Nutrition in Fruits and Vegetables
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
It’s easy to forget about getting our daily fill of fruits and veggies.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that are vital for health and maintenance of the body. A diet rich in fruits and veggies can help maintain a healthy weight since they are lower in calories than other food choices. Fruits and vegetables are a tasty way to stay healthy!
Some of these key vitamins and minerals, and what they do for your body are:
- Calcium: Essential for healthy bones and teeth.
- Vitamin A: Key for eye and skin health. A deficiency can actually cause blindness.
- Vitamin C: Acts as an antioxidant to protect the body against free radicals and oxidative stress, which, in turn can play a role in preventing disease. Helps wounds heal more quickly.
- Iron: Needed for healthy blood and functioning of all cells.
- Fiber: Helps with digestion and keeps you fuller longer.
- Folate: Key for new cell development. Deficiency can cause anemia. Deficiency in pregnant women can cause neural tube defects and other birth defects.
- Potassium: Help to maintain a healthy blood pressure.
- Sodium: Essential for normal cell functioning, but too much can cause high blood pressure.
- Magnesium: Necessary for healthy bones and is involved in over 300 enzymes in your body. A deficiency can cause muscle cramps and high blood pressure.
A few other great things about fruits and veggies are:
- Variety: There are so many different options for both fruits and veggies, you could literally eat a rainbow assortment of them every day!
- Low in calories: If you are dieting or trying to maintain your weight, eating fruits and veggies is for you! They are lower in calories than other snack type foods and you can eat more without feeling guilty.
- Lower your risk factors: Eating fruits and veggies regularly may help lower your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers.