Increase your vegetable intake – The Basics
Tony Hirving RD, a dietitian who has helped many people lose weight says of the importance of eating vegetables:
“Vegetables provide a selection of important vitamins and minerals along with other compounds, called phytochemicals that help to keep us healthy – current guide lines suggest adults should eat at least 5 portions (400g) of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day.
To get the maximum benefits, you need to eat different types of vegetables because they contain different amounts of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. So aim to include a variety of vegetables in your 5-a-day to get the most benefit
It has been estimated that eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could reduce the risk of deaths cancer by up to 20% – fruit and vegetables can also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke – two very good reasons to eat vegetables, in my opinion!
Evidence also suggests an increase in fruit and vegetables intake can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of cataracts and symptoms of asthma, and can also help improve bowel function
Some vegetables (e.g. broccoli, savoy cabbage) are good sources of folate, which is important in foetal development. All women of child bearing age are recommended to increase their consumption of foods naturally rich in folate and foods fortified with folic acid – evidence suggests a good intake of folate may also help protect against heart disease
People often ask me can they just take a vitamin supplement. The benefits of fruit and vegetables stem not only from the individual components, but also from the interactions between these components.
Dietary supplements, containing isolated vitamins or minerals, do not appear to have the same beneficial effects as actually consuming fruit and vegetables – they are not a substitute for a poor diet. And as their name implies – they are ‘supplements’. They’re not called ‘replacements!
And because vegetables have a low energy density, they make a great choice for anyone trying to control their weight – adding vegetables to main meals helps to ‘bulk’ out the dish without adding lots of extra calories
Also remember that not only fresh vegetables but canned vegetables, and frozen vegetables and vegetable juice all count toward the 5-a-day target”.
We all like to be healthy and to be sure that we're doing the best we can for ourselves, and our families, health.
Join GetFit Nutrition and start leading a healthy life today. No joining fee and we're confident that you’ll find healthy ways to lose weight when you join, but for peace of mind, we'll refund your money within 7 days if for any reason you don't! Click here to join today...