Fruits and Vegetables

Posted by on September 14, 2011

Most of us don’t eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables, which are important to have in a healthy diet. In fact, there are a lot of people who don’t eat any fruits or vegetables at all, and rely simply on processed food, which is usually not the least bit healthy. We all need to have a certain amount of fruits and vegetables in our daily diets, for all kinds of reasons.

Did you know that just by eating one piece of fruit a day, you can make a huge improvement in your overall health? Sadly, many people are not even eating this much fruit, often because they think that they don’t have time to eat, or that fresh produce is too expensive. There are many alternatives to fresh fruit that are just as healthy, such as juice and frozen fruit, which is often less expensive than fresh.

We also do not get enough vegetables in our diets. Having lettuce and a slice of tomato on your daily take-out burger is not nearly enough, but for many of us, this is the most vegetables we ever get. You don’t have to sit down to a huge, cooked meal to get enough vegetables, nor do you have to spend a lot of time cutting vegetables for salads. It takes no time at all to grab a piece of celery and start munching, or even a handful of baby carrots or radishes. You can enjoy vegetable juice, and if you don’t like the taste, you can get combination fruit and vegetable juices. The fruity flavors overpower the vegetables, so you don’t taste them at all.

The Health Benefits of Vegetables and Fruits

There are so many health benefits to eating vegetables and fruits, and they are important to have in every diet. Without these foods, we cannot even begin to come close to getting the nutrients we need. Sure, we can take nutritional supplements, but why not get the nutrients right from the source in the first place? Here are some of the reasons why it is so important to have plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet:

  • Have a healthy urinary tract
  • Lower the risk of some cancers
  • Lower the risk of heart disease and hypertension
  • Have healthy memory function
  • Have healthy vision
  • Keep cholesterol levels in check
  • Keep the immune system healthy
  • Ensure strong bones and teeth

Getting Kids to Eat Their Veggies

One of the most difficult things for any parent to do can be to make sure that their kids are eating enough healthy foods. Children can be extremely fussy, and if they think they are eating anything that is healthy, they will suddenly find a reason to dislike what they are eating (even if they have loved it for a long time). One of the best things to do is to trick your children. This may sound cruel, but it is actually one of the best things you can do for them. Of course, not all children are fussy eaters, and many will eat vegetables, but if yours are fussy, you can find ways to get them to eat their vegetables, and they won’t even realize it.

  • Use Cheese – Kids love cheese, and they will usually eat pretty much anything that has cheese on it. Try melting some cheddar cheese over broccoli, or make them a “pizza” sandwich, using whole grain bread, roasted tomatoes, and a slice of mozzarella cheese.
  • Cut Out Shapes – Finger foods are something that children love, and they love foods that are cut into cool shapes. Cut vegetables into cubes, triangles, and other shapes. You can even make a game of it, by getting them to find certain shapes and then eat them.
  • Sauces – If your children don’t like tomatoes, give them foods that have tomato sauce in them. Chances are that they will not even realize that they are eating tomatoes, because the flavor and texture is completely different. You can easily make fresh tomato sauce by putting tomatoes, spices and a little bit of soya sauce in a food processor. Or, you can make a cheesy Alfredo sauce to pour over broccoli and other vegetables to make them taste better.
  • Make Alphabet Soup – Make your kids healthy vegetable soup with alphabet noodles. They can make games by spelling words from the letters, and enjoy their vegetables at the same time.

You probably won’t have much of a problem getting your children to eat a variety of fruits. There are many delicious fruits that children love, and they can either eat them, or enjoy healthy glasses of juice (the best is the juice you make yourself from fresh fruits). You may even want to try sneaking the odd vegetable in with their fruit. If they do not notice, this is a great way to make sure they are eating some vegetables.

The best thing you can do to ensure that your children eat their vegetables is to start them right out with the right foods as soon as you start introducing solid foods into their diets. If they are used to eating them in the first place, they are more than likely not going to complain about eating vegetables when they are older.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you are overweight or slim, or if you think you are perfectly healthy. Everyone needs to have fruits and vegetables in their diets, and it is important to have at least three servings per day to get the most benefits. It never hurts to have more than this. In fact, the more healthy foods you include in your diet, the better off you will be in the long run. There are many delicious meals and snacks you can prepare with fruits and vegetables, and once you get into the habit of eating healthy foods, you will more than likely stop having cravings for the junk foods that are not so good for you.