The good news is that it is no secret that eating more fruits and vegetables is good for your health. The bad news is that most people don't eat enough fruits and vegetables.
Are you eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day? There are many choices, so you can choose a variety of ways to get the nutrients you need from this food group. Broccoli, garlic, dry beans, oranges, and strawberries are examples of foods high in nutrition and high in protection against cancer and heart disease.
Vegetables can be eaten raw, steamed, baked, cooked, and in juice. Combine them in a stew, make a salad, or munch on them between meals.
Fruits can be eaten raw, in juice, in salad, baked, and canned. Fruits make good snacks and are much better for you (and probably cheaper) than candy, pastries, and other junk food snacks.
Do Children Eat Enough Fruits and Vegetables?
In a recent study reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, it was found that almost no preschoolers ate enough fruits and vegetables. Most children in the study ate less than half of the recommended five servings each day. They averaged only one-half serving of vegetables each day!
In many cases, parents claim that buying fresh fruits and vegetables is too expensive. In reality, the average family budget spends more than four times as much for meat as it does for fruits and vegetables.
The easiest way to get children to eat more fruits and vegetables is for parents to be good models and eat more themselves.
What are the Benefits of Eating Fruits and Vegetables?
Fruits and vegetables provide many, if not most, of the vitamins and minerals needed for good health. They are high in complex carbohydrates, the main fuel needed by the body. They have been shown to be protective against cancer and heart disease. When you hear antioxidants or phytochemicals, think disease protection. Fruits and vegetables are low in fat and contain no cholesterol.
References: 1. Dennison, BA et al. Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Young Children. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 1998;17:372-78. 2. U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Food Guide Pyramid. 1992.
Copyright 1999, Wellsource, Inc.