Reasons to add more fruit and vegetables
The latest food guidelines recommend that adults eat from five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. While that may seem like a lot, it is an important goal to strive for, and a very reachable one.
A serving of a fruit or vegetable is equal to:
- 1 medium sized vegetable or fruit (such as an apple, orange or banana)
- 2 small fruits (such as kiwi fruit or plums)
- ½ cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruits or vegetables
- ½ cup of 100% fruit juice (although juice is high in sugar and has no fibre)
- ¼ cup of dried fruit
- 1 cup of green salad
Eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables is a great way to start a healthier lifestyle. Diets high in fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and even some kinds of cancer. Diets high in fruits and vegetables are also important in maintaining a healthy weight.
Since different varieties of fruits and vegetables contain different types and levels of nutrients, it is important to eat a good variety. Eating a good combination of yellow, orange, red and green fruits and vegetables is a great way to ensure adequate levels of nutrition. The phytonutrients are very beneficial.
Fruits and vegetables are also an important source of fiber. One way to maximize the amount of fiber you get from fruits and vegetables is to eat the entire fruit and vegetable including the edible peel. Eating fruits and vegetables whole, instead of simply drinking fruit juice, is the best way to enjoy the fiber these foods have to offer. Orange juice may considered healthy, but it does not contain the same amount of fiber as a whole orange. Plus, the juice is high in sugar.
Getting sufficient fiber in the diet offers a great many health benefits, including aiding in digestion, lowering levels of cholesterol in the blood, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, and reducing the chances of some forms of cancer. In addition, fiber is thought to play an important role in controlling levels of blood sugar in diabetics. Fiber also helps dieters feel full while limiting the number of calories you consume.
Many people wonder if canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are as healthy and nutritious as the fresh varieties. The simple answer to this question is generally yes. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables do contain many vitamins and minerals so it is acceptable to replace fresh fruits and vegetables with canned and frozen varieties when fresh ones are not available. First prize is fresh though.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are often less expensive, especially when they are in season. In addition, local farmers markets and produce stands are often great sources of the freshest, most delicious fruits and vegetables at some excellent prices.
Vegetable Preparation
How vegetables and fruits are prepared is just as important as how they are chosen. It is important to rinse fresh fruit and vegetables thoroughly under clean running water. This step is important in order to remove any dirt, pesticide residue or bacterial contamination. The outermost leaves of lettuce and cabbage should be removed, and the outside of root vegetables like carrots and potatoes should be removed, unless they are organic. Vegetables and fruits should be washed right before they are used in order to keep them as fresh as possible.
The best ways to cook vegetables in order to maintain their freshness is to boil, microwave or steam the veggies until they are tender and yet still crisp. It is best to use as little water as possible when cooking vegetables. That is because overcooking can destroy some of the valuable vitamins and minerals the vegetables contain.
Adding another healthy dimension. Grow your own organic crops.
Gardening can add more quality to the way you live and even, to some extent, also add longevity to one’s life.
Organic gardening is the way of growing vegetables and fruits with the use of compounds only found in nature.
Why would one want to indulge in organic gardening?
- Organic gardening is less boring.
We can easily make our own compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though this is a bit more time-consuming than buying prepared compost, it’s very satisfying, not to mention reduces the amount of rubbish Pikitup has to collect from your property.
- Less health- harming chemicals on the food that you and your family may consume.
Pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose: kill living things. One of the best-known benefits of organic gardening is the zero tolerance for pesticide use.
- Less harm to the environment.
Organic gardening has a residual beneficial effect on ground water. Ground water is easily contaminated by the damaging pesticides used in conventional farming and is, of course, missing in the organic approach.
The protection of the topsoil from erosion is another concern solved with the practice of organic gardening.
- Cost savings
One does not need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening. One example of organic fertilizer that one could make use of is as lowly as stale coffee and coffee grounds. Also, to repel aphids, plant marigolds. See the blog 9 Plants That Will Repel Insects
One frugal garden pest spray could be concocted through mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on plants.
Mulch, which is used to keep moisture in and weeds out, could be in the form of grass clippings and pine needles.
- Organic gardening makes one feel better knowing one is doing our part in safeguarding the future of the next generations.
On average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult. This can lead to various diseases later on in the child’s life. With organic gardening, this risk is reduced, for our children and ourselves.
Have fun exploring the tastes and benefits of veggies
Bruce
