, high fat, high carb, hormone and antibiotic meat and dairy, msg, chemical and pesticide laden prepackaged foods. Whew! No wonder we have higher instances of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autism and obesity! In our efforts to feed a growing population, we seem to have lost our way from our natural diet, the diet our grandparents and forbearers consumed.

Consider this, all animals in the wild, whether they are carnivore, herbivore or omnivore, eat raw meat or insects, raw leafy greens, grasses, fruits, nuts and seeds and generally have beautiful healthy looking bodies when food sources are readily available. Man is the only animal that changes Mother Nature’s food supply. It may be in our nature to do so as we are after all on top of the food chain, but have we unwittingly created our own undoing?

Most people would agree that we need to get more fruits and veggies in our diets but the mere mention of it to our children (and husbands) can sometimes cause gasps and shudders at the thought of eating the funny looking green things on our plates! But, being the creative individuals that we are, we can cleverly increase our intake of vital nutrients, on a gradient if need be, and increase our bodies ability to detoxify and gain better health!

If you were to keep a diary of every meal and snack you eat for just one week, I think you will find that most North Americans are sorely lacking in the fruit and vegetable department. So what can you do? Here are some tips that you may find helpful.

1. If you must eat carbs like cakes and cookies, take Mrs. Seinfeld’s lead and hide pureed fruits and veggies in them. Don’t tell your kids what’s in them until they originate that they love this cake you just made for them.

2. Introduce homemade fruit smoothies at least once a day. They make a great and tasty snack. Adding some protein powder can give you a nice balance and it can keep you filled up.

3. Salads are a great way to get your vegetable intake but you may still have opposition at your dinner table. Another option is to take a few fruits and veggies and juice them. You may actually get a lot more nutrients into your family if you can get them to drink a glass every day. Plus you can sneak in some leafy greens, beans or peas or whatever it is you can’t get them to eat. It’s a quick and easy solution. For the more resistant family members you may need to include a fancy presentation such as putting the fresh juice into a martini or margarita glass with an orange slice. That worked wonders in getting my family to drink up.

4. Raw fruits and veggies are best but soups and stews are also a good way to get your nutrients. Consuming the liquids from cooked veggies make a lot of sense. If you boil and strain your vegetables then valuable nutrients are just going down the drain. Keep those nutrients in your diet by eating soups and stews.

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of your diet. They have almost everything you need to feed and detox your body on a cellular level. It behooves us all to invest in our own and our family’s health by increasing consumption of nature’s incredible bounty!

vegetable health

Benefits of fruits and vegetables

Last Updated on Sunday, 9 May 2010 03:03 Written by Natural Health Team Sunday, 9 May 2010 03:03

Benefits of fruits and vegetables

There are many benefits of fruits and vegetables rich diet to our life and health. But, in reality there are only few numbers of people those who choose fruits and vegetable diet.

According to revised NSDA grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy, meat and beans are 5 MAJOR  foods groups, included in the food pyramid. If you want to keep yourself fit and stay healthy forever then it is very important to eat a wide variety of foods from each and every food group listed above. Going for different varieties will not only give you a great deal of variety and keep boredom from setting in, but it will also provide you with the best nutritional balance as well. In addition to macronutrients such as fats, proteins, fiber and water, micronutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, etc are also vitally important to good health. That is why a healthy, varied diet is so important.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed full of many essential vitamins and minerals, including many micronutrients that you will never be able to find in packaged vitamin supplements. Some foods like pumpkins, carrots, mangoes, peaches butternut squash and green leafy vegetables are rich in beta carotene.  Beta carotene is the best consumable form of Vitamin A and is vital for healthy skin and eyes.

There are many other benefits of fruits and vegetables, besides just their nutritional importance.  Such as:

- Taste, flavors and colors of fruits and vegetables makes it possible that they can be used in virtually every meal.  Those seeking to maximize their diet should get into the healthy habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes.

- Fruits and vegetables help maximize the nutrition. But, try to keep this in mind that proper nutrition comes from a healthy diet, not from vitamin supplements.

Change you life TODAY

CNANGE LIFE NOW

Knowing the five major food groups and how much of each to eat every day is only part of the picture. Choosing good and healthy diet means, choosing things like the leanest cuts of meat, choosing egg substitutes rather than going for whole eggs, picking up freshest fruits and vegetables, etc.

Even with fruits and vegetables, some choices are better than others.  There are some fruits that are packed with fat and calories like avocados. Therefore, it is really necessary to check the nutritional values and qualities of the fruits and vegetables you choose.

Try to go for fiber rich as; adequate fiber intake is also important in preventing heart disease and some kinds of cancer. If you want to lose fat then go for fruits and vegetable those are high in nutrition, low in fat and with low calorie count.  Fruits and vegetables contain very low levels of fats, and a diet low in fat can be quite effective for long term weight loss. Fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, and they are lower in calories than many other types of foods.

vegetable health

An Overview to Fruits and Vegetables in Nutrition

Last Updated on Thursday, 6 May 2010 03:03 Written by Natural Health Team Thursday, 6 May 2010 03:03

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

Presently, magazines, advertisements, and schools support and insist on eating more fruits and vegetables. This is to make us all more aware of the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables.

Among other claimed benefits, they are believed by some people to have some benefits in your body’s defense against common ailments of the heart and intestines, and even some types of cancer.

Some fruits and vegetables contain certain antioxidants which may help to keep away or reduce the effects of some ailments and diseases. Many health professionals attest to the importance of having fruit and vegetables in your daily diet.

Different fruits and vegetables have different essential nutrients and vitamins. Hence, it is not sufficient to just eat only a small range of vegetables and fruit that you particularly like.

A great e-book is focused on showing you the benefits which are claimed for adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet and broadening the choices which you know about. It will also give you a variety of tasty and nutritious recipes toward the end of the book.

It’s a good idea to include some different fruits and at least one serving of dark green leafy vegetables each day. Some fruits and vegetables are very low in calories or fat.

Many are packed with nutrients, antioxidant vitamins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and/or phytochemicals. These ingredients are claimed to be very helpful for maintaining or even improving your health.

Among fruits, oranges, cantaloupe, grapefruit, guava, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, and grapes are very nutritious. Organic berries are claimed to provide excellent antioxidant protection, as they are a rich source of phytochemical carotenoids and flavonoids.

Many people like to eat bananas and apples regularly. These fruits are, apparently, low on antioxidants although they are very nutritious and can contribute to your heath.

Among vegetables, some varieties are rich in antioxidants.You should include dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce and kale in your daily diet.

Other healthy choices of vegetables include carrots, which are rich sources of vitamin A, beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard, tomatoes, garlic, sweet potatoes, onions, white potatoes, and the always popular corn.

Ideally, you should start the day with fruits on your breakfast cereal or as an additional item on your breakfast menu. Berries on sugar-free, whole grain cereal is a good breakfast choice. You could have homemade soup just before lunch. Combine it with fresh salad of vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, or a romaine lettuce salad. Have steamed vegetables for dinner with pasta or you might include little stir-fried vegetables for your dinner.

Make it a habit to have fresh fruits and raw vegetables for snacks between meals instead of less healthy choices. Consuming fruits and vegetables can help in some measure to increase your body’s defense you against some types of ailments.

Regular consumption may help with protecting against or reducing the effects of:

- Intestinal ailments such as diverticulitis, heart diseases and strokes

- some types of cancer

- problems with blood pressure and

- may help to guard against cataract and macular degeneration that normally are the principal causes for vision loss.

Most people are not aware of the amount of fruits and vegetables that might, eaten daily, be enough to get optimum results.

The best recommendations come from your medical practitioner, who can take into account your particular medical history and the current state of your health.

Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet or anything affecting your health which may be significant.

The dietary guidelines suggested in Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables are from 2½ to 6½ cups of fruits and vegetables per day, depending on your caloric intake. If you need a daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories to maintain weight and health, that is about nine servings or two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

vegetable health

Better Health with White Fruits and Vegetables

Last Updated on Tuesday, 4 May 2010 01:55 Written by Natural Health Team Tuesday, 4 May 2010 01:55

One cup of banana contains 467mg of potassium! Potassium helps your body maintain regular blood pressure and normal heart function.

Eating one banana a day can help protect against blockage and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), as well as abnormal blood pressure.

BANANA is known to protect the stomach from indigestion and ulcers! Because it contains pectin, bananas help normalize bowel movement and stave off constipation.

Perhaps you didn’t know that bananas help reduce the onset of depression and stroke, and help strengthen bones and promote kidney health.

Don’t cry over onions, smile over onions! The benefits of this pungent vegetable are often overlooked.

ONIONS contain the following compounds that aid in the promotion of a healthy body: flavonoids, chromium, quercetin, prebiotics and GPCS content.

Quercetin has properties that help suppress tumors and also act as an anti-inflammatory. It also helps reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Chromium facilitates the response of cells to insulin, helping to decrease glucose levels and lower insulin levels. It also helps lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

And ladies…did you know that onions provide a natural cure for PMS?!

GPCS is a compound found in peptides housed in onions, and helps promote healthy bone development by fighting the cells that break bones down.

CAULIFLOWER – broccoli’s colorless relative – has all sorts of positive health properties. These values include cell detoxification, rheumatoid arthritis prevention, liver detoxification, and healthy heart promotion.

Cauliflower contains properties that prevent enzymes from triggering cancer-causing facilitators in the body.

One cup of cauliflower contains a valuable amount of Vitamins C and K, fiber and folate.

It is also chock full of complex B and other great nutrients.

POTATOES, one of the most common food staples around the world, are a wonderful source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium, fiber, copper, manganese and tryptophan.

Sixty different kinds of vitamins and phytochemicals have been found in potatoes, including flavonoids (naturally occuring plant pigments that fight cell destroying free radicals) and quertecin.

Those who avoid consuming potatoes because of their starchiness should consider the benefits of the potato, including lower blood pressure and protection against heart disease.

Potatoes are also rich in B6 which supports brain cell function and activity in the nervous system.

You may have heard of garlic’s health benefits, but do you know why garlic is so good for you? GARLIC contains powerful compounds that are full of sulfur. These compounds not only account for garlic’s strong odor, but also have antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti inflammatory properties.

Garlic’s compounds also aid in weight control, cancer protection, and cardiovascular health. These compounds include Vitamin C, B6, tryptophan, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium.

One cup of garlic can positively affect your bones, sex hormones, metabolism, blood sugar, calcium absorption, and body blood and tissue.

To learn about the health benefits of YELLOW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, please visit www.squidoo.com/yellowhealth

Research over the last 6 years has shown that Resveratrol consistently extends the life span of certain cells by up to 70%!

In essence, Resveratrol acts as a conductor to weight loss, disease prevention, and immune system development. Science has shown that incorporating Resveratrol into your daily diet can lengthen your days and increase the quality of your life!

Resveratrol supplements can be highly effective when they meet high quality standards. Most Resveratrol supplements are made up of “fillers” that have no health benefits at all.

For a chart comparing various Resveratrol products, and for more articles and information on Resveratrol, please visit www.blackgrape.com

Black Grape Resveratrol has partnered with the National Foundation for Cancer Research. In purchasing Black Grape Resveratrol, you are not only contributing to the fight against cancer, you are also taking a step toward a healthier, longer life.

Learn more about Black Grape Resveratrol at www.blackgrape.com

fruit health