Mothers and health practitioners agree that eating fruits and vegetables will help keep the doctor away, keep disease risks low and maintain a healthy weight. Nutrients essential for your body's continued health and longevity are found in abundance in fruits and vegetables. The main nutrients examined are minerals and vitamins, but phytochemicals and antioxidants are also essential.
Vitamins
Vitamins can be found in every food group and in various sources. Vitamins do not provide calories, but they are essential to proper functioning of the body. They are involved in immune function, vision, bone strengthening, and muscle function. Vitamins are sensitive to water, temperature, and freshness of produce. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins, and your body absorbs them when fat is present in the diet. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin A from vegetables such as carrots, is useful for vision, and it helps prevent night blindness. Vitamin D, which is found in fortified milk products, helps to prevent rickets and keep bones strong. Vitamin E, found in nuts and spinach, is a potent antioxidant and helps to keep your cells healthy. Like vitamin E, vitamin K, which is found in nightshade vegetables like broccoli and dark green, leafy vegetables, participates in the blood clotting process. The water-soluble vitamins are the B vitamins and vitamin C. The B vitamins, which include B6, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, thiamine, and riboflavin, are found in fish, meats, dark, green leafy vegetables, and beans. The National Institutes of Health shows that B vitamins participate in metabolism and cell development. A deficiency in B vitamins can result in different forms of anemia. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and immunity booster, and vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits, brightly colored bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Minerals
Minerals are also found in all the food groups, and they are equally essential to health and proper functioning. Like vitamins, they do not provide calories, but they do play essential roles in the human body. Minerals are not as sensitive to heat and cooking methods, but they can still be leached into cooking water if a vegetable or fruit is boiled for a long time. Iron plays a significant role in the ability of blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of the body, and food sources include broccoli and dark green, leafy vegetables. Iron requires vitamin C to be absorbed effectively from vegetable sources. Iron can also be found in meat sources. Calcium, found in spinach, kale, and collard greens, is important for bone and muscle health. Magnesium is an important mineral that participates in muscle health and stamina, and sources include avocados, bananas, soy products, and whole grains. Potassium and sodium work together in muscle movement, metabolism, and sources of potassium include soy products, sweet potatoes, kiwis, prunes, and apricots. Sodium is much easier to consume than potassium because it is added to processed food like chips, canned products, and packaged meals.
Raw vs. Prepared
Be sure to select fresh, whole fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Frozen products make a good substitute, but canned products are often high in sodium. Prepared foods, such as canned or cooked fruits and vegetables, do provide a convenient way to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, but be aware of the increased sugar that accompanies sweetened, sauced, or jellied fruits, such as fruit cups. These can add unwanted calories and sugar to your diet. According to Nutritiondata.com, cream-style canned corn provides 730 mg of sodium, whereas fresh, raw corn provides just 23 mg of sodium.
Organically vs. Conventionally Grown
There appears to be insignificant variation in nutrient content of organic versus conventionally grown produce. Genetic modification of fruits and vegetables is becoming more common, but organically grown foods are not genetically modified. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the pesticide level of fruits and vegetables and carefully monitors pesticide residue. If the potential of pesticide residue or production of genetically modified produce is concerning, organically produced fruits and vegetables may be a good choice.
Getting Specific Numbers
Typically, raw fruits and vegetables provide fewer than 100 calories and naturally very little fat, except for avocados. Fruit like apples, bananas, berries, peaches, and oranges provide 70 to 80 calories. They are high in fiber and vitamins as well. Vegetables like sweet potatoes, squashes, and other root vegetables are also naturally low in calories but high in vitamins and minerals. Because they are lower in calories and fat, fruits and vegetables can make excellent snacks and fillers for meals. Various sources abound with nutrition information about different food products. You can use these sites to search for specific nutrients, calories, and fat content. The Dietary Reference Intakes table, maintained by the USDA, show your specific nutrient needs based on your age and gender to compare them to the nutrients yielded by the produce.
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