essay about eating fruits and vegetables

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The benefits of fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet. Not only do these colourful foods add flavour and variety to your meals, but they also pack a powerful nutritional punch, providing vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. In this article, we will explore the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, how much and the best types to eat and answer some commonly asked questions about fruits.

What is the difference between fruits and vegetables?

Fruits and vegetables are classified from both a botanical and culinary standpoint. The botanical classification is based on the plant’s physiological characteristics, like its structure, function and organisation. 1 A botanical fruit has at least one seed and grows from the flower of the plant. Examples of botanical fruits include apples, strawberries, peaches, but also tomatoes , cucumbers and peppers . A botanical vegetable, on the other hand, does not have a set definition but is more of a general term encompassing all other edible aspects of the plant, the roots, the stems and the leaves. Examples include foods such as spinach, broccoli and carrots.

The culinary classification is based on the way the plants are used and their flavour profiles. Culinary fruits have a softer texture, tend to be either sweet or tart and are often enjoyed raw or in desserts or jams. In contrast, a culinary vegetable usually has a tougher texture, blander taste and often requires cooking. The culinary classification may be more useful in our day-to-day lives as foods from the same botanical family may not have the same nutritional composition. For example, cantaloupe melons, watermelons, butternut squash, cucumbers and pumpkins all belong to the same botanical family but have different nutritional values.

What are the health benefits of fruits and vegetables?

Most people know that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Both fruits and vegetables are high in dietary fibre as well as vitamins and minerals , and other bioactive plant compounds, including many with antioxidant properties such as polyphenols or beta-carotene. Fruits and vegetables contain, for example, vitamin A , B5 , folate , C , E & K and are a rich source of calcium , iron , magnesium , manganese and potassium . 2 The amounts and types of nutrients vary between different types of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are also high in water, ranging from 75-90% of their weight. This fact explains their low energy content. Fruits and vegetables usually contain traces of fats and protein, with a few exceptions such as avocados, which have a high fat content. There is no evidence that organic fruits and vegetables are more nutritious compared to conventional varieties. 3-5

Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with a lower risk of premature deaths and non-communicable diseases ; particularly, cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease and stroke, and certain cancers i.e., of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus and colorectum. 6-8 A meta-analysis looking at 95 prospective studies found that each additional 200 grams of fruits and vegetables per day was associated with an 8% lower risk of coronary heart disease, 16% lower risk of stroke, 8% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, 3% lower risk of cancer and 10% lower risk of premature death. 9 Eating fruits and vegetables was associated with these reduced risks up to intakes of 800 grams per day except cancer, where no further reductions in risk were observed above 600 grams per day.

Eating fruits and vegetables is also linked to a lower risk of other diseases, including dementia, certain eye diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, pancreatic diseases and hip fractures, although with a lower strength of evidence. 6 , 7 Furthermore, diets high in fruits and vegetables may prevent weight gain, the most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

How much fruit and vegetables should I eat per day?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends eating at least 400 g of fruits and vegetables per day. 10 This is often translated to five 80 g portions (also commonly known as “5-a-day”). Almost all fruits and vegetables count towards this recommended daily amount, with a few exceptions: potatoes and other starchy tubers such as cassava; tinned or canned fruits and vegetables with added sugar or salt; more than one portion of dried fruit (30 grams); and more than 150 ml of 100% fruit or vegetable juice or smoothie. In other words, dried fruit and fruit/vegetable juices and smoothies only count for one of your 5-a-day even if you eat or drink more portions. 

Should I avoid eating fruits and vegetables because of ‘anti-nutrients’?

No, fruits and vegetables are healthy choices, despite containing anti-nutrients.

Anti-nutrients are chemicals that are found in plant-based foods that can interfere with how your body absorbs nutrients. 11 Examples of anti-nutrients found in fruits and vegetables include lectins (e.g., in tomatoes and aubergines), oxalates (e.g., in spinach, Swiss chard and beetroot), goitrogens (e.g., in kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli) and tannins (e.g., in grapes, berries, apples and stone fruits). 12 Other examples of anti-nutrients you may have heard of include phytates (e.g., in legumes, whole grains and nuts and seeds) and phytoestrogens (e.g., in soy and soy products and flaxseeds) but these two groups are not found in significant quantities in fruit and vegetables. Although evidence is limited, some suggested implications of these anti-nutrients include altered gut function and inflammation (lectins), reduced absorption of calcium (oxalates), and iron (tannins) and reduced absorption of iodine, hypothyroidism and/or goitre (goitrogens). 12

Some studies have shown that anti-nutrients may cause negative health effects when eaten in very high amounts, without any form of food processing, or in isolated form (e.g. not as part of a food). However, often the health effects seen in these studies are not easily comparable to potential effects of eating them as part of our every diet. For example, much of the research on anti-nutrients linking them to negative health outcomes is performed in animals, which cannot tell us what happens in humans. 12 Moreover, how our bodies absorb nutrients from our diets likely significantly different that how it reacts to isolated compounds used in some research studies. This is because the diverse and complex interactions of all the chemicals in our foods and food combinations affect how our body digests and absorbs nutrients, and any resulting health effects. 11 , 12  

There is however consistent evidence showing that a eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is linked to a reduced risk of various diseases. So, although fruits and vegetables contain anti-nutrients, the health benefits of eating them outweighs any potential negative nutritional effects. Food processing techniques such as boiling, steaming or peeling the skins (specifically for fruits high in tannins) can also reduce the amount of anti-nutrients present in fruits and vegetables.

In a small number of people who have or are at high risk for certain illnesses, anti-nutrients might cause problems (e.g., oxalates in kidney stone formation and goitrogens in thyroid disease). 12 In this case, it is best to consult with a registered dietitian or GP for individualised and safe advice.

What fruit or vegetable is best for health?

No single fruit or vegetable is best for health. All fruits and vegetables are good for health and provide different nutrients. Eating a variety of types and colours provides us with a range of different nutrients the body needs.

Some studies have found that specific fruits and vegetables may be more strongly related to reducing our disease risk. 9 These include apples and pears, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables (e.g., kale, spinach and pak choi) and salads and cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage) for cardiovascular disease and mortality and green-yellow vegetables and cruciferous vegetables for total cancer risk.

Are fresh fruits and vegetables better than frozen?

Both fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables are nutritious choices and count towards the recommended daily intake. Generally, produce picked at peak ripeness offers the highest amount of vitamins and minerals. During sorting, transporting and distribution, fruits and vegetables lose some of their vitamins and minerals. Frozen fruits and vegetables are often frozen within a few hours of harvesting at peak ripeness, and so they retain the most nutrients. However, some vegetables are blanched before freezing, which reduces the levels of less stable water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins B1 and C, as well as antioxidants. 13 Other nutrients such as fat-soluble vitamins A and E are less easily lost, and processing may make these even more available to our bodies. 14

Frozen fruits and vegetables are convenient, often cheaper than fresh and allow us greater variety year-round. They can help to reduce food waste. When choosing frozen produce, choose ones that don’t have added salt or sugar.

When should you eat fruits? Can you eat fruits at night?

Fruits are a healthy choice at any time of the day. The myth that eating fruits at night is bad for you stems from the idea that eating fruit will raise your blood glucose levels and that if your body does not have time to stabilise those levels before bed, it may lead to weight gain. However, there is no evidence to suggest that eating fruit at night is harmful or leads to weight gain.

Any carbohydrate-containing food, including fruits but also vegetables, bread, pasta and pulses, will temporarily increase your blood sugar while glucose is being absorbed by the body, regardless of the time of day. Some studies indicate that our body’s glucose control is influenced by our internal body clock and that eating carbohydrates earlier in the day is associated with better glucose control. 15 However only a small number of studies have looked at this so far and more studies are needed to understand the mechanisms and whether there is any impact on health.

Importantly, glucose control is also dependent on a person’s overall diet and the amount and type of carbohydrate consumed. For example, pairing fruit with a source of protein or fat can help slow down the absorption of sugar and mitigate any potential spikes in blood sugar levels. It’s also important to consider overall calorie intake, as consuming excessive calories from any source can lead to weight gain over time.

Is sugar in fruit bad for you?

No, sugar in fruit is not bad for you. Foods in which sugars naturally occur, such as fruit, vegetables, grains or pulses, usually also contain fibre and other health-promoting nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. As such they are better for our health than foods containing predominantly free or added sugars and few other nutrients. Indeed, high intake of free and added sugars is a risk factor for many preventable diseases, 16 , 17 whereas overall, high fruit and vegetable intake is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancers and premature death. 9

How to safely handle fruits and vegetables?

Since they are often eaten raw, fresh fruit and vegetables can sometimes be a source of foodborne illness. This is because they can pick up microbes from manure or water used during production, or at other stages of picking, storage and transport. However, basic food hygiene can reduce this risk so we can enjoy a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables:

• Wash your hands before and after preparing fruits and vegetables;
• Wash or scrub their skin with water before eating or preparing (products marketed as fruit and vegetable washes are not necessary);
• ‘prewashed’ fruits and vegetables don’t need to be washed again;
• Store them properly and throw away produce that looks or smells spoiled

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet. They are rich in nutrients and can lower our risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables will help ensure that you are getting a range of nutrients. Whether you choose fresh or frozen or eat them in the morning or at night, fruits and vegetables are a great way to boost your health. Eating 400 g of fruits and vegetables a day may seem ambitious but here are some helpful tips to help you:

• Keep fruit easy to reach;
• Take fruits and vegetables with you to have as snacks;
• (re)discover new or forgotten vegetables;
• Check what is in season where you are (& try new recipes);
• Swap your old favourites to increase variety.

• Pennington JAT & Fisher RA (2009). Classification of fruits and vegetables. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 22S:S23-S31.
• Public Health England. 2019. McCance and Widdowson’s Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset.
• Dangour AD, Dodhia SK, Hayter A, Allen E, Lock K & Uauy R (2009). Nutritional quality of organic foods: a systematic review. American Journal Clinical Nutrition. 90:680-685.
• Bourn D & Prescott J (2002). A comparison of the nutritional value, sensory qualities, and food safety of organically and conventionally produced foods. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 42:1-34.
• Worthington V (1998). Effect of agricultural methods on nutritional quality: A comparison of organic with conventional crops. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine 4:58-69.
• Angelino, D. et al. (2019). Fruit and vegetable consumption and health outcomes: An umbrella review of observational studies. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 70(6), 652-667
• Boeing, H., Bechthold, A., Bub, A., Ellinger, S., Haller, D., Kroke, A., ... & Watzl, B. (2012). Critical review: vegetables and fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases. European journal of nutrition, 51, 637-663.
• World Cancer Research Fund International. (2018). Wholegrains, vegetables and fruit and the risk of cancer. Continuous Update Project Expert Report.
• Aune, D. et al. (2017). Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality—a systematic review and dose-response meta-ananalysis of prospective studies. International journal of epidemiology, 46(3)
• World Health Organization. (2020). Healthy diet. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
• López-Moreno, M., Garcés-Rimón, M., & Miguel, M. (2022). Antinutrients: Lectins, goitrogens, phytates and oxalates, friends or foe?. Journal of Functional Foods, 89, 104938.
• Petroski, W., & Minich, D. M. (2020). Is there such a thing as “anti-nutrients”? A narrative review of perceived problematic plant compounds. Nutrients, 12(10), 2929.
• Rickman JC, Barrett DM & Bruhn CM. (2007). Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part I. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 87:930-944.
• Rickman JC, Barrett DM & Bruhn CM. (2007). Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part II. Vitamin A and carotenoids, vitamin E, minerals and fiber. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 87:1185-1196.
• Zhao, L., Hutchison, A. T., & Heilbronn, L. K. (2021). Carbohydrate intake and circadian synchronicity in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care, 24(4), 342-348.
• Gakidou E, et al. (2017). Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016
• Mann J (2007). Dietary carbohydrate: relationship to cardiovascular disease and disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. European Journal of Nutrition 61:S100-S111.

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1-2-3 approach to eating fruits and veggies

• Get healthy recipes and tips

Is it a challenge for you to eat all five servings of fruits and vegetables every day? The 1-2-3 approach can help you pack in all your servings — and more — throughout the day.

Get six servings by eating:

• 1 serving with breakfast
• 2 with lunch
• 3 with dinner and snacks

Remember that the serving size for fruits and vegetables is about 4 to 6 ounces.

Measurements for one serving can differ depending on the food, such as:

• 1 cup of raw or cooked fruits and vegetables
• ½ cup of legumes
• 3 cups of leafy greens

When you add fruits and vegetables to your meals and snacks, you'll find that getting six servings can be easy and fun. Keep fresh, frozen and canned fruits and veggies on hand so it's easy to add them to meals and your favorite dishes.

Use these ideas for each mealtime:

• Make a smoothie with fresh or frozen fruit. Try adding a handful of spinach or kale.
• Mix berries and chopped fruits into batter for pancakes, muffins and waffles.
• Top your cereal, oatmeal or yogurt with fruit, such as berries, peaches, apples or bananas.
• Add vegetables, such as peppers, onions and spinach, to omelets, hash browns or breakfast potatoes.
• Bring a piece of fruit for an on-the-go breakfast.
• Add extra vegetables to your sandwich or wrap. If you're eating out, ask for extra veggies.
• Make homemade vegetable soup for lunch. If you're buying prepared soup, compare nutrition labels and choose the option with the lowest amount of sodium.
• Build a salad with at least 3 cups of leafy greens. You can add chopped vegetables and fruit for more flavor and texture.
• Use leftover vegetables from last night's dinner as a side dish.
• Top a baked potato with salsa or broccoli.
• Make a stir fry for dinner with lots of vegetables.
• Grill vegetables with a minimal amount of oil or oil spray. Thread them on a kebab or toss in a grill basket. Grilling works for fruits, including peaches, pineapples and mangoes.
• Add extra vegetables to pasta sauces, casseroles and soups. Good options are onions, peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers and spinach.
• Steam, microwave or roast vegetables for an easy side dish. Use either fresh or frozen veggies.
• Serve a vegetable-based soup, such as a hearty mixed vegetable, squash, cauliflower, potato, corn or broccoli soup.
• Incorporate fruit into your dessert. Add it to gelatin desserts, make a parfait with yogurt or just serve fruit cut into chunks or slices.
• Keep raw veggies or a piece of fruit at your desk for an easy snack.
• Pack dried fruit in your purse, pocket or backpack to nibble on during the day.
• Dip apple slices or baby carrots in small amounts of peanut butter or almond butter. Try sprinkling cinnamon on apple slices.
• Put fruits and vegetables in easily accessible locations, such as the front of your fridge or counter, which will stop you from reaching for unhealthy foods when you're hungry. If you're low on time, try buying prepared trays with fruits and veggies that are already washed and cut.

Remember that when it comes to fruits and vegetables, more is always better. Don't be afraid to go over the recommended servings. Eating more of these foods can help crowd out higher-calorie foods and satisfy your hunger and cravings for something sweet. Making fruits and veggies a regular part of your diet is as easy as 1-2-3.

Anne Harguth is a registered dietitian in Nutrition in Waseca , Minnesota.

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Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Benefits and Progress of Nutrition Education Interventions- Narrative Review Article

Background:.

Sufficient intake of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases and body weight management but the exact mechanism is unknown. The World Health Organisation and Food and Agriculture of the United Nation reports recommend adults to consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day excluding starchy vegetables. This review focuses on the importance of fruits and vegetables as well as the benefits and progress of nutrition education in improving intake.

For this narrative review, more than 100 relevant scientific articles were considered from various databases (e.g Science Direct, Pub Med and Google Scholar) using the keywords Fruit and vegetable, Nutrition education, Body weight, Obesity, Benefits and challenges.

Existing data suggests that despite the protective effects of fruits and vegetables, their intakes are still inadequate in many countries, especially developing ones. Consequently enhancing strategies to promote fruit and vegetable intake are essential for health promotion among population. A number of reviews confirm that a well planned and behaviour focused nutrition education intervention can significantly improve behaviour and health indicators.

Conclusion:

Despite challenges in nutrition education intervention programs, they are considered as a good investment in terms of cost benefit ratio. Rapid improvement in trends of nutrition education can be seen in many countries and majority of interventions has been successful in increasing fruits and vegetables intake. It is recommended that health professionals use multiple interventions to deliver information in several smaller doses over time to ensure improved outcomes.

Introduction

“Fruits and vegetables (F&V) are considered in dietary guidance because of their high concentrations of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, especially electrolytes; and more recently phytochemicals, especially antioxidants” ( 1 ). Various reviews have associated low intake of fruits and vegetables with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, osteoporosis, many cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, respiratory problems as well as mental health ( 2 – 6 ). Despite an increasing focus on the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, their consumption is below the recommended intake among adults ( 7 , 8 ). Therefore, considering how nutritional related health problems have risen drastically globally, it seems critical that formal nutrition education aiming to increase knowledge and fruits and vegetables intake be given priority in health education programs and health promotion. This review provides an insight into the importance of fruits and vegetables as well as the benefits and progress of nutrition education in improving intake.

Importance of F&V in the diet

Sufficient intake of fruit and vegetables (F&V) has been related epidemiologically with reduced risk of many non-communicable diseases. Currently, much interest are focused on the vital role of antioxidants which impart bright colour to F&V and act as scavengers cleaning up free radicals before they cause detrimental health effects ( 9 ). Moreover, fibers found in F&V have been shown to reduce intestinal passage rates by forming a bulk, leading to a more gradual nutrient absorption ( 10 ) hence preventing constipation. They can be fermented in the colon, increasing the concentration of short chain fatty acids having anticarcinogenic properties ( 11 ) and maintaining gut health. Several studies have highlighted the CVD risk-reducing potential of F&V whereby their intake were strongly associated with lower cardiovascular risk factors such as lower blood pressure (BP), cholesterol and triacylglycerol thus preventing premature cardiovascular disorders ( 2 ). Recently Habauzit et al. ( 12 ) reported that fruits containing a high amount of anthocyanins, flavonols and procyanidins, such as berries, grapes and pomegranate are effective at decreasing cardiovascular risk while citrus fruits and apples had a moderate effect on BP and blood lipid level. An increased consumption of carotenoid-rich F&V maintains the cholesterol level in blood since they reduce oxidative damage and cause an increase in LDL oxidation resistance ( 13 ). An increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables was also reported to cause a decrease in the risk of intestinal, bowel, thyroid, pancreatic and lung cancer ( 4 ).

F&V have also been suggested to prevent osteoporosis in adults mainly for their rich sources of calcium and other vitamins which are vital in bone health ( 3 ). The high fiber content of F&V may play a role in calcium absorption and reduce the ‘acid load’ of the diet ( 14 ) enhancing bone formation and suppressing bone resorption which consequently result in greater bone strength ( 15 ). Moreover, phytoingredients in F&V such as gooseberry, curcumin, and soya isoflavones have shown to be protective against lens damage which occurs due to hyperglycemia ( 16 ) and certain flavonoids such as quercetin can prevent oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of glaucoma ( 17 ). Also, a high intake of F&V was inversely associated with the risk of COPD and respiratory symptoms ( 5 ). Higher total fruit and vegetable intake is also associated with lower risk of cognitive decline hence proved beneficial for mental health ( 6 , 18 ). Based on available evidence, a clear relationship between F&V and diseases has been well established however no protective effect of overall fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) against lung diseases were found. Green leafy vegetables, rather than fruit, were suggested to have a genuine protective effect against lung cancer ( 19 ). Risk of proximal colon cancer, rectal cancer ( 20 ) and aggressive and non-aggressive urothelial cell carcinomas ( 21 ) are not associated with FVI and no protective role were seen on the risk of endometrial cancer in post menopausal women ( 22 ). The accepted recommendation is to consume a variety of F&V because studies demonstrate that a combination of F&V have more potential benefits rather than a single fruit or vegetable ( 23 ). However further studies are warranted.

Fruits and Vegetable Intake (FVI), Body Weight and Obesity

Interestingly, phytochemicals in F&V have been found to act as anti-obesity agents because they may play a role in suppressing growth of adipose tissue ( 1 , 24 ). Adiposity is closely related to biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation and a diet rich in F&V can modify these adiposity related metabolic biomarkers in overweight women ( 25 ). A recent study by Vilaplana et al. ( 26 ) demonstrated that Carica papaya and Morinda citrifolia exhibited high lipase inhibition which can be considered as potential options for the management of obesity and maintaining body weight. To date, the red varieties of Allium cepa , Lactuca sativa , Capsicum annum , Brassica oleracea var sabellica and orange-fleshed type of Ipomoea batatas appear to be the richest vegetables sources of potential anti-obesity phytochemicals that can control the initiation and development of obesity ( 27 ).

It is also understood that fruits and non-starchy vegetables are very low in energy since they contain high amount of water and fiber and can be consumed in a relatively larger amount contributing to increased satiety to maintain normal weight ( 28 ). Fibers also form a gel-like environment in the small intestine, resulting in reduced activity of the enzymes involved in the digestion of fat, protein and carbohydrates ( 29 ). Hence an increased FVI can help to ease weight loss and this can be achieved when F&V displace high-energy-dense foods such as saturated fats, sugar ( 30 ) so that the overall energy density of the diet is reduced ( 31 ). Additionally, fruits have been suggested to prevent obesity since they add up to dietary variety both between and within food groups and palatability to the diet which has been revealed to be an important predictor of body fat ( 32 ). However discrepancies exist with respect to F&V with high glycemic index carbohydrates that are related to a more immediate decrease in appetite and increase in food intake in the short term ( 33 ). High consumption of fructose in F&V is related to obesity in rodents but no effect has yet been demonstrated in humans ( 34 ). FVI in over-weight and obese people is much lower than the recommendation since they tend to restrict intake of these F&V when trying to lose weight.

A significant relationship was observed between BMI and vegetable intake whereby overweight participants had lower intake of vegetables ( 35 – 37 ). This finding is consistent to that of Epuru et al. ( 38 ) who also found a clear trend between prevalence of obesity and low FVI. Furthermore given that fruits are often eaten raw but vegetables are frequently prepared by adding fatty substances (e.g. oil while frying) which reduce the low energy dense uniqueness of vegetables, nutritionists should be careful when promoting FVI among population because the idea may not work with all target population. For instance, the intake of vegetables is associated with a higher risk of obesity in Chinese adults due to use of oil for stir frying vegetables and this highlights the importance of choosing the right cooking methods ( 39 ). Interestingly, many studies report a decrease in body weight with increased FVI ( 40 – 42 ). For instance, in a 10 year follow up study, high FVI reduced long-term risk of weight gain and obesity among Spanish adults ( 43 , 44 ) demonstrated greater weight loss from high vegetable intake when a high vegetable diet was compared with a control diet comprised of ‘usual intake’.

Global Intake of Fruits and Vegetables

According to World Health Organisation STEP-wise approach to surveillance surveys on chronic disease risk factors conducted in several African countries including Mauritius and in line with existing Food and Agriculture Organisation data, fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) levels were found to be below the recommended daily intake of 400g/person ( 45 ). With the current ‘5 A day’ message, a large gap still exists between the recommended and actual intake and many worldwide are not receiving the quantity or variety of F&V that they should have ( 46 , 47 ). Table 1 shows the mean fruits and vegetables intake (FVI) in selected countries.

Fruits and vegetable consumption in adults in selected countries

Available data reveals that the average FVI is not positively linked to the status of the country since greater consumption can be seen in developing countries such as Uganda and PR China compared to developed countries such as Denmark, Germany, UK and France. Data from GEMS/Food cluster diet shows that in US, mean F&V intake is 189.30 g/day and 255 g/day respectively, and recently, adults were found to have F&V about 1.1 times and 1.6 times/day respectively ( 48 ). F&V are consumed in the amount of 146.81 g/day and 176.96 g/day respectively in Hong Kong accounting for a total of 324 g/day ( 49 ). 209 g/day and 228.6 g/day F&V were reported among adults respectively in Germany and recent German Health Interview and Examination Survey data report that women and men consume 3.1 and 2.4 servings of F&V per day respectively ( 50 ). Mean F&V were 179g/day and 133g/day respectively in Malaysia ( 51 ). Current data based from the Canadian Community Health Survey which measured the number of times participants consumed F&V, rather than the actual quantity consumed, reported that only 40.8% Canadians aged ≥12 years consume F&V 5 or more times per day ( 52 ).

Likewise, The Healthy People 2010 report ( 8 ) stated that the trends in FVI over the previous decade were relatively flat and has not been able to meet the Healthy People 2010 goals. The latter targets increasing to 75% the proportion of persons aged ≥ 2 years who consume two or more servings of fruit daily and to 50% those who consume three or more servings of vegetables daily. Recently published Global Phytonutrient Report ( 55 ) reveals that to achieve the WHO recommendation, most adults should at least double their current intake of F&V worldwide. Many countries like France, Spain ( 56 ), US, ( 57 ) and Mauritius ( 58 ) follow the ‘5 A Day’ recommended guidelines. However presently, it has been reported that 5 servings a day are not enough since those consuming 7 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, are having more health benefits and prolonged lives [e.g. those who ate 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day had a 36% lower risk of dying from any cause; 3 to 5 servings was associated with 29% lower risk while 1 to 3 servings was linked with a 14% lower risk] ( 59 ). Countries like Canada, Australia, and Denmark have a recommendation in the range of 6 to10 servings of F&V daily ( 60 – 62 ). Since different countries are using different guidelines, the ideal recommendation of F&V is still being debated and there is need of a unified message to promote intake around the world.

Requirement and strategies for nutrition education to boost FVI

Nutrition education is defined as “any combination of educational strategies, accompanied by environmental supports, designed to facilitate voluntary adoption of food choices and other food and nutrition-related behaviors conducive to health and wellbeing”( 63 ). Educational interventions to encourage Americans to improve their diets may prevent rising incidence of heart diseases and save health care expenditures ( 64 ). The high prevalence of nutrition-related chronic illnesses with obesity and overweight among the most challenging and steadily rising public health problems suggests that nutrition education needs to be a priority for adults and nutrition educators must be knowledgeable about diet and disease relationships specific to the population ( 65 ). The scope of nutrition education is broader than just educating about nutrition in relation to personal health. It can cover a wide range of issues and topics such as an increase in quantity and quality of foods, ways of improving nutritive value of a diet, importance of sanitary food handling practices at home, in market, factories and institutions serving food to large numbers of people such as schools, hospitals and restaurants ( 66 ) hence ensuring food safety and reducing morbidity.

To meet current F&V recommendation, many countries have developed targeted campaigns and interventions to increase FVI to adequate level. Pollard et al. ( 67 ) monitored changes in behaviors regarding FVI in Western Australia before and after the “Go for 2&5” and found that most changes mainly in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning FVI took place after the campaign. In particular, respondents who correctly identified the recommended intake of F&V doubled indicating that health campaign with nutrition education as an integral component is fruitful. Resnicow et al. ( 68 ) also reported that an “Eat for Life program”, a multicomponent intervention to increase FVI conducted resulted in a significant increase in FVI. These studies are consistent to that of Ammerman et al. ( 69 ) who reviewed the efficacy of behavioral interventions to modify FVI emphasizing on studies in North America, Europe and Australia and noted a significant effect in increasing FVI. Moreover, in an intervention using a general nutrition course, participants increased consumption of not only total F&V but also fresh F&V along with a significant decrease in intake of high energy density French fries ( 70 ). Bensley et al. ( 71 ) compared traditional nutrition education to that of an internet one and found that both required follow-up counseling to achieve FVI levels and in both interventions, those who were provided counseling consumed more vegetables, fruits and fruit juice. In order to achieve and sustain FVI at the recommended levels, intervention alone is not enough as it requires a combination of other approaches such as social marketing, behavioral economics approaches, and technology based behavior change models to ensure that required goals are met ( 72 ). The findings from previous reviews are interesting showing that most of the interventions lead to an increased consumption of F&V at least in the short term. However no such review has conducted a Meta analysis quantifying the effectiveness of the interventions. Few intervention reviews have been done to see whether nutrition education is effective. One of such review is that of Taylor et al. ( 73 ) who conducted a Meta analysis of various intervention studies whereby five of them reported significant positive changes in weight and BMI. Four studies had effective interventions targeting determinants of dietary intake and dietary behaviors and nutritional intake. However uncertainty do remains due to insufficient details provided for nutrition intervention protocols, inconsistency in approach of delivery and comparisons between delivery modes and content of information provided to participants between studies. Eyles et al. ( 74 ) found that tailored nutrition education was a promising strategy for improving the diets of adults over the long term but stated that future studies should ensure adequate reporting of research design and reduce the chances of false-positive findings via more objective measures of diet. Likewise tailored interventions were more effective than non-tailored interventions in improving the short-term dietary behaviors of participants whereby delivery of information in several smaller doses over time was more likely to improve effectiveness ( 75 ). Lara et al. ( 76 ) noted that nutrition education was a significant factor in increasing fruit and vegetable in-takes and are therefore effective, sustainable in the long term and considered it to be of public health significance. Table 2 below summarises findings of some successful nutrition education intervention.

Summary and findings of some successful nutrition education interventions

Abbreviations: FV: Fruit & vegetable; FVI: Fruit & Vegetable Intake; FFQ: Food Frequency Questionnaire; +: positive intervention effect; –: negative intervention effect

Overall nutrition education contributes significantly to a change in food and nutrition related behaviors but where many components are involved, it achieves positive results in some and negative in others. Guillaumie et al. ( 77 ) concluded that most psychosocial variables significantly increased in an intervention group exposed to a nutrition education plan with the exception of vegetable intake. Assema et al. ( 78 ) found an intervention effect in saturated fat intake during the main meal and fruit juice consumption but not for daily intake of fruit and vegetables. Contento et al. ( 79 ) stated that “the reported effectiveness, or lack thereof, of nutrition education interventions in various studies depends on many factors, including the nature, duration, and power of the interventions and the degree to which the interventions were implemented as designed”. The author remarked that in order to assure the success of a nutrition education strategy, major implications need to be considered such as developing and testing instruments with each new target audience before any intervention study, it will then be feasible to make judgments about the effectiveness of nutrition education and impact of interventions on mediating variables would be understood.

Moreover, to be successful, nutrition education needs to be much more comprehensive than giving basic nutrition information. It should address food preferences and sensory affective factors; person-related factors such as perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes; meanings and social norms; and environmental factors ( 80 ). Effective nutrition interventions should have a behavioral focus that will reduce the targeted risk factors and comprise strategies that are developmentally and culturally appropriate ( 81 ). Barriers pertaining to health preventive behaviors along with the determinants of intake should be taken into account and solutions should be designed ( 67 ). For example, low income groups can be targeted to opt for cheap sources of F&V to meet the 5 a day demand ( 78 ). Where possible, consumption of tropical fruits should be encouraged and at the same time this will increase the profits of fruit vendors and that of the country at large. Men can be targeted through educational campaigns at work and through eye catching advertisement ( 73 ). The government can review tax on F&V and promote more display areas such as farmers markets and shops in most regions to increase availability ( 56 ). Involvement of stakeholders, ministries, and legislation at higher level can be thought-out concerning produce and distribution channel related factors as well as for food labeling which are sometimes misleading and difficult to interpret ( 82 ). Furthermore, accounting for the high prevalence of diabetes with 387 million cases reported globally which is expected to rise to 592 million by 2035 ( 83 ) and with more than 1.9 billion adults having obesity problems ( 84 ), diabetes concept of not consuming certain fruits may lead to further health detriment. Research shows that diabetic people would benefit greatly from consuming a variety of F&V, which help to lower degrees of inflammation, to have better glycemic control, and reduce odds of diabetic retinopathy ( 85 ). Additionally, there is no evidence to support that fructose present in fruits under normal conditions has a negative impact on the glycemic control in Type 2 diabetes ( 86 ). However, the role of fructose and fruit sugars in the development of the current obesity and diabetic epidemic remains controversial and the general population including overweight and obese person should be given correct information. Nutrition intervention programs should aim healthy food habits including the consumption of F&V together with physical exercise aiming to reduce body weight and improve health status. Messages and interventions should be creative, engaging, supportive and inexpensive ( 87 ) with realistic goals ensuring that the Mauritian population, also type 2 diabetic and obese people understand the message of having fruits just as the general population, without fearing worsening of their glycemic control.

Challenges on nutrition education intervention programs

Despite clear evidence on the benefits of nutrition education intervention, there are major challenges that are faced by nutrition educators. These are: a) realistic educational goals, b) thorough research designs, c) explicit theoretical bases, and d) valid and reliable measurements ( 88 ). Assuring effective communication skills of nutrition educators and the quality of nutrition education or behavior change interventions implemented is questionable ( 89 ). Quality assurance tools and validated guidelines targeting specific target population are uncertain ( 90 ). Monitoring and evaluation within integrated programs does not always capture the impact on nutritional status sufficiently or in a timely manner to allow for improving implementation ( 91 ). Methodological challenge such as small sample size and mostly female respondents may prevent experimentally conclusive and sustainable evidence ( 78 ). Nutrition education is also influenced by several barriers ( 92 – 95 ) and predisposing factors such as attitudes, beliefs, values, capacity, self-efficacy, individual differences ( 96 ) that need to be overcome. Thus, several drawbacks of nutrition education deserve attention.

The relationship between FVI and reductions in risk for many major health problems is strongly supported in many research studies but the effects of F&V on plasma lipid levels, diabetes, and body weight have yet to be explored. Still, F&V are believed to be protective against adiposity and are considered as a potential treatment in the management of obesity. Despite their numerous health benefits, few countries fulfilled 400g daily requirement for FVI. Many nutrition education strategies have positively impacted on people’s nutrition and health behavior yet there are many factors which need to be considered and challenges that need to be overcome when designing nutrition education strategies. To be successful, nutrition education needs to be much more comprehensive than giving basic nutrition information. Current focus is on the effectiveness of methods of information dissemination and validation of educational tools. It is important for nutrition educators to deal with dietary behaviors that are associated with specific diseases adapted to explicit target population. Nutrient-based information alone is inadequate. Most successful strategies have been the delivery of information in several smaller doses over time. Although promoting healthy lifestyles is a challenge, it can be realized by focusing on positive “to-do” behaviors, rather than on “not-to-do” behaviors aiming at increasing the percentage of people adopting healthier eating habits.

Ethical considerations

Ethical issues (Including plagiarism, informed consent, misconduct, data fabrication and/or falsification, double publication and/or submission, redundancy, etc.) have been completely observed by the authors.

Acknowledgements

The Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius is acknowledged for research support. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests

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5 Daily Servings of Fruits and Veggies May Help You Live Longer: Study

Emir Memedovski / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• A study found that eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day helped lower participants' risk of death.
• This lower risk was specifically associated with two daily fruit servings and three non-starchy vegetable servings.
• Experts say eating more than five servings can beneficial.

It's no surprise that eating a share of fruits and greens every day is good for your health. But a study published in March 2021, highlights just how much you should be eating—finding that five servings of fruits and vegetables a day can lower your risk of death.

"The study showcases the benefits of consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables a day for healthy chronic disease risk reduction, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease,”  Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, a registered dietitian and partner with  Produce for Better Health Foundation , tells Verywell. Amidor was not involved with the study.

While experts recommend eating fruits and vegetables for overall health, for this study researchers sought to take a closer look at the optimal amount one should aim for every day for disease prevention. The study was published in the journal  Circulation.

To do this, researchers collected data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professional Follow-Up Study. They included over 100,000 subjects from a 30-year period in their evaluation. Additionally, researchers conducted a meta-analysis on 26 more studies.

Ultimately, the researchers found that eating five servings of fruit and vegetables resulted in a lower risk of death. This lower risk was specifically associated with two daily fruit servings and three non-starchy vegetable servings.

Researchers found no additional protection for eating additional servings. The authors didn't find any potential harm associated with eating more than five servings; there just doesn't appear to be an added benefit. 

The foods that showed a particular benefit included:

• Green leafy vegetables
• Non-starchy vegetables
• Cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower)
• Citrus fruit (like oranges)
• Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables (like strawberries and kiwi)
• Beta-carotene-rich fruit and vegetables (like carrots)

The foods that neither showed benefit nor increased risk of death included:

• Starchy vegetables (like peas and corn)
• Fruit juice

Compared to those who consumed only two fruit and vegetable servings a day, those who consumed five servings a day had a 13% reduced risk of death.

“The results of this study are important for the general population to show them that you don’t have to eat a plate full of fruits and vegetables to reap the benefits they have to offer to your health,”  Kathleen Oswalt, RDN, a South Carolina-based registered dietitian, tells Verywell. “For many people, two fruits and three vegetables per day can seem much more manageable and doable than 10 fruits and vegetables per day.”

What This Means For You

Aiming for a daily intake of five fruit and vegetable servings per day is a practice that can have a profound impact on your overall health. Start by slowly adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet, and planning out at what meals you'll work to include them in. By repeating these practices, you can eventually make five servings a day part of your daily routine.

Should People Avoid Certain Fruits and Vegetables?

While the current study highlights the importance of consuming fruits and vegetables for your health, it singles out a few as less beneficial than others—specifically potatoes, peas, corn, and 100% fruit juice. Experts don't necessarily agree.

“Based on this study, I would not change my recommendations that both potatoes and 100% fruit juice can be part of a healthy dietary pattern and healthy lifestyle,” Amidor explains. “Isolating specific foods is not helpful or reflective of how Americans actually eat.” 

Even if they aren't linked to a lower risk of death, they contain important nutrients and can be a part of a healthy and balanced diet. Take potassium, for example. Potatoes and 100% orange juice are two natural sources of potassium, something the study authors indicate contributes to lower blood pressure.

Potatoes and certain juices, like tomato juice, also provide more nutrients per penny than many other vegetables. They can help people meet nutrition needs in a low-cost way. Since many Americans struggle with food insecurity, finding affordable solutions to filling nutrition gaps is key.

How to Eat the Right Amount

While the current data suggests that eating fruits and vegetables beyond five servings a day offers no additional protection against death, Oswalt stresses that eating more may offer other benefits.

"Including fruits and vegetables are extremely beneficial in decreasing overall inflammation and oxidation in our body and in the improvement of the health of our gut microbiome, all leading to improved overall health and wellness," she says.

Amidor suggests that people embrace the concept of “conscious consumption,” which can be defined as “the act of having acute awareness about what we are purchasing and eating.”

“You want to consciously create habits that can be easily repeated,” Amidor adds. She shares three ways to do so.

Make It Easy

Start by finding what works for you. Stick to your easiest, favorite, and most accessible options, and find ways to add one more serving of fruits and vegetables each day.

Have a Plan

Map your day and week with snacks and meals that include all forms of fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, 100% juice) as the star of every meal and snack. Build your meal with fruits and vegetables making up at least half the plate, and pair with other nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, low-fat dairy, and/or lean protein.

Fill your grocery store cart with fresh veggies for dinner tonight and frozen or canned for the days ahead. Keep juice and dried fruits on hand for easy snacks and recipes.

Repeat to Form Habits

Consistent repetition will turn consciously eating more fruits and vegetables into an unconscious or automatic behavior and, ultimately, a healthy habit. Add one cup of berries into a morning smoothie, a handful of vegetables as a daily mid-morning snack, or a veggie-filled salad to start each lunch or dinner. Every day gets easier with repetition.

Using carrot sticks instead of chips as a vessel for dips or enjoying fresh strawberries as a sweet and vitamin c-packed snack instead of candy are simple swaps that can truly support your overall health and well-being in a delicious and easy way.

Eating fruits and vegetables in the right quantities can have a profound impact on your overall health. And while overconsumption will likely not cause any harm, underconsumption can result in an increased risk of death along with a slew of other unsavory health outcomes.

Wang D, Li Y, Bhupathiraju S, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality: results from 2 prospective cohort studies of US men and women and a meta-analysis of 26 cohort studies . Circulation . 2021. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.120.048996

Drewnowski A. New metrics of affordable nutrition: which vegetables provide most nutrients for least cost ? J Acad Nutr Diet . 2013 Sep;113(9):1182-7. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2013.03.015

United States Department of Agriculture. Food security in the U.S.: key statistics & graphics .

By Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC Manaker is a registered dietitian, lactation counselor, and author. She was named an emerging leader in women's health by the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Fruits, vegetables, and health: A comprehensive narrative, umbrella review of the science and recommendations for enhanced public policy to improve intake

Affiliations.

• 1 Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA.
• 2 Think Healthy Group, Inc., Washington, DC, USA.
• 3 Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
• 4 Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• 5 Center for Nutrition Research, Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology, Bedford Park, Illinois, USA.
• 6 Biofortis Research, Merieux NutriSciences, Addison, Illinois, USA.
• 7 Department of Human Nutrition, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.
• 8 Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
• 9 School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA.
• 10 Bone and Body Composition Laboratory, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
• 11 College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
• 12 Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
• 13 D&V Systematic Evidence Review, Bronx, New York, USA.
• PMID: 31267783
• DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1632258

Fruit and vegetables (F&V) have been a cornerstone of healthy dietary recommendations; the 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that F&V constitute one-half of the plate at each meal. F&V include a diverse collection of plant foods that vary in their energy, nutrient, and dietary bioactive contents. F&V have potential health-promoting effects beyond providing basic nutrition needs in humans, including their role in reducing inflammation and their potential preventive effects on various chronic disease states leading to decreases in years lost due to premature mortality and years lived with disability/morbidity. Current global intakes of F&V are well below recommendations. Given the importance of F&V for health, public policies that promote dietary interventions to help increase F&V intake are warranted. This externally commissioned expert comprehensive narrative, umbrella review summarizes up-to-date clinical and observational evidence on current intakes of F&V, discusses the available evidence on the potential health benefits of F&V, and offers implementation strategies to help ensure that public health messaging is reflective of current science. This review demonstrates that F&V provide benefits beyond helping to achieve basic nutrient requirements in humans. The scientific evidence for providing public health recommendations to increase F&V consumption for prevention of disease is strong. Current evidence suggests that F&V have the strongest effects in relation to prevention of CVDs, noting a nonlinear threshold effect of 800 g per day (i.e., about 5 servings a day). A growing body of clinical evidence (mostly small RCTs) demonstrates effects of specific F&V on certain chronic disease states; however, more research on the role of individual F&V for specific disease prevention strategies is still needed in many areas. Data from the systematic reviews and mostly observational studies cited in this report also support intake of certain types of F&V, particularly cruciferous vegetables, dark-green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and dark-colored berries, which have superior effects on biomarkers, surrogate endpoints, and outcomes of chronic disease.

Keywords: Fruit; health; nutrition; produce; vegetable.

Publication types

• Diet, Healthy*
• Nutrition Policy*
• Observational Studies as Topic
• Systematic Reviews as Topic
• United States
• Vegetables*

Healthy Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on healthy food.

Healthy food refers to food that contains the right amount of nutrients to keep our body fit. We need healthy food to keep ourselves fit.

Furthermore, healthy food is also very delicious as opposed to popular thinking. Nowadays, kids need to eat healthy food more than ever. We must encourage good eating habits so that our future generations will be healthy and fit.

Most importantly, the harmful effects of junk food and the positive impact of healthy food must be stressed upon. People should teach kids from an early age about the same.

Benefits of Healthy Food

Healthy food does not have merely one but numerous benefits. It helps us in various spheres of life. Healthy food does not only impact our physical health but mental health too.

When we intake healthy fruits and vegetables that are full of nutrients, we reduce the chances of diseases. For instance, green vegetables help us to maintain strength and vigor. In addition, certain healthy food items keep away long-term illnesses like diabetes and blood pressure.

Similarly, obesity is the biggest problems our country is facing now. People are falling prey to obesity faster than expected. However, this can still be controlled. Obese people usually indulge in a lot of junk food. The junk food contains sugar, salt fats and more which contribute to obesity. Healthy food can help you get rid of all this as it does not contain harmful things.

In addition, healthy food also helps you save money. It is much cheaper in comparison to junk food. Plus all that goes into the preparation of healthy food is also of low cost. Thus, you will be saving a great amount when you only consume healthy food.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Junk food vs Healthy Food

If we look at the scenario today, we see how the fast-food market is increasing at a rapid rate. With the onset of food delivery apps and more, people now like having junk food more. In addition, junk food is also tastier and easier to prepare.

However, just to satisfy our taste buds we are risking our health. You may feel more satisfied after having junk food but that is just the feeling of fullness and nothing else. Consumption of junk food leads to poor concentration. Moreover, you may also get digestive problems as junk food does not have fiber which helps indigestion.

Similarly, irregularity of blood sugar levels happens because of junk food. It is so because it contains fewer carbohydrates and protein . Also, junk food increases levels of cholesterol and triglyceride.

On the other hand, healthy food contains a plethora of nutrients. It not only keeps your body healthy but also your mind and soul. It increases our brain’s functionality. Plus, it enhances our immunity system . Intake of whole foods with minimum or no processing is the finest for one’s health.

In short, we must recognize that though junk food may seem more tempting and appealing, it comes with a great cost. A cost which is very hard to pay. Therefore, we all must have healthy foods and strive for a longer and healthier life.

FAQs on Healthy Food

Q.1 How does healthy food benefit us?

A.1 Healthy Benefit has a lot of benefits. It keeps us healthy and fit. Moreover, it keeps away diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and many more. Healthy food also helps in fighting obesity and heart diseases.

Q.2 Why is junk food harmful?

A.2 Junk food is very harmful to our bodies. It contains high amounts of sugar, salt, fats, oils and more which makes us unhealthy. It also causes a lot of problems like obesity and high blood pressure. Therefore, we must not have junk food more and encourage healthy eating habits.

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7 mental and physical health benefits that come from eating fruits and vegetables

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a host of physical and mental health benefits.

“Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of many leading causes of illness and death, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity,” reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Despite the proven benefits of regularly consuming fruits and vegetables, just 9% of adults eat the recommended amount of vegetables and just 12% eat the daily recommendations for fruit, according to a CDC analysis . Meeting daily recommendations set for fruit and vegetable consumption could greatly improve your health.

Here are seven benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.

1. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients

Fruits and vegetables are a source of essential vitamins and minerals such as folate, potassium, fiber, magnesium, zinc and vitamins C, E, A and K. Harvard Health recommends getting two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables every day.

A 2021 study published in the journal Circulation demonstrates the benefits of consuming a combined five servings of fruits and veggies every day.

Researchers pooled data from multiple studies on diet — which included more than 100,000 men and women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Professionals Follow-up Study (both 30-year studies). Compared to individuals who consumed two serving of fruits and vegetables per day, those who consumed five servings per day experienced:

• A 13% lower risk of any-cause mortality.
• A 10% decreased risk of cancer.
• A 35% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease or stroke.

“Fruits and vegetables are major sources of several nutrients that are strongly linked to good health, particularly the health of the heart and blood vessels: potassium, magnesium, fiber, and polyphenols (antioxidant plant compounds),” explains Dr. Daniel Wang, lead author on the study and a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, per Harvard Health .

Incorporating five servings of fruits and veggies into your everyday diet can be a challenge. The Mayo Clinic recommends the “1-2-3 approach.” Eat one serving for breakfast, two at lunch and three with dinner and snacks.

2. Fruits and vegetables can benefit your mental health

Numerous studies (including one in  2020  and one in  2021 ) report that regularly eating fruits and vegetables can be beneficial to your mental health and linked to improved mental well-being.

A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found an association between higher consumption of fruits and psychological health. Frequent fruit consumption was linked to feelings of confidence, energy and relaxation.

“There is definitely growing evidence that high consumption of vegetables and fruits does help mental health, especially anxiety,” says Uma Naidoo, a physician and  director of nutritional  and lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, per the Washington Post .

Another study , published in the European Journal of Nutrition, examined vegetable and fruit consumption in more than 4,000 women. Over a 15-year period, the women who consumed at least five serving of fruits and vegetables per day had a 19 percent reduced risk of developing developing depression, compared to women consuming a max of one serving per day.

• 5 reasons to eat more berries, a superfood packed with mental and physical health benefits

3. Veggies and fruit can beat inflammation

Chronic inflammation is associated with symptoms such as chest pain, joint pain, fatigue and weight gain and can be detrimental to overall health. Regular consumption of vegetables and fruits can aid in reducing inflammation.

“Most fruits and brightly colored vegetables naturally contain high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols. Polyphenols are potentially protective compounds found in plants. Studies have shown that polyphenols have multiple anti-inflammatory properties and may improve the function of cells that line blood vessels,” reports Harvard Health .

“Foods high in polyphenols include onions, turmeric, red grapes, cherries, and plums, as well as dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collard greens.”

• 5 foods that may cause inflammation

4. Protect your eyes when you eat veggies

Lutein and zeaxanthin are dietary carotenoids that aid in eye health, per Healthline . Together, these antioxidants protect eyes from free radicals and exposure to blue light.

“Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids found in the retina, and dietary intake of these compounds has been shown to have antioxidant properties and to improve pigment density in the macula,” per Harvard Health. “You’ll find lutein and zeaxanthin in most fruits and vegetables, especially yellow and orange varieties and leafy greens.”

A 2022 study published in the journal Nutrients reports that getting lutein and zeaxanthin through diet significantly reduces risk of disease in one or both eyes and slows the progression of age-related macular degeneration.

5. A diet loaded with fruits and veggies can lower risk of heart disease

Eating fruits and vegetables can improve heart health and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke and mortality, according to the American Heart Association .

A study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reports that higher daily intake of fruits and vegetables reduces risk of developing heart disease. Those who consumed eight servings of fruits and vegetables everyday experienced a 30% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The study notes that leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables and citrus fruits were most beneficial for heart health.

“One way to start improving your heart health immediately is to eat more vegetables and fruit,” reports the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada .

“Many vegetables and fruit are particularly rich in vitamin C and in beta-carotene, which is a form of vitamin A. These work as antioxidants in your body, helping to slow down or prevent atherosclerosis by reducing the buildup of plaque from cholesterol and other substances in the arteries.”

Adding berries to your diet may also improve heart health. According to a study published in the journal Circulation, frequently eating blueberries and strawberries is associated with a significantly lower risk of heart attack.

During the 18-year study, researchers followed more than 90,000 women — the women who ate blueberries and strawberries a few times each week had a 34% reduced risk of heart attack compared to the women who ate these berries once per month or less.

• 7 superfoods for a healthy heart

6. Fruits and veggies aid in digestive health

Consuming high-fiber fruits and vegetables can greatly improve gastrointestinal health. Between fruit and vegetable intake, you consume both soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which aid in healthy digestion.

“Fruits and vegetables contain indigestible fiber, which absorbs water and expands as it passes through the digestive system,” per Harvard Health . “This can calm symptoms of an irritable bowel and, by triggering regular bowel movements, can relieve or prevent constipation.”

As reported by the Deseret News , some fruits, berries and vegetables with lots of dietary fiber include:

• Raspberries (8 grams of fiber per cup).
• Pear (5.5 grams of fiber per medium pear).
• Mango (5 grams of fiber per medium mango).
• Blackberries (8 grams of fiber per cup).
• Artichokes (7 grams per medium artichoke).
• Green peas (7 grams per cup).
• Sweet potato (4 grams per medium potato).
• 5 superfoods thought to improve gut health and digestion
• 6 foods that relieve bloating and gas

7. Vegetables and berries boost brain health

Vegetables and berries aid in protecting against cognitive decline.

According to a study published in the journal Neurology, eating a single serving of leafy green vegetables every day can slow cognitive decline. For roughly five years, researchers followed a group of 1,000 dementia-free adults. They found that individuals who consumed a serving of greens everyday were about 11 years younger cognitively than those who rarely or never ate greens.

“It’s almost unbelievable,” said  Martha Morris , the senior author of the study who studies nutrition and brain health at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, per the  Los Angeles Times . “Eating these leafy greens was independently associated with slower cognitive decline. That tells you this single food group contains so many nutrients it could be brain-protective.”

Berries also boast benefits for brain health.

“Adding a handful of berries to the diet each day is one of the first and easiest changes I recommend to those looking to improve their brain health,” Uma Naidoo, director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, told the  American Association of Retired Persons .

Research from  King’s College London reports that eating just a handful of blueberries every day could improve brain function. In a four-month durations, researchers found that individuals who consumed wild blueberry powder daily experiences improved memory and accuracy on attention tasks.

• 5 superfoods to boost brain health and memory
• 11 foods for improved brain function and health

Fruit and vegetables

Actions for this page.

• Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals. They also contain fibre.
• There are many varieties of fruit and vegetables available and many ways to prepare, cook and serve them.
• A diet high in fruit and vegetables can help protect you against cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
• Eat 5 kinds of vegetable and 2 kinds of fruit every day for good health.
• Most Australians do not eat enough fruit and vegetables.
• When buying and serving fruit and vegetables, aim for variety to get the most nutrients and appeal.

On this page

About fruit and vegetables, vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables, fruit and vegetables for good health, fruit and vegetables and protection against diseases, types of fruit, types of vegetables, colours of fruits and vegetables, selecting fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable serving suggestions for your family’s health, preparation and cooking of fruit and vegetables, daily allowances of fruit and vegetables, where to get help.

Fruit and vegetables should be an important part of your daily diet. They are naturally good and contain vitamins and minerals that can help to keep you healthy. They can also help protect against some diseases.

Most Australians will benefit from eating more fruit and vegetables as part of a well-balanced, healthy diet and an active lifestyle . There are many varieties of fruit and vegetables available and many ways to prepare, cook and serve them.

Fruit and vegetables are best bought when they are in season. Otherwise try frozen or canned vegetables as they are just as nutritious and budget-friendly as well.

You should eat at least 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit each day. Choose different colours and varieties.

If you are someone who doesn’t look forward to eating fruit or vegetables, start slowly with those you do like. Try serving, flavouring or cooking them in different ways. You can also disguise them in sauces, minced meals or curries.

Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals that are good for your health. Many of these are antioxidants , and may reduce the risk of many diseases:

• vitamin A (beta-carotene)
• phosphorous
• folic acid.

Folic acid may reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a substance that may be a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

Research has shown that consuming these nutrients as food, within fruits and vegetables, is more beneficial for health than consuming them as supplements .

Fruits and vegetables are low in fat , salt and sugar . They are a good source of dietary fibre , which can make you feel fuller for longer and prevent overconsumption of food. As part of a well-balanced, healthy diet and an active lifestyle, a high intake of fruit and vegetables can help you to:

• reduce obesity and maintain a healthy weight
• lower your cholesterol
• lower your blood pressure .

Vegetables and fruit contain antioxidants and phytochemicals, or plant chemicals. These biologically active substances can help to protect you from some diseases.

Scientific research shows that if you regularly eat lots of fruit and vegetables, you have a lower risk of:

• type 2 diabetes
• heart (cardiovascular) disease
• cancer – some forms of cancer, especially bowel , stomach and throat cancers later in life
• high blood pressure ( hypertension ).

Fruit is the sweet, fleshy, edible part of a plant. It generally contains seeds. Fruits are usually eaten raw, although some varieties can be cooked. They come in a wide variety of colours, shapes and flavours. Common types of fruits that are readily available include:

• apples and pears
• citrus – oranges, grapefruits, mandarins and limes
• stone fruit – nectarines, apricots, peaches and plums
• tropical and exotic – bananas and mangoes
• berries – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwifruit and passionfruit
• melons – watermelons, rockmelons and honeydew melons
• tomatoes and avocados.

Vegetables are available in many varieties and can be classified into biological groups or ‘families’, including:

• leafy green – lettuce, spinach and silverbeet
• cruciferous – cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli
• marrow – pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini
• root – potato, sweet potato and yam
• edible plant stem – celery and asparagus
• allium – onion, garlic and shallot.

Legumes or pulses contain nutrients that are especially valuable. Legumes need to be cooked before they are eaten – this improves their nutritional quality, aids digestion and eliminates any harmful toxins. Legumes come in many forms including:

• soy products – tofu (bean curd) and soybeans
• legume flours – chickpea flour (besan), lentil flour and soy flour
• dried beans and peas – haricot beans, red kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils
• fresh beans and peas – green peas, green beans, butter beans, broad beans and snow peas.

Foods of similar colours generally contain similar protective compounds. Try to eat a rainbow of colourful fruits and vegetables every day to get the full range of health benefits. For example:

• red foods – like tomatoes and watermelon. These contain lycopene, which is thought to be important for fighting prostate cancer and heart disease
• green vegetables – like spinach and kale. These contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which may help protect against age-related eye disease
• blue and purple foods – like blueberries and eggplant. These contain anthocyanins, which may help protect the body from cancer
• white foods – like cauliflower. These contain sulforaphane and may also help protect against some cancers.

To maximise nutrients and appeal, buy and serve different types of fruit and vegetables. Try to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season, and choose for freshness and quality. You should:

• Eat with the seasons – this is nature’s way of making sure our bodies get a healthy mix of nutrients and plant chemicals.
• Try something new – try new recipes and buy new fruit or vegetables as part of your weekly shopping.
• Let colours guide you – get different combinations of nutrients by putting a ‘rainbow’ of colours (green, white, yellow–orange, blue–purple, red) on your plate.

Some examples of serving sizes of fruits and vegetables include:

• ½ cup cooked green or orange vegetables (for example, broccoli, spinach, carrots or pumpkin)
• ½ cup cooked dried or canned beans, peas or lentils (preferably with no added salt)
• 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables
• 1 medium apple, banana, orange or pear
• 2 small apricots, kiwi fruits or plums
• 1 cup diced or canned fruit (no added sugar)
• 125ml (½ cup) fruit juice (no added sugar) – only occasionally
• 30g dried fruit (for example, 4 dried apricot halves, 1½ tablespoons of sultanas) – only occasionally.

Vegetables and fruit are a handy snack food and are easily carried to work or school. Include them in everyone’s meals and snacks for a healthy, well-balanced diet. Some suggestions include:

• Keep snack-size fruit and vegetable portions easily accessible in your fridge.
• Keep fresh fruit on the bench or table.
• Add fruit and vegetables to your favourite family recipes or as additions to your usual menus.
• Use the colour and texture of a variety of fruit and vegetables to add interest to your meals.
• Think up new ways to serve fruits and vegetables. Try serving, flavouring or cooking them in different ways. You can also disguise them in sauces, minced meals or curries.
• Frozen or canned vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, and are a convenient, budget friendly option as well.
• Make simple changes every day. Try adding salad to sandwiches, or having extra vegetables with dinner.

Some simple ways to serve fruits and vegetables include:

• fruit and vegetable salads
• vegetable or meat-and-vegetable stir-fries
• raw fruit and vegetables
• vegetable soups
• snack pack, stewed or canned fruits or dried fruits.

Limit fruit juice , as it does not contain the same amount of nutrients as fresh fruit. It also contains a lot of sugars. These sugars are not necessarily good for your health, even though they are ‘natural’. Instead, have a drink of water and a serve of fruit.

Vegetables are often cooked, although some kinds are eaten raw. Cooking and processing can damage some nutrients and phytochemicals in plant foods. Suggestions to get the best out of your fruit and vegetables include:

• Eat raw vegetables and fruits if possible.
• Try fruit or vegetables pureed into smoothies.
• Use a sharp knife to cut fresh fruits to avoid bruising.
• Cut off only the inedible parts of vegetables – sometimes the best nutrients are found in the skin, just below the skin or in the leaves.
• Use stir-fry, grill, microwave, bake or steam methods with non-stick cookware and mono-unsaturated oils.
• Do not overcook, to reduce nutrient loss.
• Serve meals with vegetable pestos, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour cream, butter and creamy sauces.

Some nutrients such as carotenoids may actually be increased if food is cooked. For example, tomato has more carotenoids, especially lycopene, when it is cooked – a good reason to prepare fruits and vegetables in a variety of ways.

Once you’ve prepared and cooked your vegetables and fruit, spend some time on presentation. People are more likely to enjoy a meal if it’s full of variety and visually appealing, as well as tasty.

Meals with others tend to include more foods from the 5 food groups. For example, people often report that they can’t be bothered cooking vegetables just for themselves.

Sit at the table to eat and enjoy your food without distractions like television. Television watching is associated with eating more discretionary choices like takeaway or convenience foods and fewer foods from the 5 food groups. It also makes it much more difficult to recognise and respond to our body’s signals about hunger and fullness (satiety).

Different fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients. The Australian dietary guidelines recommend that adults eat at least 5 kinds of vegetable and 2 kinds of fruit every day.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) External Link recommends that adults eat at least 400g, or 5 portions, of fruit and vegetables (excluding potatoes, sweet potatoes and other starchy roots) per day to reduce the risk of disease. This amount of fruits and vegetables also ensures adequate fibre intake and can also reduce total sugar intake.

A national nutrition survey conducted by the Australian Government showed only 6.8% of Australians eat the recommended amount of vegetables, whilst just over half (54%) met the recommendations for usual serves of fruit.

Children and teenagers have special food needs because they are growing and developing. They also need extra energy for playing and being more active. Even though they need more energy, children have a smaller stomach capacity than adults and cannot eat the same serving sizes. However, you should encourage your children to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

By eating well, your children will have the energy they need to play, concentrate better, learn, sleep better and build stronger teeth and bones. Building good habits in their early years can also provide the protection of a healthy diet throughout their lives.

Childcare and school lunchboxes, like meals and snacks at home, should continue to reflect the 5 food groups and not include discretionary foods and drinks.

The Australian dietary guidelines have recommendations on how many vegetables and fruits adults, children and adolescents of different ages require External Link .

• Your GP (doctor)
• Maternal and child health services
• Your local fresh food retailer
• Heart Foundation External Link Tel. (03) 9329 8511
• Dietitians Australia External Link Tel. 1800 812 942 – find a dietitian near you External Link
• Nutrition Australia External Link
• Australian dietary guidelines External Link , 2013, Eat for Health, National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Government.
• Eat a healthy diet External Link , Cancer Council Victoria.
• Healthy diet External Link , World Health Organisation.
• Australian health survey: Nutrition first results - Foods and nutrients External Link , 2014, Australian Bureau of Statistics.

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Benefits of Raising Your Own Fruits and Vegetables Research Paper

Introduction.

Raising your own fruits and vegetables in a personal garden provides one with a very satisfying experience. The taste of the home-grown fruits and vegetables is incomparable to those that are sold in the supermarket and such organic produce is even healthier since there no use of pesticides or herbicides is made. Also, most of the vegetables lose some of the healthy nutrients in them after they have been picked (Bruning & Lierberman 22); growing your own greens means that you can have them right after gathering them, thus obtaining the maximum possible health benefits from them.

This is certainly a great advantage to the vegetable gardeners. However it is not the sole one. Home grown fruits and vegetables are popular due to other reasons as well. One such is that gardening offers with a wide variety of benefits to your body. The fresh air and the exercise together make a perfect combination for a perfect health. In addition, it is said that working in natural surroundings leads to reduced stress and increased wellness (Francis & Hester 6).

Another major benefit of home grown fruits and vegetables happens to be the financial savings that result due to this; this is more the case if the home garden is planned to be for a long term. The prices of food have been rising (Geneflow 28) and at such a moment the best option could be to grow your own fruits and vegetables. Home vegetable and fruit gardens have become extremely popular now, that is during the recession.

There is an opposing view that home gardening does not lead to any economic benefits. The argument for this is that although you are working hard in order to grow your very own fruits and vegetables, you can easily get the very same items in the market and even at a lower cost. This is certainly possible since the professional growers would be having their huge farms on which they produce on a large scale. The result is the same products as yours but at a reduced price.

Although the above argument has some weight in it, there are various factors that prove otherwise.

Caring for your very own vegetable garden would certainly allow you to save money. Such a garden should be growing all kinds of vegetables and fruits that you require in everyday use. All you would need to do is to buy the variety that you want and you can simply cultivate that in your personal garden. This would result in a whole harvest of vegetables and fruits which you might want. The money spent for the purchase of the seeds will be only a small percentage of the money that you would spend for buying the same products in a market. You can produce huge amounts of fruits and vegetables, all in your backyard. The extra can be distributed or sold, or you can even get it canned for later use. That again means less purchasing of items from supermarkets.

Apart from this, it is much cheaper if you buy a packet of seeds and grow the plants yourself. For example, you will be spending less if you purchase lettuce seeds as compared to if you purchase a head of lettuce. Seeds certainly are cheaper than the fully grown plants.

A varying point here can be that there are expenses other than just the seeds in home gardening. For example, there have to be purchases made of certain other things, like tools and the gardening clothes. Plus, there has to be some planning done and effort is required for the job.

Although all these above mentioned factors may lead to the view that home gardening is more expensive than simply buying the required items from the market, it is not wholly true. In spite of these factors there is a belief that producing your own fruits and vegetables does result in substantial amounts of savings. The tools only have to be bought once and if you find them too expensive there is always the choice of second hand stores from where quality implements would be available at a cheaper cost. Plus, these would last for at least a couple of years and so the cost of them would not need to be repeated every often, which is again a benefit. Therefore, it is rightly said that home gardens lead to advantages in the financial area.

One such saving is in the transportation. If you have your garden you can obtain the required food whenever you wish, and without even going far or spending money. In the case of no garden you would have to go to the market and make the purchases. This would result in spending on transportation as well. Thus, one economic benefit of home gardens is savings from transport. This is a hidden saving and it might possibly seem to be inconsequential but if you go ahead and add up the costs that incur due to transportation only then you would realize the savings that you can make by travelling less in this era when the fuel prices are soaring higher and higher.

It is possible that initial expenses of home gardening are high but once a person gets into it he can save a lot. For example, seeds from the tomatoes can be saved and used instead of buying packets of seeds before each season. Also, there is no requirement of chemicals for the plants and the produce would be free from herbicides and pesticides; another advantage for good health, and this means that you would be healthier plus saving money. When you would be growing such “organic” food you would be saving even more since the cost of organic food in the markets is much higher than that of non organic produce.

There can be the expenses of soil builders. However, this can also be avoided by using manure instead of fertilizers; the former being cheaper as well as more environmentally friendly. Manure can even be obtained free of cost if you look around and see if there are any pets (for example, guinea pigs) in the neighbourhood. Or compost can be built using just anything at all, like the kitchen waste that includes egg shells, tea bags, peels of fruits, apple cores, etc. Then there is the option of heaping up leaves in the autumn season and allowing them to rot. This could then be used later. Thus, you would be getting your soil better which would allow for better quality of your fruits and vegetables, and this for no payment at all.

Also, water would be required for the gardening of fruits and vegetables and that would also lead to an expense. Although this would be the case in spite of it there would be savings. Water can be easily obtained. In the case where a person has no issues with having inorganic food, he can even use the water from washing to irrigate his fruits and vegetables. Apart from saving water expense, this would also allow for the soil to become more fertile due to the detergents in the water from washing. Probably there would also be no additional need of fertilizers or manure and this would again result in savings, since there would be no need to spend on fertilizers.

There are direct and indirect cost savings from having a home garden. The direct ones have been mentioned above; that you would not have to spend on transport to get the required items nor would you need to spend much to get the food. Apart from this you would also save because now you wouldn’t be paying the price for the transport of those fruits and vegetables from farms to the grocery shop, or for the salaries of the drivers who transported the produces from the farm.

Another way of saving up would be to offer your pet rabbit or guinea pig with the vegetables from your garden instead of going out and buying special food for them. This would not mean that you do not care for your pets. In fact, the natural and home grown fruits and vegetables would turn out to be healthier than the canned food that you might have been previously buying for them.

The more indirect savings involve issues like health. Since you would be having home grown fruits and vegetables you would eat more of natural foods as compared to the industrialized ones. This would lead to improved health and there will be savings since you would not need to visit a doctor, or to purchase medications for matters like heart disease, stroke, and obesity. This would also be due to the fact that you would be having organic foods, absent of any chemicals which are normally present in the market items.

Recently there had been a book published which deals with a study conducted regarding the choice of food that people normally make and how it affects them (Pollan 2008). The author of the book also presents a conclusion, stating that we only need to change our eating habits in minor ways and we would be much healthier. Some of his suggestions include eating more of leaves rather than seeds, eating more of organic instead of the processed and industrialized foods, and eating more of grass-fed rather than corn-fed when considering meat. The first two suggestions can easily be complied with if one has a home garden where he grows fruits and vegetables himself.

Also, consuming more of natural food, and specifically fruits and vegetables, allows for a person to reduce his weight. He does not need to waste his money at slimming centres neither pay a doctor to suggest him a controlled diet that would allow him to lose weight. His medication would be right there in front of his house, and without any hassle.

Taking into consideration all the factors discussed above it can be said that home grown food certainly allows for substantial savings and helps in the tougher economic times. Also, it is fun and easy, making it all the more attractive.

Bruning, Nancy Pauling & Lierberman, Shari. The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book: The Definitive Guide to Designing Your Personal Supplement Program. 4 th ed. United States: Penguin Press, 2007.

Francis, Mark & Hester, Randolph T. The Meaning of Gardens. Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1992.

“Nutritional Security and Biodiversity: Meet the Women who strengthen the Link.” Geneflow: A Magazine about Agricultural Biodiversity. 2008: 28-, Bioversity International. Web.

Pollan, Michael. In Defence of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. United States: Penguin Press, 2008.

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Essay on Vegetables for Children & Students

December 16, 2017 by Study Mentor Leave a Comment

Vegetables constitute a major part of our diet. There are some parts of the plant which are consumed by humans for their daily nutrition. The definition of vegetable is still unclear.

This is because it is defined by the culture and tradition which flows down the generations. When we talk about the vegetables we normally do not include the category of fruits, cereals, nuts, and pulses.   

The origin of vegetable is still a matter of fascination. The primal man hunted animals and gathered fruits to sustain his hunger needs. But by some miracle a vegetable seed was sown due to the forces of nature. And when the humans noticed it they came to know that they could also cultivate the land for production of fruits and vegetables.

According to the evidences, the cultivation of vegetables started from 1000 BC to 7000 BC. And is when agriculture started developing. As time passed trade grew.

At this point of time, China is the largest producer of vegetables. China exports a large no. of vegetables to other countries. India is the second largest producer in vegetables but it doesn’t export a large no. of vegetables because the vegetables produced are consumed within the country itself.   

Vegetables are a very important constituent of our diet. Without vegetables no meal is complete. Vegetables can be cooked to provide a nutrition full meal. It can be eaten with breads like naan, roti, puri, and bedmi. It can also be eaten with rice.

Some vegetables can be consumed raw, in a salad while some need to be cooked before consumption. Vegetables grow on different parts of trees. For e.g. Onion, reddish and carrot grow in the roots of plants and vegetables like spinach are the leaves of a plant. The cauliflower is obtained from the flower of a tree. Vegetables like gourd, bitter gourd are grown on grapevine like structures.    

Thus we see that we have a lot of variety in vegetables. We should concentrate on the consuming portions of vegetables. This provides the body adequate nutrients for its functioning since different vegetables provide the body with different kinds of vitamins and minerals.

Also consumption is a must especially for children who are in their growing stage. Parents should make sure that the children consume a nutrient rich diet and less of junk food. This will make their body strong and will help in the development of their brains and bodies.

Also vegetables increase the immunity of children towards countering diseases. At an early age, they are especially vulnerable to diseases. But the right amount of nutrition helps to fight diseases.   

The advantages of consuming vegetables are many. First of all, vegetables help in weight management. Vegetables like potato and cauliflower can help you to gain weight. While vegetables like spinach and green vegetables can help immensely in weight reduction.

From time immemorial, our elders have promoted the consumption of green vegetables. This is because of the fact that green vegetables have a lot of iron in it. They help in the development of bones and muscles. It is actually good for us to consume vegetables at regular intervals so as to protect our body from any diseases.

Vegetables can help your body to fight against some particular type of cancers. Also a healthy intake of vegetables helps to burn the layers of fat in our body this ultimately improves the blood flow and helps in managing the blood pressure of a person. Consumption of vegetables also keeps cholesterol in check.   

Also eating vegetables increases your life span by keeping you healthy, in general. Also their frequent intake ensures that we stay rejuvenated throughout the day and we don’t experience any drowsiness or nausea. Vegetables are the fuel to your well-being just like petrol is a fuel to a car.

Vegetables also contains a lot of fibers. Fiber is not a nutrient itself but it helps in the digestive system in our body. To lead a healthy life, one needs to make sure to intake the correct amount of iron or else, the consequences afterwards will be worse. Iron helps the body immensely in carrying out the daily chores.

Also anemia that means lack of hemoglobin in blood can also be cured through the right intake of vegetables. Nevertheless green vegetables also contain folic acid which works wonders on the health of pregnant women.   

Make sure to consume healthy and nutritious food which keeps you fit as a fiddle and satiates your body and soul in every way possible, in every way you have ever wanted. Life is short and every moment of it should be made worth living. What is a life without health? Nothing.

As we say, Health is wealth . You cannot enjoy moments in your life without maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you should consume vegetables. Even in old days of your life, you will have a healthy and disease free life, thanking the temptations of junk food you did not give into.  

No we should also remember one thing. Vegetables are comparatively cheaper to non vegetarian sources of proteins. Although some trainers do recommend non-vegetarian food but doctors and dieticians worldwide have stuck on a unanimous opinion.

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How Bad Are Ultraprocessed Foods, Really?

They’re clearly linked to poor health. But scientists are only beginning to understand why.

Credit... Casey Zhang for The New York Times

Supported by

By Alice Callahan

• Published May 6, 2024 Updated May 10, 2024

In the mid-1990s, Carlos Monteiro, a nutritional epidemiologist in Brazil, noticed something alarming: Obesity rates among children in his country were rising rapidly.

To understand why, he and his colleagues at the University of São Paulo scrutinized data on the food buying patterns of Brazilian households to see if they had changed in recent years. The researchers found that people were purchasing less sugar, salt, cooking oils and staples like rice and beans, and more processed foods like sodas, sausages, instant noodles, packaged breads and cookies.

To describe that second category of food, Dr. Monteiro said, the team introduced a new term into the scientific literature — ultraprocessed foods, or UPFs — and defined it. They would later link UPFs to weight gain in children and adults in Brazil.

Since then, scientists have found associations between UPFs and a range of health conditions , including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal diseases and depression, as well as earlier death.

That’s concerning, experts say , since ultraprocessed foods have become a major part of people’s diets worldwide. They account for 67 percent of the calories consumed by children and teenagers in the United States, for example.

But many questions remain. What are ultraprocessed foods, exactly? And how strong is the evidence that they’re harmful? We asked experts to answer these and other questions.

What are ultraprocessed foods?

In order to study foods based on how they were processed, Dr. Monteiro and his colleagues developed a food classification system called Nova, named after the Portuguese and Latin words for “new.” It has since been adopted by researchers across the world.

The Nova system sorts foods into four categories :

Unprocessed or minimally processed foods , like fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, plain yogurt, rice, pasta, corn meal, flour, coffee, tea and herbs and spices.

Processed culinary ingredients , such as cooking oils, butter, sugar, honey, vinegar and salt.

Processed foods made by combining foods from Category 1 with the ingredients of Category 2 and preserving or modifying them with relatively simple methods like canning, bottling, fermentation and baking. This group includes freshly baked bread, most cheeses and canned vegetables, beans and fish. These foods may contain preservatives that extend shelf life.

Ultraprocessed foods made using industrial methods and ingredients you wouldn’t typically find in grocery stores — like high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and concentrated proteins like soy isolate. They often contain additives like flavorings, colorings or emulsifiers to make them appear more attractive and palatable. Think sodas and energy drinks, chips, candies, flavored yogurts, margarine, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sausages, lunch meats, boxed macaroni and cheese, infant formulas and most packaged breads, plant milks, meat substitutes and breakfast cereals.

“If you look at the ingredient list and you see things that you wouldn’t use in home cooking, then that’s probably an ultraprocessed food,” said Brenda Davy, a nutrition professor at Virginia Tech.

The Nova system notably doesn’t classify foods based on nutrients like fat, fiber, vitamins or minerals. It’s “agnostic to nutrition,” said Maya Vadiveloo, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island.

That has led to debate among nutrition experts about whether it’s useful for describing the healthfulness of a food, partly since many UPFs — like whole grain breads, flavored yogurts and infant formulas — can provide valuable nutrients, Dr. Vadiveloo said.

Are ultraprocessed foods harmful?

Most research linking UPFs to poor health is based on observational studies, in which researchers ask people about their diets and then track their health over many years. In a large review of studies that was published in 2024, scientists reported that consuming UPFs was associated with 32 health problems, with the most convincing evidence for heart disease-related deaths, Type 2 diabetes and common mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

Such studies are valuable, because they can look at large groups of people — the 2024 review included results from nearly 10 million — over the many years it can take for chronic health conditions to develop, said Josiemer Mattei, an associate professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She added that the consistency of the link between UPFs and health issues increased her confidence that there was a real problem with the foods.

But the observational studies also have limitations, said Lauren O’Connor, a nutrition scientist and epidemiologist who formerly worked at the Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health. It’s true that there is a correlation between these foods and chronic diseases, she said, but that doesn’t mean that UPFs directly cause poor health.

Dr. O’Connor questioned whether it’s helpful to group such “starkly different” foods — like Twinkies and breakfast cereals — into one category. Certain types of ultraprocessed foods, like sodas and processed meats , are more clearly harmful than others. UPFs like flavored yogurts and whole grain breads , on the other hand, have been associated with a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Clinical trials are needed to test if UPFs directly cause health problems, Dr. O’Connor said. Only one such study, which was small and had some limitations, has been done, she said.

In that study , published in 2019, 20 adults with a range of body sizes lived in a research hospital at the National Institutes of Health for four weeks. For two weeks, they ate mainly unprocessed or minimally processed foods, and for another two weeks, they ate mainly UPFs. The diets had similar amounts of calories and nutrients, and the participants could eat as much as they wanted at each meal.

During their two weeks on the ultraprocessed diet, participants gained an average of two pounds and consumed about 500 calories more per day than they did on the unprocessed diet. During their time on the unprocessed diet, they lost about two pounds.

That finding might help explain the link between UPFs, obesity and other metabolic conditions, said Kevin Hall, a nutrition and metabolism researcher at the National Institutes of Health, who led the trial. But the study needs to be replicated, which Dr. Hall is in the process of doing now.

Why might UPFs be harmful?

There are many “strong opinions” about why ultraprocessed foods are unhealthy, Dr. Hall said. “But there’s actually not a lot of rigorous science” on what those mechanisms are, he added.

Because UPFs are often cheap, convenient and accessible, they’re probably displacing healthier foods from our diets, Dr. Hall said.

But he and other scientists think that the foods could be having more direct effects on health. They can be easy to overeat — maybe because they contain hard-to-resist combinations of carbohydrates, sugars, fats and salt , are high-calorie and easy to chew. It’s also possible that resulting blood sugar spikes may damage arteries or ramp up inflammation , or that certain food additives or chemicals may interfere with hormones, cause a “ leaky” intestine or disrupt the gut microbiome.

Researchers, including Dr. Hall and Dr. Davy, are beginning to conduct small clinical trials that will test some of these theories. Such studies may help identify the most harmful UPFs and even suggest how they may be made healthier, Dr. Hall said.

But most researchers think there are various ways the foods are causing harm. “Rarely in nutrition is there a single factor that fully explains the relationship between foods and some health outcome,” Dr. Vadiveloo said.

What should we do about ultraprocessed foods?

In 2014, Dr. Monteiro helped write new dietary guidelines for Brazil that advised people to avoid ultraprocessed foods.

Other countries like Mexico , Israel and Canada have also explicitly recommended avoiding or limiting UPFs or “highly processed foods.” The U.S. dietary guidelines contain no such advice, but an advisory committee is currently looking into the evidence on how UPFs may affect weight gain, which could influence the 2025 guidelines.

It’s difficult to know what to do about UPFs in the United States, where so much food is already ultraprocessed and people with lower incomes can be especially dependent on them, Dr. Hall said.

“At the end of the day, they are an important source of food, and food is food,” Dr. Mattei added. “We really cannot vilify them,” she said.

While research continues, expert opinions differ on how people should approach UPFs. Dr. Monteiro said that the safest course is to avoid them altogether — to swap flavored yogurt for plain yogurt with fruit, for example, or to buy a fresh loaf from a local bakery instead of packaged bread, if you can afford to do so.

Dr. Vadiveloo suggested a more moderate strategy, focusing on limiting UPFs that don’t provide valuable nutrients, like soda and cookies. She also recommended eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains (ultraprocessed or not), legumes, nuts and seeds.

Cook at home as much as you can, using minimally processed foods, Dr. Davy said. “We can’t really say a whole lot beyond that at this point.”

Alice Callahan is a Times reporter covering nutrition and health. She has a Ph.D. in nutrition from the University of California, Davis. More about Alice Callahan

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• Health and social care
• Public health
• Health conditions
• Update to the Obesity Profile on Fingertips
• Office for Health Improvement & Disparities

Obesity Profile: short statistical commentary May 2024

Published 8 May 2024

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/update-to-the-obesity-profile-on-fingertips/obesity-profile-short-statistical-commentary-may-2024

The following indicators have been updated:

overweight (including obesity) prevalence in adults (aged 18 and over)

obesity prevalence in adults (aged 18 and over)

percentage of physically active adults (aged 19 and over)

percentage of physically inactive adults (aged 19 and over)

percentage of adults aged 16 and over meeting the ‘5-a-day’ fruit and vegetable consumption recommendations (new method)

Data has been added for local authority boundaries created in April 2023.

Introduction

This statistical commentary provides background information on the updated indicators for adults on:

• overweight and obesity prevalence
• physical activity and inactivity
• consumption of 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day

in the  Obesity Profile on Fingertips . It presents data for England.

Obesity is a global and complex public health concern. It is associated with reduced life expectancy and is a risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, liver, and respiratory disease, and can also impact on mental health.

Regular physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, and improved mental health.  In older adults, physical activity is associated with increased functional capacities.  Inactivity is doing less than 30 moderate intensity equivalent ( MIE ) minutes per week. Being physically active is doing at least 150 MIE minutes physical activity per week.

Fruit and vegetables are part of a healthy, balanced diet and can help the public stay healthy. Evidence shows there are significant health benefits to getting at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. Understanding the data, the trends and patterns enables us to make the case for national and local action, and approaches to create health-promoting environments.

The  Obesity Profile  also includes data on inequalities in these indicators, displaying data by index of multiple deprivation decile, ethnic group, working status, disability, level of education, socioeconomic class, age and sex.

Main findings

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults (aged 18 years and over).

In 2022 to 2023, 64.0% of adults aged 18 years and over in England were estimated to be overweight or living with obesity. This is similar to 2021 to 2022 (63.8%) but there has been an upward trend since 2015 to 2016 (61.2%) (Figure 1). In 2022 to 2023 26.2% of adults were estimated to be living with obesity. This is similar to 2021 to 2022 (25.9%) but, as with the prevalence of overweight (including obesity), there has been an upward trend since 2015 to 2016 (22.6%).

Figure 1: prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults (aged 18 years and over)

In 2022 to 2023, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was higher among men (69.2%) than women (58.6%), however the prevalence of obesity in adults was similar among men (26.4%) and women (26.2%).

Prevalence of overweight (including obesity), and obesity increases with age up to age 64, reaching the peak in the 55 to 64 years group (72.8% and 32.4% respectively) then decreasing in the 65 to 74 years and older groups.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults by deprivation and ethnicity

Prevalence of overweight (including obesity), and obesity is highest in those living in the most deprived areas (71.5% and 35.9% respectively) and lowest in those living in the least deprived areas (59.6% and 20.5% respectively).

When looking at different ethnic groups, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) and obesity in adults remains highest amongst those who identified as black (74.8% and 34.8% respectively) or white British (65.3% and 27.6% respectively).

Physical activity and inactivity in adults (aged 19 years and over)

In England in 2022 to 2023, 67.1% of adults were physically active. This is similar to 2021 to 2022 (67.3%) and the pre-pandemic level in 2018 to 2019 (67.2%), but higher than 2015 to 2016 (66.1%). 22.6% of adults were inactive in 2022 to 2023 which is similar to 2021 to 2022 (22.3%) and 2015 to 2016 (22.3%).

Women are less likely to be physically active than men (64.9% compared to 69.6%) and are more likely than men to be inactive (24.0% compared to 21.0%).

The proportion of physically active adults decreases with age; adults aged 19 to 24 years have the highest percentage of physically active adults (73.2%) decreasing to 56.0% and 30.7% in adults aged 75 to 84 years and 85 and over respectively. The proportion of adults who are physically inactive is highest in the 75 to 84 (33.2%) and 85 and over (57.3%) age groups and much lower among adults aged between 19 and 64 where the range is from 17.7% to 21.7%.

Figure 2: percentage of physically active and inactive adults (aged 19 years and over)

Physical activity and inactivity in adults by deprivation and ethnicity

53.9% of adults living in the most deprived areas are physically active compared to 74.0% of adults living in the least deprived areas, while 35.3% are inactive in the most deprived areas compared to 16.1% in the least deprived areas.

Physical activity is highest in white British (69.3%), white other (68.6%) and mixed (71.9%) ethnic groups and lowest in black (55.2%) and Asian (56.1%) ethnic groups. Inactivity is highest in Asian (32.0%), other (31.5%) and black (31.2) ethnic groups and lowest in white British (20.8%), white other (21.2%) and mixed (19.0%) ethnic groups.

Adults (aged 16 years and over) eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day

In England in 2022 to 2023, 31.0% of adults reported eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. This is less than in 2021 to 2022 when 32.5% of adults reported eating at least 5 portions, and 2020 to 2021 when 34.9% of adults reported eating at least 5 portions. Comparable data is not available prior to 2020 to 2021.

Figure 3: percentage of adults eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, by sex

Women are more likely than men to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day (34.2% compared with 27.6%). Adults aged 55 and over are more likely to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables (35.3% and higher) than those aged under 55 years old.

Adults eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day by deprivation and ethnicity

More adults living in the least deprived areas eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day compared to any other deprivation group (37.2%). The proportion decreases as level of deprivation increases down to 20.3% of adults living in the most deprived areas.

Lower proportions of Asian and black adults eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day (19.2% and 21.0% respectively). The proportion is highest among white British adults (32.9%).

Further information

The indicators published in the Obesity Profile present local authority estimates from Sport England’s Active Lives Adult Survey ( ALAS ) data to help inform local action to improve the health of the population now and into the future. A detailed description of the methods used to produce the indicators can be found in the definitions data view of the indicators in the  Obesity Profile .

Data on adult overweight and obesity prevalence

The best indicator of obesity prevalence for adults at a national level comes from the Health Survey for England , which uses measured height and weight to calculate body mass index ( BMI ). However, the survey sample size is not sufficient to produce robust estimates at local level.

The indicators presented in the Obesity Profile use self-reported height and weight from the ALAS which are adjusted so that they more accurately predicted measured values.

The 2022 to 2023 obesity prevalence of 26.2% is similar to the latest available estimates from the 2021 Health Survey for England ( HSE ) (25.9%) which also used adjusted self-reported measurements due to the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in place at the time. 2022 data from HSE will be available later in 2024 and this will be the first estimate of obesity prevalence since the pandemic to use measured heights and weights making it comparable with pre-pandemic HSE data.

Data on physical activity

The Health Survey for England is the best source for physical activity data at a national level. The HSE allows for comparison over a longer time period, providing data for 2012, 2016 and 2021. The HSE also provides a more complete summary of activity levels as it includes physical activity while at work and other non-occupational activities such as housework, manual work and DIY activities, in addition to activities covered by ALAS such as gardening, walking, and sports and exercise.

More information and the physical activity data from the HSE is published in the adult physical activity chapter of the HSE 2021 report.

Data on fruit and vegetable consumption

National estimates of fruit and vegetable consumption are available from the Health Survey for England , and the National Diet and Nutrition Survey ( NDNS ), which are both much more comprehensive in their questions than the ALAS . But the survey sample sizes for these surveys are not sufficient to provide local authority level estimates.

For the HSE , participants are asked numerous questions, including separate questions about fruits, vegetables and pulses, and portion sizes rather than a single-item question in the ALAS .

For the NDNS , data are collected using food diaries. Foods are then broken down to their component parts and fruit and vegetable portions are calculated.

These differences are included in the indicator source section of the Public Health Outcomes Framework.

For queries relating to this document, please contact: [email protected]

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I finally got rid of my kids' play kitchen. They used to love it, but decluttering was the right decision.

• I have three kids under the age of 7. 
• When they were younger, they were obsessed with their play kitchen. 
• I finally got rid of my kids' play kitchen. They used to love it, but decluttering was the right decision.

When my oldest was just a toddler, we lived in a tiny apartment in Brooklyn . We had optimized every corner of the apartment so we could store all his stuff, like diapers and a stroller, but there was no room for a play kitchen.

Every time we visited friends with a little play kitchen , he would spend hours playing there by himself. It made me sad we couldn't give him what he wanted, so when we moved to Maine to a bigger place, it was one of the first things I bought.

My 3 kids spent hours preparing make-believe food

Moving states with three kids under the age of 3 was not easy. My husband and I would stay up late after putting the kids down to unpack boxes and get everything as ready as we possibly could.

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One of the first things I had my husband install was the play kitchen . It came with a little food market and a cart. That first Christmas in the house, my parents gifted our kids a bunch of little wooden fruits and vegetables.

All three of them spent hours playing with it. They would make me "salads" from their wooden veggies , practice their knife skills, cut the velcro slices with a wooden knife, and just play independently.

Lately, it had been collecting dust

As they grew older, they paid less attention to the kitchen. But every time we talked about removing it and donating it, tears came flooding from their eyes. I felt bad, so the kitchen stayed.

When they did play with it, I resented how much cleanup I had to do after. There would be wooden slices of carrots and cucumbers all over our adult kitchen floor. Pieces were always missing. One of the doors had been accidentally broken, and we never repaired it. To me, it felt like clutter, but I didn't want to take the magic of imaginary play away from them.

We also added an art table next to the kitchen because our kids love to spend time painting and coloring. They had been paying way more attention to the table — that only fit one kid at a time — than the kitchen.

It felt like we were holding onto it, not them

Lately, I kept telling my husband we needed to pull the bandaid off and get rid of the kitchen. We had delayed doing the same with our oldest's crib, which sat in his room filled with stuffies while he slept in a big kid bed next to it. We were afraid that if we took out the crib, he would have tons of big feelings about it. But one day, while he was at school, we decided to do it without consulting him; when he came home, his reaction was, "Now I can build legos in this space," and he moved on with his day.

So off I sent my husband to buy supplies to make a bigger art table for the empty space the kitchen would leave. We figured they wouldn't be so frazzled about losing it if we gave them something that replaced that beloved toy.

Once the kitchen and all its little pieces were gone, our kitchen looked much more organized and less chaotic. It made me wonder why we had waited so long to do this.

Then, my husband proceeded to build the most beautiful hanging desk for the kids to do art on. We added our Lalo table and chairs to it for extra space and to potentially have the kids eat dinner there when they have friends over since we can't all fit at the table.

When the kids got home, they ran to their new art table and spent hours coloring, never once asking about the disappearance of their play kitchen. And in case you are wondering where it actually went, we moved it to our backyard and turned it into a mud kitchen in case they still want to cook me an inedible meal from time to time.

Watch: How a 'hoarder's house' is deep cleaned

• Main content