Fruits and Vegetables for Better Health
Moss Greene
March 26, 2007
"Eat five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables."
That's the advice of the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the USDA Food Guide Pyramid.
But not all fruits and vegetables are created equal. Some are more nutritious than others and some sources are healthier than others.
So, to look and feel your absolute best and be as healthy as possible, you not only need to eat more foods from the list of vegetables and the fruit list, you also need to eat the most nutritious varieties from the healthiest sources.
The Most Nutritious Varieties
Not all produce fits the best nutritional guidelines. Some of the most popular fruits and vegetables are corn, potatoes, iceberg lettuce and bananas. Although these have food value, for one reason or another, they're not at the top of the nutritional list.
It's not that these foods are bad for you (unless you're eating them as chips, fries or drowned in butter or cream). They just shouldn't be considered as one of your five to nine daily servings. There are much more nutritious choices you can make.
When it comes to vitamins, minerals, fiber and the phytonutrients carotenoids, flavonoids and cruciferous, you'll find berries, grapes, oranges and plums are the most potent fruit.
And from the alphabetical list of vegetables, the best are dark green leafy varieties, such as romaine lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, broccoli and, yes, Brussels sprouts.
The Healthiest Sources
Locally grown fresh organic produce, straight from the garden, is your best source.
Organic produce, picked when ripe, is more nutritious, better tasting and better for both you and the environment. And it usually tastes better too.
You can often find good organic produce from local farmers, community co-ops or even big chain supermarkets. If you don’t have a local co-op, consider starting one.
When good quality fresh produce isn't available (for instance, during winter months) you'll find other options at large health food store chains or supermarkets.
Frozen vs. Canned
Frozen produce is better than canned because it's usually washed, flash frozen and refrigerated within 24 hours of being picked. This locks in many nutrients.
Canned produce should definitely be your very last choice. The canning process used to kill bacteria destroys vitally important vitamins, enzymes and phytonutrients. Canned is also often high in unhealthy amounts of salt or sugar – sometimes both.
The bottom line is to add more dark green leafy vegetables and more deep yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables to your diet on a daily basis.
So eat five to nine servings a day of the best fruit and vegetable in nutrition you can find. It will help you manage your weight, control blood sugar and cholesterol and protect yourself against heart disease and cancer – our number one and two killers.
Copyright © Moss Greene. All rights reserved.
Moss Greene is a widely published health journalist and the Nutrition Editor at Bella on Line. If you would like to receive valuable new and unique weekly health articles, check out her free Natural Health Newsletter at BellaOnline Nutrition.
That's the advice of the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the USDA Food Guide Pyramid.
But not all fruits and vegetables are created equal. Some are more nutritious than others and some sources are healthier than others.
So, to look and feel your absolute best and be as healthy as possible, you not only need to eat more foods from the list of vegetables and the fruit list, you also need to eat the most nutritious varieties from the healthiest sources.
The Most Nutritious Varieties
Not all produce fits the best nutritional guidelines. Some of the most popular fruits and vegetables are corn, potatoes, iceberg lettuce and bananas. Although these have food value, for one reason or another, they're not at the top of the nutritional list.
It's not that these foods are bad for you (unless you're eating them as chips, fries or drowned in butter or cream). They just shouldn't be considered as one of your five to nine daily servings. There are much more nutritious choices you can make.
When it comes to vitamins, minerals, fiber and the phytonutrients carotenoids, flavonoids and cruciferous, you'll find berries, grapes, oranges and plums are the most potent fruit.
And from the alphabetical list of vegetables, the best are dark green leafy varieties, such as romaine lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, broccoli and, yes, Brussels sprouts.
The Healthiest Sources
Locally grown fresh organic produce, straight from the garden, is your best source.
Organic produce, picked when ripe, is more nutritious, better tasting and better for both you and the environment. And it usually tastes better too.
You can often find good organic produce from local farmers, community co-ops or even big chain supermarkets. If you don’t have a local co-op, consider starting one.
When good quality fresh produce isn't available (for instance, during winter months) you'll find other options at large health food store chains or supermarkets.
Frozen vs. Canned
Frozen produce is better than canned because it's usually washed, flash frozen and refrigerated within 24 hours of being picked. This locks in many nutrients.
Canned produce should definitely be your very last choice. The canning process used to kill bacteria destroys vitally important vitamins, enzymes and phytonutrients. Canned is also often high in unhealthy amounts of salt or sugar – sometimes both.
The bottom line is to add more dark green leafy vegetables and more deep yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables to your diet on a daily basis.
So eat five to nine servings a day of the best fruit and vegetable in nutrition you can find. It will help you manage your weight, control blood sugar and cholesterol and protect yourself against heart disease and cancer – our number one and two killers.
Copyright © Moss Greene. All rights reserved.
Moss Greene is a widely published health journalist and the Nutrition Editor at Bella on Line. If you would like to receive valuable new and unique weekly health articles, check out her free Natural Health Newsletter at BellaOnline Nutrition.