Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet. Although it may seem inconvenient or even cumbersome to incorporate the recommended amount in your diet, there are a variety of easy, inexpensive and quick ways to do so.
About
Fruits and vegetables are well-known plant foods but less known are their major botanical and nutritional differences. As the seed-bearing, fleshy ovaries of plants, fruits are typically high in sugar, vitamins and minerals because these are the nutrients necessary to fuel the growth of a mature fruit after fertilization. Vegetables make up the remaining parts of a plant, including its roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds. As the main energy storage of a plant, roots such as potatoes and carrots are high in sugar, vitamins and minerals. Stems such as rhubarb and celery provide structure and therefore tend to be woodier vegetables. Leaves such as spinach, flowers such as broccoli and seeds such as peas are similarly good sources of nutrients.
Benefits
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends plenty of fruits and vegetables as part of a balanced diet because these are low-calorie foods that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Different fruits and vegetables are rich in different nutrients, so it is important to consume a colorful variety of plants on a daily basis. Fruits and vegetables are also the best sources of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E, lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene and selenium, which help prevent the cellular damage that contribute to cancer, heart disease and other medical conditions.
Features
Breakfast is the easiest meal to incorporate whole fruits into your diet. Try sliced banana in your cereal, a variety of fresh berries in oatmeal or yogurt, whole-grain waffles topped with sliced peach and powdered sugar, eggs with a side of fresh orange segments or a small glass of 100 percent fruit juice with any meal. Snacks are another great way to obtain your daily nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Convenient options include boxed raisins or dried cranberries, whole or sliced fruit by itself or mixed into yogurt, sliced carrots or celery with peanut butter, broccoli florets dipped in low-fat dressing, sugar snap peas or sliced bell pepper straight in your mouth, or a homemade lettuce wrap filled with a variety of sliced or grated vegetables and served with low-fat dressing. Fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices are a fast and easy solution to meet your needs but can be expensive. Beware of packaged juices because they tend to be packed with sugar.
Lunch and dinner are the easiest meals for including your veggies. Get creative in your kitchen and try a vegetable stir fry, pasta primavera, a variety of roasted vegetables or vegetarian chili. You can sneak vegetables into a variety of dishes to help get your five plus servings per day. Try fresh spinach or steamed broccoli in macaroni and cheese, diced zucchini in chili, sliced cucumber or summer squash on a sandwich, or grated carrots in meatloaf. These options are limited only by your imagination.
Size
Portion control is essential to maintaining a balanced and healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables should always make up the largest portion on your plate. As part of a 1,400-calorie daily diet, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you consume eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables, which should make up just about half of your plate. The remaining half of your plate should include lean meat, whole grains and healthy fats.
Considerations
Choose fresh fruits and vegetables when you have the option because processing techniques such as freezing, canning and drying result in a significant loss of nutrients. For convenience sake, however, frozen, canned or dried are suitable and healthy options when fresh fruits and vegetables are unavailable, too expensive or overly time consuming.
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