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A team of researchers from the National Fruit and Vegetable Program say that daily consumption of fruits and vegetables can protect you against many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration, and hypertension.
The field experts recently launched the “Fruits & Veggies – More Matters”, campaign empathizing the long term health benefits of these healthy products.
The initiative is one of many to try to fight obesity and unhealthy diets. Several recent studies have found that Americans don’t eat the required amount of fruits and vegetables. Some of these investigations have focused on the eating habits of kids and teens, but others have included adults and concluded that they are not much fonder of fruits and vegetables than young people.
This is an unfortunate scenario as doctors and nutritionists stress that these foods are beneficial for our health because they provide the human body with vitamins, as well as fiber and antioxidants.
Health workers inform that adults should eat three (3) cups of vegetables each day, and somewhere between one and half (1.5) and two (2) cups of fruit each day. But statistically speaking, a survey from earlier this year has revealed that just 13 percent (13%) of all Americans eat enough fruit, and just 9 percent (9%) of Americans eat enough vegetables.
These are only a few of the facts that determined Dr. Nina Radcliff to offer some advice of her own to people who want to try to lead a healthier life. She firmly believes that there are several things they can do to maximize their fruit and vegetables intake.
First of all, never skip breakfast. Remember the old saying about breakfast being the most important meal of the day? It turns out that this is true. A well balanced breakfast will not only make you sharp, but also keep you from developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, all while also preventing you from gaining weight.
There are a few different ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables in your morning meal. Berries, apples and bananas can be mixed with yogurt, smoothies, cereal and oatmeal.
And for those who prefer salty foods in the morning, adding tomatoes, mushrooms, lettuce or olives on top of ham and cheese sandwiches is sure to improve their taste. You may also try to chop some onions and add them to your eggs.
Then there’s snacking. Most people’s favorite snacks are chips. The only problem is that these products also fill the body with salt, fat and calories. But why do people love chips so much? One popular answer is that they love the crispy, crunchy feeling one gets when eating them.
However, Dr. Radcliff informs that broccoli, celery, cauliflower stalks and cucumbers offer pretty much the same crispy, crunchy sensation, but with the extra benefit of being actually healthy and filling the body with vitamin C, calcium and fiber.
Last but not least, one of everyone’s favorite topics – desserts. Baked goods cam easily be made healthier by using fresh apples, cherries and berries for their filling, rather than gem or pudding. Your treats will be just as delicious, but the fresh fruit will make up for the sugar and the butter.
Image Source: pixabay.com
