Everyone agrees on the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables, but not enough people are following this important advice. Dietary experts recommend that every person should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest changes you can make to increase your level of health, lose weight and gain fitness.
The latest food guidelines recommend that adults eat from five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. While that may seem like a lot, it is an important goal to strive for, and a very reachable one.
A serving of a fruit or vegetable is equal to:
1. 1 medium sized vegetable or fruit (such as an apple, orange or banana)
2. 2 small fruits (such as kiwi fruit or plums)
3. ½ cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruits or vegetables
4. ½ cup of 100% fruit juice
5. ¼ cup of dried fruit
6. 1 cup of green salad
Study after study has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic diseases and conditions. One reason for the recommendation that everyone increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables is that many of these foods have been shown to have strong antioxidant qualities.
Many fruits and vegetables have high amounts of many antioxidant vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C. In addition to their importance as source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide essential dietary fiber.
Many people do not realize, that in addition to vitamin C, oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits also contain significant amounts of fiber. Fiber plays an important role in digestion, and it is thought to have protective qualities against heart disease and some forms of cancer. In addition, fiber is thought to have the ability to lower high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Another great feature of fruits and vegetables, especially to those watching their weight, is the high nutrition, low fat, and low calorie nature of these foods. Fruits and vegetables contain very low levels of fats, and a diet low in fat can be quite effective for long-term weight loss. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, and they are lower in calories than many other types of foods.
Fruits and vegetables have a lot of advantages besides just their nutritional importance. For one thing, they taste great and add a great deal of variety to everyday meals. Fruits and vegetables come in such a wide variety of colors, textures and flavors that they can be used in virtually every meal. Those seeking to maximize their consumption of fruits and vegetables should get into the habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes.
No matter what your reason for following a healthy diet, we believe you will find that eating more fruits and vegetables is a delicious, as well as a nutritious, way to get the vitamins and minerals you need every day.
I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. When word gets around about your command of healthy diet facts, others who need to know about fruits and vegetables will start to actively seek you out.
Nishanth Reddy
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/enjoy-a-healthier-lifestyle-with-more-fruits-and-vegetables-67789.html
March 27th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
how can make my lifestyle more interesting?
I am 55 years old, married with one son, aged 25, employed and living separately.
I wake up at 6 in the morning. At 6:30, I am out with my bicycle for a 45 minutes vigorous ride to the beach and back home. I cover 15 kilometers or 9.30 miles
At 8, I have the second cup of tea of the day and go through two newspapers.
I have my shower at 8:45 and breakfast at 9:00.
I work from home, and I am at my desk at 9:15
At 1:00 I have my lunch and lie down for 30 minutes reading news paper. A short while later, I doze off.
After a half hour siesta, I have my tea and am back at my desk at 3:00 PM.
I work until 6:00 and then I go to a near by swimming pool for an hour of vigorous swim (40 numbers 25 metre laps.)
At 7:30 in the evening, I begin to have my whisky on my bedroom balcony. My wife and I talk about the day’s days events during that time. I also make a few phone calls to my friends.
By 10:00, I have had 240 ml of whisky (0.89 UK Pint, 0.5 US Pint, or a little over 8 fluix ounces) , I am reasonably tipsy and have my dinner. At 10.30, I am off to sleep. Thanks to the whisky, the moment I put my head on the pillow, I go off to sleep.
(For those of you who may think my alcohol consumption is excessive, I have my LFT – liver function test – done every six months and my liver enzymes (SGOT, SGPT, GGT, etc;) are within normal range. I am not diabetic, my BP is normal, I am not overweight and I am in great physical shape. I eat a very healthy diet consisting of a variety of vegetable and fruits, fish and moderate amount of carbohydrate. I avoid red meat, eat very little chicken and our consumption of cooking oil (fat) is minimal. Alcohol is my only vice, but it makes me happy, relieves my stress and gives me a general feeling of well being. I don’t smoke)
I seldom watch TV.
On Wednesdays, I go to my Rotary Club meeting. After the meeting, I drink with my fellow Rotarians and discuss current evens.
Once a week, I meet my friends – one is a doctor and other is a professor – over drinks again, and come back home in time to go to sleep.
I used to go to my club twice a week, but now I don’t go much because I do not find the conversation there interesting. I find being with my wife more enjoyable.
I do not like travelling.
I have a beautiful home and lovely garden, and gardening is my hobby. It gives me great happiness.
I enjoy good health.
Now, how can make my lifestyle more interesting?
Thank you for taking the time off to read this long post.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
maybe you should through the clock away and ask your son if he can take you to the sex shop and show you all the cool stuff that he and his girlfriend use, then you can use them on your wife.
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March 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
It sounds like your life is pretty full and you seem happy. Is there something you've always wanted to do? Maybe you could take a class at night if there is something that's always interested you.
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March 27th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
A bit of time set aside in helping others, by, perhaps, volunteering for, say, a big brother program, or visiting seniors at a rest home, or some such thing, is most beneficial and fulfilling.
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March 27th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Maybe by not thinking about it so much. It sounds so ordered, you should mix everything up a bit, not be so rigid, be implulsive, do something new every day or in a new place, try different foods, do something you've never done before, read a new book, You don't have to travel in body to travel in mind. Try having a holiday from your life at home. Drink coffee instead of alcohol one night and you might be a awake to witness a different hour you usually sleep through. Have breakfast for tea….
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March 27th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
wow men thats like weared or boring
but u seem to be a man who has everything figured out
Anyway try take some time off every year and go on a safari to maybe southafrica, Kenya or any other country
u could even go to paris or hawaai
OMG!!!!!!
Ive read ur previous Q&As WHATS WRONG WITH U
U r too damn serious about life – loosen up
u ask about israel, synonyms(whatever) n basically just serious stuff
meeen, thats too much seriousness
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