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Other Five A Day Sites Health Benefits Fitness Tips Fruits and Veggies |
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Eating 5 A Day may be the most important nutritional change you can make. Fruits and vegetables can enhance your health in many ways. |
1. Helps Prevent Cancer |
Produce is rich in naturally occurring antioxidants and other phytochemicals (pronounced fight-o-chemicals). These help detoxify cancer-causing substances and protect against free-radicals, which can damage cells and initiate cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US with 1.3 million new cases diagnosed each year. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce cancer incidence by 30-40% |
2. Helps Prevent Heart Disease |
Eating more fruits and
vegetables can help you lower the heart-damaging saturated fat and
cholesterol in your diet. The antioxidants and phytochemicals in
produce may help prevent fatty deposits from forming in blood
vessels. Vegetables and fruits provide soluble fiber, which helps
lower blood cholesterol. they also supply folate, a vitamin that
helps lower blood levels of homocysteine, another risk factor for heart
disease.
Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the US, claiming morethan 960,000 lives each year. Eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day reduces the risk for coronary heart disease by 20-40%. |
3. Helps Bring Blood Pressure Down |
Diets rich in fruits and
vegetables have been shown to bring blood pressure down in people with and
without high blood pressure. How? Researchers believe
potassium and magnesium in these foods should be credited.
High blood pressure is one of the nation's most common health problems, affecting one quarter of adults or 43 million people. |
4. Helps Prevent Stroke |
Results of recent studies show
that diets high in produce can decrease the risk of stroke by up to
25%. The potassium and phytochemicals they supply may be responsible
for this benefit.
Stroke is the leading cause of death in the US, killing about 160,000 of the half million people who experience one each year. |
5. Helps Keep You Trim |
Filling up on high fiber, low
calorie fruits and vegetables is a great way to keep trim. Eating
lots of produce displaces high calorie foods. all the chewing and
high fiber that go along with fruits and vegetables gives you a feeling of
fullness and satisfaction. Many vegetables have less than 50
calories for a whole cup, while only five potato chips or one small cookie
have the same number of calories.
Obesity is becoming an epidemic in America. 61% of adults are overweight or obese. 26% of children fall into the same category. |
6. Helps Prevent Blindness |
Eating more vegetables and fruits may lower your risk for two of the most common causes of adult blindness: Cataracts (common in older adults) and macular degeneration. Scientists link this protection with antioxidants like vitamin C and certain carotenoids. Researchers have found a five-fold reduction in cataracts among consumers of more than 1.5 servings of produce each day. |
7. Helps Avoid Diverticulosis |
This is a common intestinal disorder in mature adults. Diverticulosis occurs when pressure in the intestine creates small pouches in the intestinal wall, which can become inflamed and painful. The best defense against developing these pouches (diverticulae) is eating a high fiber diet. |
8. Help for Diabetes |
The soluble fiber in fruits and vegetables can help keep blood sugar and cholesterol levels down, as well as help with weight management, in people with diabetes. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the US and is associated with heart disease and other diseases. |
9. Helps Reduce Birth Defects |
It is estimated that half of all neural tube birth defects could be prevented if women were to consume the recommended amount of folic acid before they conceive. Eating fruits and vegetables rich in folic acid, along with fortified grain products, can help meet the folic acid recommendations to prevent neural tube defects. |
10. Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth and Experience Pure Pleasure |
When you turn to fruit for a
sweet taste and quick energy, you get an added boost of nutrition that
works for you, instead of just empty calories found in sweets like candy
bars and soft drinks.
Adding the vibrant colors of vegetables and fruits -- the reds, oranges, purples, greens and yellows -- can make any dish more visually appealing. Also, the diversity of textures and tastes of these foods will add interest and flavor to many meals. Experiment with new ways to prepare and season vegetables and fruits and experience their pure pleasure! |
