Key Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

Some people tend to overlook the benefits that fruits and vegetables bring into their diet. The human body requires the vitamins and minerals that are found in fruits and vegetables to function normally. In essence these foods aren’t a benefit, per say, but rather essential to being healthy. It is recommended by many health professionals and health organizations that we intake 7-13 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Green
Fruits and vegetables that are green in color such as; broccoli, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, contain vitamins and minerals that are very powerful anti-cancer compounds. What’s more is that they are very good for the circulatory system which helps fight diseases and helps stabilize body temperature.

Yellow/Orange
Oranges, peaches, pineapples, tangerines, or papayas are examples of fruits and vegetables that are yellow/orange in color. These foods bring antioxidants, which helps reduce cell damage; they also prevent heart disease by reducing inflammation. Another benefit of these colored foods is that they help keep mucus membranes and connective tissue healthy.

Red/Purple/Blue
Fruits and vegetables that are red, purple, or blue in color are very rich in antioxidants that prevent blood clots and helps protect against heart disease. These foods also contain many anti-aging photochemicals that keep the blood flowing. Examples of these fruits and vegetables include: apples, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, beets, etc.

Other red fruits, such as tomatoes and watermelon, contain phytochemicals that reduce free radicals in your body. These free radicals can cause damage to cells if they come into contact with them so having less in your system is a good thing. Lycopene is very helpful in preventing prostate problems, and reducing the effects of sun damage on the skin, it is also the reason that these fruits have a red color.

Think about making a fruit and/or vegetable salad to go with your next supper. A great way to get as many servings as possible is to make your salad contain a variety of colors. Each one of the colors you drop into it will be adding specific nutrients to various components of your body.

These are just some of the benefits that fruits and vegetables bring into our daily lives. These are also just some reasons why it is recommended for us to intake 7-13 servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day to ensure that we maintain a healthy body. Our bodies are highly complex systems of cells that require various vitamins and minerals with which to function properly, efficiently, and last longer.