Almost Everyone Needs to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
A growing body of research shows that fruits and vegetables are
critical to promoting good health. To get the amount that's
recommended, most people need to increase the amount of fruits and
vegetables they currently eat every day. How
Many Fruits and Vegetables Do You Need?
Fruits and Vegetables Can Protect Your Health
Fruits
and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber
that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with
people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and
vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a
healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic
diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular
diseases, and certain cancers.
Whole Foods or Supplements?
Nutrients should come primarily from foods. Foods such as fruits
and vegetables contain not only the vitamins and minerals that are
often found in supplements, but also other naturally occurring
substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.
For some people, fortified foods or supplements can be helpful in
getting the nutrients their bodies need. A fortified food contains a nutrient in an amount greater than what is
typically found in that food.
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Fruits
and Vegetables and Weight Management
Substituting fruits and vegetables for higher-calorie foods can
be part of a weight loss strategy. Read more on CDC's page
How to Use Fruits and Vegetables to Help Manage Your Weight.
Fruits and Vegetables on the Go!
Busy lives can benefit from food that's nutritious, yet easy to
eat on-the-go, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and
vegetables are a natural source of energy and give the body many
nutrients you need to keep going.
The Colors of Health
Fruits and vegetables come in terrific colors and flavors, but
their real beauty lies in what's inside. Fruits and vegetables are
great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural
substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.
To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and
vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of
valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A
and C. Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes,
black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white
onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.
View
a chart that lists specific nutrients and tells you how these
nutrients contribute to good health. You can also find out which
fruits and vegetables are good and excellent sources of these
nutrients.
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