Month: March 2021

Dietary experts recommend that every person should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The importance of fruits and vegetables to a healthy diet has been known for quite some time, but studies have shown that very few people eat the correct number of fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet.

 

That is a shame, since eating enough fruits and vegetables just may be the single most effective thing you can do to improve your overall health.  The five a day approach to healthy eating may be the single most important strategy you can adopt for a healthier lifestyle.

 

The many health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables have been established for quite some time now.  Study after study has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic diseases and conditions.  Some studies have suggested that as many as 35% of cancer deaths can be attributed to diet, and that diets high in fats and low in fruits and vegetables contributes to unnecessary cancer deaths.

 

Fruits and vegetables have a lot of advantages besides just their nutritional importance.  For one thing, they taste great and add a great deal of variety to everyday meals.  Fruits and vegetables come in such a wide variety of colors, textures, and flavors that they can be used in virtually every meal.  Those seeking to maximize their consumption of fruits and vegetables should get into the habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes.

 

In addition to their great taste, fruits and vegetables are packed full of many essential vitamins and minerals, including many micronutrients that are not included in packaged vitamin supplements.  For instance, foods like butternut squash, pumpkins, carrots, mangoes, peaches, pawpaw’s, and green leafy vegetables are rich in beta carotene.  Beta carotene is vital for healthy skin and eyes.

 

In addition, most varieties of fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, another important vitamin, and a strong antioxidant.  Good sources of vitamin C include Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, nectarines, and kiwi fruit.  Many fruits and vegetables, including spinach, broccoli, and avocadoes, are also good sources of vitamin E, another excellent antioxidant.

 

Men and women alike should always strive to eat a healthy diet, but women have an extra incentive to get all the nutrition they need.  Proper nutrition is essential to a healthy pregnancy, and some of the baby’s biggest nutritional needs happen before the pregnancy is discovered.  Folic acid is perhaps the best-known essential nutrient for pregnant women.  Folic acid has been proven effective at preventing a variety of birth defects, including Spina Bifida.  Good dietary sources of folic acid include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, and oranges.  In addition, due to its importance to women of childbearing years, many common foods such as cereals and breads, are supplemented with folic acid.

 

In addition to their importance as source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide essential dietary fiber.  Adequate fiber in the diet is important in preventing heart disease and some kinds of cancer.

 

Another great feature of fruits and vegetables, especially to those watching their weight, is the high nutrition, low fat, low calorie nature of these foods.  Fruits and vegetables contain exceptionally low levels of fats, and a diet low in fat can be quite effective for long term weight loss.  In addition, fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, and they are lower in calories than many other types of foods.

 

With all these things going for them, it is no wonder so many dietary experts recommend eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.  Not only are fruits and vegetables delicious and nutritious, but they can be quite inexpensive as well.  Buying fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, and that are in season, is usually the most cost-effective way to get the freshest fruits and veggies at the lowest possible cost.

 

This buying strategy also helps to ensure a steady stream of new fruits and vegetables every month, as some go out of season while others are just coming in.  Trying a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some you may not be familiar with, is also a great way to create exciting new dishes and prevent yourself from becoming bored with the same old diet.  Whether your goal is to lose weight or just increase your level of fitness, it is hard to go wrong with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

 

Everyone has heard the news about antioxidants and their importance to good health and proper nutrition. It seems the more scientists learn about antioxidants, the more their value and potential increases.  Antioxidants have shown promise in everything from preventing heart disease to slowing the degeneration of the eyes and brain.

 

Antioxidants work in a straightforward way. What makes them so effective is their ability to neutralize a group of highly reactive, highly destructive compounds known as free radicals.

 

The production of free radicals is a normal bodily process, and it is part of the process of breathing and living.  Free radicals are normally neutralized by the body’s natural defense system, rendering them harmless.  However, anything that weakens the body’s natural defenses weakens its ability to fight off these free radicals. Those weakening agents include environmental pollution, excess UV radiation and even excessive consumption of alcohol.

 

When free radicals are not properly neutralized, the body is left open to damage.  Free radicals can damage the structure and function of cells in the body, and recent evidence suggest that free radicals contribute to the aging process and may play a role in a great many illnesses, including cancer and heart disease.

 

While vitamin supplements containing antioxidants such as vitamin C can be important, there is no substitute for a healthy diet. It is estimated that foods contain more than 4,000 compounds that have antioxidant qualities. Eating a healthy diet is the only way to take advantage of these antioxidant properties.  In addition to the well-known antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains also contain lots of lesser antioxidants.  Scientists are only now discovering the important role these lesser-known antioxidants have in keeping the body healthy.

 

Let us examine some of the dietary sources for the major antioxidant vitamins.

 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is probably the most studied of all the antioxidant vitamins.  Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in all bodily fluids, and it is thought to be one of body’s first lines of defense against infection and disease.  Since vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, it is not stored and must be consumed in adequate quantities every day.  Good dietary sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits, green peppers, broccoli and other green leafy vegetables, strawberries, cabbage, and potatoes.

 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver and other tissues.  Vitamin E has been studied for its effects on everything from delaying the aging process to healing a sunburn. While vitamin E is not a miracle worker, it is an important antioxidant, and it is important that the diet contain enough vitamin E.  Good dietary sources of this important nutrient include wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains, vegetable oil, fish liver oil and green leafy veggies.

 

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is the nutrient that gives flamingos their distinctive pink color (they get it from the shrimp they eat).  In the human world, beta-carotene is the most widely studied of over 600 carotenoids that have thus far been discovered.  The role of beta-carotene in nature is to protect the skins of dark green, yellow, and orange fruits from the damaging effects of solar radiation.  Scientists believe that beta-carotene plays a similar protective role in the human body.  Sources of beta-carotene in the diet include such foods as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, collard greens, kale, cantaloupe, peaches, and apricots.

 

Selenium

Selenium is one of the most important minerals in a healthy diet, and it has been studied for its ability to prevent cell damage.  Scientists see this ability to protect cells from damage as possibly important in the prevention of cancer, and selenium is being studied for possible cancer preventative properties.  It is important to get the selenium you need from your diet, since large doses of selenium supplements can be toxic.  Fortunately, selenium is easily found in a healthy diet.  Good sources of dietary selenium include fish and shellfish, red meat, whole grains, poultry and eggs, and garlic.  Vegetables grown in selenium rich soils are also good sources of dietary selenium.

 

 

One of the most frequently cited reasons that diets and attempts at healthy eating fail is boredom.  Many people simply do not know how to keep a healthy diet interesting day after day, and it can be quite a challenge.

 

Given the huge variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats, and other healthy foods at the local grocery store, however, it is possible to create exciting, nutritious meals that will keep boredom at bay.

 

Your key to healthy eating

The key to the success of any plan for healthy eating is to eat what you like, but to exercise moderation when it comes to the less healthy foods.  Improving your level of health and fitness does not mean forgoing that piece of chocolate cake, for instance.  It does mean, however, limiting yourself to one piece.  A healthy diet contains all types of foods, including carbohydrates, proteins, and even fats.  The key is choosing foods that provide the best combination of taste and nutrition.  After all, if your diet consists of foods you hate, you will not stick with it.

 

The revised USDA food pyramid contains five major food groups – grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy, and meat and beans.  When choosing foods from these groups, it is important to eat a wide variety of foods from every food group.  Doing so will not only give you a great deal of variety and keep boredom from setting in, but it will provide the best nutritional balance as well.  In addition, the widely known micronutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, etc. all foods contain a variety of macronutrients, like fats, proteins, fiber, and water.  Though present in extremely tiny amounts, micronutrients are vitally important to good health.  That is why a healthy, varied diet is so important.

 

In addition, when choosing foods from within the various food groups, some choices are naturally better and healthier than others.  For instance, choosing skim or 2% milk instead of full fat whole milk is a good way to cut down on both fat and calories.  And choosing poultry or lean meat is a great way to get the protein you need every day without extra fat, cholesterol, and calories.

 

Likewise, cereals and breads that carry the whole grain label are healthier than those who do not.  Even in the world of fruits and vegetables some choices are better than others.  For instance, peaches packed in heavy syrup add unnecessary sugar to the diet, while those packed in water or juice provide only good nutrition.

 

There has been a trend lately to add vitamin fortification to food, and this can sometimes be a good way to maximize nutrition.  It is important to remember, however, that proper nutrition comes from a healthy diet, not from vitamin supplements.  It is fine to buy calcium fortified cereal, but the bulk of your calcium intake should still come from milk, dairy products, and green leafy veggies.

 

Choosing the best foods

Knowing the five major food groups and how much of each to eat every day is only part of the picture.  The other part is choosing the best foods from within those food groups.  That means things like choosing the leanest cuts of meat, using egg substitutes instead of whole eggs, choosing the freshest fruits and vegetables, etc.

 

Even with fruits and vegetables, some choices are better than others.  Some fruits, such as avocados, for instance, are packed with fat and calories.  It is important to check the nutritional qualities of the fruits and vegetables you buy, and not simply assume that all fruits and vegetables are equally healthy.

 

One way to maximize nutrition while minimizing cost is to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season.  Fruits and vegetables that are in season are usually quite a bit cheaper than those that must be shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles, and they are generally much fresher too.  Of course, depending on where you live, there may be varieties of fruits and vegetables that are not available locally, so the northerner in search of citrus fruits will just have to watch the sales and buy accordingly.