Eat fruit and vegetables
(Third Installment)
Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of foods around the world. Every country has its favorite dishes. Our fruits and vegetables help define our culture.
Use
Parents around the world are trying to cajole their kids to eat their green vegetables or snack on fruits instead of junk food. They do so for health reasons. Fruits and vegetables help children grow and support body functions and physical, mental and social well-being. They can help prevent malnutrition, overweight and obesity and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases.
The colors of fruits and vegetables are often associated with the nutrients they contain.
Orange / yellow – contains carotenoids that help keep eyes healthy. For example: carrots, pumpkin, squash. grapefruit, lemon, mango, melon, nectar, orange, papaya, peach, and pineapple.
Green – phytochemicals with anticancer properties. For example: asparagus, green beans, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, peas, spinach, green apple, avocado, green grapes, kiwifruit, and lime.
Purple / blue – antioxidant properties that can reduce the risks of cancer, stroke and heart disease. For example: beetroot, red cabbage, eggplant, blackberries, blueberries, purple grapes, plums, and passion fruit.
Red – can help reduce cancer risk and improve heart health. For example: red capsicum, radish, tomato, red apple, cactus pears, cherries, red grapes, red and pink grapefruit, red guava, raspberries, strawberries and watermelon.
Brown / white – phytochemicals with antiviral and antibacterial properties as well as potassium. For example: cauliflower, chives, garlic, ginger, leeks, onion, banana, durian, jackfruit, white peach, and brown pear.
Benefits of eating fruit and vegetables
Child growth and development – fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin A, calcium, iron and folate, which can promote good health, strengthen a child’s immune system and help protect against disease, now and in the future.
Longer life – people who eat more fruit and vegetables live longer than they do not, according to a large study in ten European countries.
Improved mental health:
A healthy heart – fiber and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can help prevent cardiovascular disease.
Lower cancer risk – in many dietary studies, eating fruit and vegetables has been found to reduce the risk of lungs, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, bladder, pancreas and ovarian cancer.
Lower obesity risk – a number of studies have observed a lower risk of obesity and obesity in some fruit and vegetable consumption groups.
Lower diabetes risk – a systematic review and meta-analysis found that higher green leafy vegetables and higher fruit intake were associated with a significant reduction in Type 2 diabetes risk.
Improved gut health – a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and other high-fiber, plant-based foods improves the diversity of gut bacteria and tends to increase bacteria associated with anti-inflammatory compounds associated with improved metabolism . Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables has also been shown to reduce the incidence of diverticulosis as well as other digestive problems such as gas, constipation and diarrhea.
Improved immunity – adequate intake of fruits and vegetables can reduce the severity of some infectious diseases. Although they will not protect you from a virus like COVID-19, it is better to recover from infectious diseases when eating fruits and vegetables than with diets that are low in this food group.
Eating levels – worldwide, we eat far less fruit and vegetables than the 400g minimum recommended by the WHO for a healthy diet. On average, we only eat about two-thirds of the recommended minimum amount of fruit and vegetables. Caribbean residents eat the most fruit.