The nutritional content of fruits and vegetables is high and beneficial to your overall health. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that the average person needs to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables she eats throughout the day because she is not eating enough. Nutritional diets should put a significant focus on fruit and vegetable consumption.
Basics
All fruits and vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and fiber. To ensure that you get all the nutrition you can from fruits and vegetables it is important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Focusing on including different colored fruits and vegetables in your diet will help ensure you get all the nutrients you need.
Significance
The nutrition in fruits and vegetables can help prevent a number of different diseases and aliments. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables can help ward off heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, some forms of cancer, gastrointestinal problems such as diverticulitis and eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
Considerations
Vegetables are low in calories and generally contain a negligible amount of fat. Therefore, you can eat as many as you want to throughout the day as long as you do not add high-fat dips and spread to them. Fruits often have more calories than vegetables because of their higher sugar content, but the amount of sugar in fruit is still less than that found in candies and sweets.
The high fiber content in both fruits and vegetables will keep you feeling full longer and on smaller amounts of food. Also, it will provide you with reserves of energy.
Types
Some of the specific vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables include beta-carotene which is found in orange, yellow and leafy green vegetables; vitamin A found in carrots and cantaloupe; vitamin C which is present in citrus fruits, berries, peppers and tomatoes; vitamin E found in green leafy vegetables; B vitamins and folic acid can be found in some fruits and leafy vegetables; and lycopene which can be found in red vegetables such as tomatoes, reports Discovery Health.
Green leafy vegetables that contain the highest quantities of nutrients include spinach, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard and bok choy. Vegetables such as potatoes offer the nutritional value of a starch even though they are labeled as a vegetable. Don't include potatoes in your daily serving count of vegetables.
Tips
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, depending on your daily calorie intake you should be consuming anywhere from five to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. To ensure that you regularly consume enough fruits and vegetables, consume at least a serving of fruit at every meal. Snack on fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Make your lunches and dinners rich in vegetables by making them primarily with vegetables. Try new fruits and vegetables. Use frozen fruits and vegetables in meals and baked goods.
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