Why did we need to eat vegetables and fruits daily? Vegetables and fruits occupy an integral part of our daily diet. Health experts recommend usually filling half of the plate we eat with different colors and types of vegetables and fruits, that we get the many benefits of vegetables and fruits.
Vegetables and fruits of all colors and shapes contain vitamins and minerals and represent a source of phytochemicals that play an essential role in diseases protection if they are adhered to regularly and permanently.
Phytochemicals act as natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory in addition to the fact that some of them contain phytoestrogens, which are natural substances extracted from plants and play a role similar to estrogen's role in the body.
As is well known, the fiber content of vegetables and fruits contributes to obesity prevention, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancers.
Health benefits of vegetables and fruits according to nutrients.
Vegetables and fruits play an essential role in maintaining human health, their nutrient contents vary according to their colors and shapes and how treated during agriculture in terms of their soil support and the water used for watering. Therefore, we should take care to diversify its intake to obtain the maximum possible benefits from it.
The following are the most prominent nutritional components found in fruits and vegetables and the importance of each of them:
Carotenoids:
Carotenoids are one of the most widespread natural food pigments commonly found in orange, yellow or red fruits and vegetables, also green leafy vegetables.
Carotenoids add a distinctive color to our food and provide it with many health benefits; They exist in several forms, including:
- Carotenoids are a form of vitamin A and are a good source of it. "Carotenoids will be transformed into vitamin A in the body." which is an essential vitamin for growth, reproduction, and immune system functions. We found Carotenoids in carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papaya, persimmons, pineapple, tomatoes, and spinach.
- Lutein and zeaxanthin are very significant for eye health. The most important food sources that provide us with them are cantaloupe, corn, carrots, yellow and orange peppers, fish, salmon, and eggs.
- Lycopene, in tomatoes, may reduce the risk of cancers of the prostate, ovaries, stomach, and pancreas.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are plant pigments that give the flowers of plants their colors, act as antioxidants, are anti-cancer, and protect against coronary heart disease. We found them in apples, grapes, peach, plum, nectarines, pomegranate, Berries.
Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are natural substances extracted from plants and are similar in the body to the role of estrogen (one of the female hormones). Plant estrogens can bind to estrogen receptors in the body, which helps relieve the symptoms associated with menopausal syndrome in women, as it is caused by a lack of estrogen in the body. We found them in soybeans, dates, Legumes (eg: chickpeas, beans, lentils), oats, barley, Sesame seeds, Flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, pistachio, Almonds.
Fiber
Also known that eating fiber is the best treatment for constipation and is very important for its prevention, but fiber plays a role in maintaining healthy body weight and reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer. When eating food containing fiber, it is preferable to stick to drinking water because fiber works to absorb water, improving and facilitating the process of excreting waste from the body. We found them in vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts.
Vitamin C
Characterized by its significant function in wound healing and infection prevention. It also maintains healthy skin and bones and enhances the absorption of iron in food. We found Vitamin C in broccoli, cabbage, citrus fruits, guava, strawberry, kiwi, green leaves, pineapple, cantaloupe, pepper, potatoes, tomatoes.
Potassium
Potassium is one of the essential minerals that we need. Potassium maintains the regularity of the heartbeat, lowers blood pressure, and the safety of muscle movement, and kidney patients should take care when there is potassium in their diet and avoid it as much as possible. We found it in bananas, oranges, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potato, spinach, lentils, dried apricots, kiwi.
Recommended amounts of vegetables and fruits
Recent recommendations indicate the importance of eating at least five servings of vegetables and fruits per day, provided that the vegetables are from the non-starchy vegetable group. The starchy vegetable group includes corn, peas, and potatoes. The size of one serving of vegetables is as follows:
- 1/2 cup of green vegetables or orange vegetables (such as spinach, carrots).
- 1/2 cup of kidney beans (cooked, dried, or canned)
- 1/2 cup of lentils.
- One cup of leafy vegetables.
- One medium tomato.
Examples of serving size for one fruit include:
- One medium apple, banana, orange, or pear.
- Two small pieces of apricot.
- 1/2 cup of natural juice.
- One cup of chopped fruits.
- 30 gm of dried fruits.
Nutrients found in nature are many and varied. They are uncountable and not limited to a few lines, nor can their benefits exceed their numbers. Therefore, specialists recommend obtaining nutrients from their natural sources instead of relying on nutritional supplements since natural sources contain many components and nutrients that perform many functions in the body at the same time.