Nutritional goodness in fruits and vegetables & bull; hello healthy

Almost everyone knows that fruits and vegetables are good for health, but the nutritional benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables are amazing.

Vitamin C

Fruits and vegetables are more or less the only sources of vitamin C. Other foods that provide this essential vitamin intake are breast milk and some meat offal. Vitamin C helps defend the body from infection and plays an important role in bones, blood vessels, cartilage, teeth and gums. Vitamin C also functions as an antioxidant, and the quantity present in fruits and vegetables is naturally safe. The same is not true of vitamin C in supplement form. Vitamin C also aids in the absorption of iron from plant sources.

Found in:

• All fruits and vegetables that contain Vitamin C.
• Chili, guava, broccoli, citrus fruits, papayas, cauliflower, strawberries, mangoes, melons, and cabbage are rich in vitamin C

Vitamin E

This antioxidant vitamin protects many cells throughout the body, especially in the membrane around cells.

Found in:

• Vegetables: dark outer leaves of cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, spinach, sweet corn, broccoli, asparagus, and parsnips.
• Blackberries, mangoes, and tamarillo are good sources, and smaller amounts of vitamin E are found in plums, pears, and raspberries.

Vitamin A.

Most of the vitamin A is made in the body from compounds called carotenoids that are found in light-colored vegetables and fruits. Beta carotene is the most important carotenoid for conversion to vitamin A.

Found in:

• Vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, chilies, Asian vegetables, watercress, peas, tomatoes, sweet corn, beans, lettuce and broccoli.
• Fruits: melons, apricots, persimmons, tamarillo, yellow peaches, guava and oranges.

Vitamin B

There are eight different vitamins in this complex group and fruits and vegetables make up 7 of them. Vitamin B has a role in repairing tissue, healthy blood, and the body's ability to produce energy from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Found in:

Thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6) and biotin are found in foods such as mushrooms, peas, corn, sweet potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, cauliflower, avocado, banana. Leafy greens are a good source of the B vitamin folate.

Food fiber

All vegetables and fruits provide a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber helps keep the intestines working properly and slows the breakdown of food into glucose in the blood. Soluble fiber can also help control cholesterol levels in the blood.

Found in:

All fruits and vegetables, with the highest sources being peas, sweet corn, spinach, celery, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, and potatoes. Among fruits, the highest sources include berries, pomegranates, quinces, pears, apples, plums, rhubarb, kiwi, bananas, figs, and mangoes.

Antioxidants

The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can help boost the body's supply of these important components that can keep the body healthy.

More than a thousand different components have antioxidant action in the body and can help prevent changes in infection and breakdown of cell function. Several antioxidants also contribute to eye health and many have anti-cancer activity.

Fruits and vegetables contain hundreds of these antioxidants. Research shows that people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of developing serious health problems. However, when antioxidants are consumed isolated from vegetables and fruit and taken as supplements, they do not have the same protective effect. Some can even harm the body. This is the obvious reason that nature knows what is best for us and why we should eat more fruits and vegetables.

The role of color in fruit and vegetables

Red, blue and purple

Red, blue, and purple fruits and vegetables usually contain anthocyanins, and red fruits and vegetables often contain lycopene as well. Anthocyanins have antioxidant properties that can limit the damage to your cells by free radicals and may also lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, macular degeneration, and memory problems. Lycopene can help you lower your risk of cancer and heart disease. These brightly colored fruits and vegetables also usually contain essential vitamins and minerals such as potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate. The compounds in these fruits and vegetables can also keep your eyesight and immune system healthy and limit the risk of urinary tract infections.

White

White fruits and vegetables get their color from polyphenol compounds with antioxidant properties called anthoxanthins, which can lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Some putith-colored foods, such as garlic, contain alliccin, which can lower the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer and heart disease. These foods are also good sources of potassium, vitamin C, folate, niacin and riboflavin.

Orange and yellow

The compounds that give fruits and vegetables their orange and yellow color are called carotenoids. Carotenoids can improve immune function and lower the risk of heart disease, health problems, and cancer. Beta carotene is a carotenoid that your body uses to make vitamin A. Folate, potassium, bromium, and vitamin C are also often found in fruits and vegetables that are orange and yellow in color.

Green

Chlorophyll gives color to green fruits and vegetables. Some of these fruits and vegetables also contain indoles, which can lower the risk of cancer, and lutein, which can prevent vision problems. Some of the other nutrients commonly found in green fruits and vegetables include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate.

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