Vegetables and Fruits | The Nutrition Source

• Fruits and vegetables are essential to healthy eating habits, and diversity is equally important as quantity.
• Each fruit or vegetable offers all the nutrients you require to stay healthy. Consume plenty of food every day.

A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce blood pressure, lower the chance of developing stroke and heart disease and prevent certain kinds of cancer, reduce the likelihood of developing digestive and eye issues, and also improve blood sugar levels, which could aid in keeping your appetite under control. A diet that isn’t starchy and includes fruits such as pears, apples, and green leafy veggies can help lose weight. Low glycemic levels reduce blood sugar spikes which can cause an increase in hunger.

At least nine varieties of vegetables and fruits are available, each containing hundreds of plant substances that can benefit health. Please take advantage of a wide range of kinds and hues of fruits and vegetables to give your body the variety of nutrients it requires. This is more variety in beneficial plant chemicals and can produce eye-catching food items.

Strategies to eat more fruits and vegetables every day

1. Keep the fruit in a place where you can easily see it. Place several washed and ready-to-eat fruit in a bowl. Or keep the chopped fruit in glass bowls in the fridge to satisfy your sweet craving.
2. Explore the aisles of produce and pick something different. Variety and color are essential to a balanced diet. Most days, try to eat at least one serving of the following categories: dark green leafy vegetables as well as orange or yellow fruits, vegetables, red fruit, and vegetables, beans (beans), and peas and citrus fruit.
3. Do not eat potatoes. Choose other vegetables stuffed with various nutrients and more slow-digested carbs.
4. Create an entire dinner. Try making new recipes that incorporate more vegetables. Salads, soups, and stir-fries are some ideas to increase the amount of delicious vegetables you can include in your meal.

Five common questions regarding fruits and vegetables.

Are you hesitant to fill your cart with vibrant produce because of the concerns raised in discussions or online articles?

HERE’S A LOOK AT SOME COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND WHAT THE CURRENT RESEARCH SAYS.

Fruits, vegetables, and diseases

Cardiac disease

Evidence suggests that a diet high in vegetables and fruits may reduce the risk of developing heart stroke and heart.

• A meta-analysis of cohort studies involving 469,551 people found that eating more fruits and vegetables is linked to the risk of a lower death from cardiovascular disease. An average decrease of 4% per additional serving day of fruits and vegetables. [2]
• The most comprehensive and longest-running study was within the Harvard-based Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. It included nearly 110,000 males and females with a diet and health history monitored over 14 years.
• The greater the average daily intake of vegetables and fruits, the less chance of developing a heart attack or stroke. Compared to those who fall into the lowest vegetable and fruit consumption (less than 1.5 servings per day), the people who ate eight or more servings per day were 30 percent less likely to suffer an attack on their heart or a stroke. [3]
• Although all fruits and veggies likely contributed to this health benefit, leafy green vegetables, like spinach, lettuce, Swiss chard, and mustard greens, were significantly associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Cruciferous veggies like broccoli or cauliflower, cabbage Brussels sprouts as well as bok choy, and Kale, as well as citrus fruits like limes, lemons, oranges as well as grapefruit (and their juices), have also played a significant role. [3]
• When researchers merged results from the Harvard studies with other studies that have been conducted over time conducted in both Europe, the U.S. and Europe and examined stroke and coronary heart disease independently, they discovered the same protective effects: People who consumed more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, had a roughly 20 percentage lower risk of developing coronary heart disease as well as stroke [5] when compared with those who ate smaller than three servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Blood pressure

• The Dietary Approaches to Reduce Hypertension (DASH) research[6looked at the effects on the blood pressure of a diet that included a high proportion of fruits and vegetables as well as dairy products with low-fat content and reduced saturated as well as total fat. Researchers discovered that people suffering from high blood pressure adhered to this diet decreased their systolic pressure (the higher number on blood pressure measurement) by around 11 millimeters Hg and diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by about 6 millimeters Hg. This is as much as a medication can attain.
• A randomized trial dubbed the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Study for the Heart Health (OmniHeart) found that this nutrient-rich fruit and vegetable diet reduced blood pressure more when healthy unsaturated fats or proteins replaced a portion of the carbohydrates. [7]
• In 2014, a meta-analysis of observational and clinical studies revealed that a vegetarian diet was linked with lower blood pressure. [8]

Cancer

Many studies from the beginning revealed a positive link between eating fruit and vegetables and cancer prevention. In contrast to studies that focus on case-control, study cohorts that are large-scale studies that follow groups of healthy people over some time typically provide more reliable data than studies that focus on case-control because they do not rely on evidence of the previous. In general, the results of cohort studies haven’t consistently proven that a diet containing fruits and vegetables can prevent cancer.

• For instance, in 14 years during the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up study, women and men who had the highest intake of fruit and vegetables (8+ servings daily) were as likely to be diagnosed with cancer than those who consumed the minor daily portions (under 1.5). [3]
• An analysis of meta-analyses from cohort research showed that a higher fruit and vegetable consumption intake does not lower the risk of dying due to cancer. [2]

The most likely scenario is that certain vegetables and fruits could protect against certain cancers.

• A study conducted by Farvid and coworkers followed the Nurses’ Health Study II cohort of 90,476 premenopausal women for 22 years. They discovered that women who consumed the most fruits during adolescence (about three servings per day) compared to those who consumed the most minor amounts (0.5 servings per day) had an increase of 25% in the risk of developing breast cancer. The researchers found significant reductions in breast cancer among women who ate greater amounts of fruit such as apples, bananas, corn, and grapes during adolescence and consumed Kale and oranges in early adulthood. There was no evidence of protection from drinking fruit juices at earlier stages of life. [9]
• Farvid and coworkers followed 90,534 premenopausal women who participated in their study Nurses’ Health Study II for 20 years and discovered that greater intakes of fiber in the early years of adulthood and adolescence were linked to a lower risk of developing being diagnosed with breast cancer later in the course of. In comparing the most and least fiber intakes from vegetables and fruits, those with the highest amount of fiber from fruits were 12% less likely to develop the risk of developing breast cancer. Women with the highest intake of vegetables were found to have a 1% decrease in risk. [10]
• Following 182,145 females from the Nurses’ Health Study I and II for 30 years, the Farvid team also discovered that women who consumed over 5.5 servings of vegetables and fruits each daily (especially the cruciferous vegetables and the yellow/orange ones) were at an 11 percentage lower risk of getting breast cancer than women who consumed 2.5 or fewer portions. Vegetable intake was strongly associated with a 15% lower risk of estrogen-receptor-negative tumors for every two additional servings of daily vegetables. Higher consumption of vegetables and fruits was associated with less risk of developing aggressive tumors such as HER2-enriched or basal-like tumors. [11]
• A study by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that vegetables without starch-like components, such as lettuce as well as other leafy greens like broccoli as well as bok choy and cabbage, onions, garlic, and similar fruit “probably” protect against several kinds of cancers, including those that affect the mouth throat, voice box, throat stomach, esophagus, and voice box. Fruits are also likely to protect against cancer of the lungs. [12]

Certain ingredients in fruits and vegetables can protect against cancer. Examples include:

• A series of studies arising from a survey conducted by the health professionals follow-up study suggests tomatoes could help protect men against prostate cancer, particularly the more aggressive types. 12] A pigment that gives the red color of tomatoes, lycopene, could be responsible for this protection impact. While a variety of studies, other than those of the Health Professionals Study, have also identified a link between lycopene or tomatoes with prostate cancer, other studies do not have or have discovered only a weak link. [14]
• As a group, These studies suggest that the increased consumption of tomato-based foods (especially cooked tomatoes) and other lycopene-rich foods can reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. Lycopene is a member of various carotenoids (compounds that our bodies can transform into vitamin A), which are present in colorful fruits and vegetables. Research suggests that food products containing carotenoids could help protect against oral, lung, and throat cancer. However, further research is required to understand better the relationship between the fruits and vegetables carotenoids, cancer, and other carotenoids.

Diabetes

A few studies examine whether certain fruits are linked with the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Although there’s yet to be a lot of research in this area, the initial results are convincing.

• A study of more than 66,000 women who were part of the Nurses’ Health Study, 85,104 women of the Nurses’ Health Study II, and 36,173 males from the Health Professionals Follow-up study–who were not suffering from major chronic illnesses–found that higher consumption of whole fruits, including blueberries, grapes, and apples was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Another significant finding was that higher consumption of juices made from fruits could be related to a greater likelihood of developing the type 2 form of diabetes. [15]
• A study of more than 70 000 female nurses between the ages of 38 and 63 years, unaffected by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, revealed that eating fruits and vegetables with green leaves was linked to a lower risk of developing diabetes. Although not conclusive, studies have also suggested that the consumption of fruit juices might be related to an increase in risk for women. (16)
• A survey of more than 2300 Finnish men revealed that eating fruit and vegetables, specifically fruit, can decrease the risk of having type 2 form of diabetes. [17]

Weight

Information taken from Nurses’ Health Studies and the Health Professional’s Follow-up study shows that men and women who ate more vegetables and fruits over 24 years are more likely to lose weight than individuals who consumed the same amount or ate less. Apples, berries, pears, and soy and cauliflower were linked to weight loss, whereas starchier vegetables such as corn, potatoes, and peas were connected to weight growth. But remember that adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet isn’t aid in weight loss unless it’s replacing a different food item, like refined carbohydrates found in crackers and white bread.

Gastrointestinal health

Fruits and vegetables are rich in digestible fiber absorbed by water and then expands when it moves through the digestive tract. This may help ease symptoms of an upset stool and, through triggering periodic bowel movements, may help relieve or prevent constipation. Its bulking, softening effect of insoluble fiber can also reduce pressure in the intestinal tract. It can aid in avoiding diverticulosis. [19]

Vision

Consuming fruits and vegetables can help keep your eyes healthy and can help to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration, two of the most common eye diseases associated with aging. And macular degeneration. Both of these are a problem affecting millions of Americans over 65. In particular, 20-23 Lutein and zeaxanthin appear to decrease the chances of developing cataracts. [24]