Health and Related Benefits
Choose more vegetables and fruits. Go for color
and variety—dark green, yellow, orange, and red.
It's
hard to argue with the health benefits of a diet
rich in vegetables and fruits: Lower blood
pressure; reduced risk of heart disease, stroke,
and probably some cancers; lower risk of eye and
digestive problems; and a mellowing effect on
blood sugar that can help keep appetite in check.
Most people should aim for at least nine servings
(at least 4½ cups) of vegetables and fruits a day,
and potatoes don't count. Go for a variety of
kinds and colors of produce, to give your body the
mix of nutrients it needs. Best bets? Dark leafy
greens, cooked tomatoes, and anything that's a
rich yellow, orange, or red color.
Fresh Fruit Baskets: A Healthy Choice
It's a wonderful thing.... Some of the
best-tasting foods in the world are also some of
the best for your body. Your gift of fruit for
yourself or someone else is not only a treat for
your taste buds; it's a smart choice for promoting
good nutrition and wellness.
Why is it important to eat fruit?
Eating fruit provides health benefits - people who
eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an
overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced
risk of some chronic diseases. Fruits provide
nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your
body.
Health Benefits
Eating a diet rich in fruits
and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet
may:
- Reduce risk for stroke and
other cardiovascular diseases.
- Reduce risk for type 2
diabetes.
- Protect against certain
cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and
colon-rectum cancer.
Fruits: Excellent Sources for Important Nutrients
Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and
calories. None have cholesterol. Eating foods such
as fruits that are low in calories per cup instead
of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in
helping to lower calorie intake.
Fruits are important sources of many nutrients,
including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and
folate (folic acid). The benefits of these
nutrients are well documented.
|
Nutrient |
Health Benefits
|
Fruits |
|
Potassium |
Diets rich in
potassium may help to |
Bananas, prunes,
dried |
|
|
maintain
healthy blood pressure, may |
peaches,
apricots, |
|
|
reduce the risk
of developing kidney |
cantaloupes,
honeydew |
|
|
stones, and may
help to decrease |
melon and
oranges |
|
|
bone loss. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dietary Fiber |
Dietary fiber
from fruits, as part of an |
Blackberries,
raspberries, |
|
|
overall healthy
diet, helps reduce blood |
apples, pears,
mangoes, |
|
|
cholesterol
levels and may lower risk of |
apricots, dried
figs and |
|
|
heart disease.
Fiber is important for |
Bananas. |
|
|
proper bowel
function.It helps reduce |
|
|
|
constipation
and diverticulosis. Fiber- |
|
|
|
containing
foods such as fruits help |
|
|
|
provide a
feeling of fullness with fewer |
|
|
|
calories.
Whole or cut-up fruits are |
|
|
|
sources of
dietary fiber; fruit juices |
|
|
|
contain little
or no fiber. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vitamin C |
Vitamin C is
important for growth and |
Oranges,
grapefruits, |
|
|
repair of all
body tissues. It helps heal |
limes, lemons
and |
|
|
cuts and wounds
and keep teeth and |
tangerines,
mangoes, |
|
|
gums healthy.
Fruit may also help prevent |
guava and
blackberries. |
|
|
the common
cold. What fruit has the |
|
|
|
highest Vitamin
C per gram? Guava! It |
|
|
|
contains 218 mg
of Vitamin C (per 100 |
|
|
|
grams).
Oranges have 49 mg. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Folate |
Folic Acid helps
the body for red blood |
Apricots,
bananas, |
|
(Folic Acid) |
cells.
According to the USDA, this is |
oranges,raspberries, |
|
|
extremely
beneficial for women in the |
papayas and
peaches |
|
|
first trimester
of pregnancy. Since many |
|
|
|
women are not
aware of their pregnancy |
|
|
|
at this time,
it's recommended that |
|
|
|
women of
childbearing age should |
|
|
|
consume
adequate amounts of folic acid. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
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