Eating fruits and vegetables
(Third Instalment)
Fruit and vegetables are a vital part of cuisines around the world. Each country has its favorite dishes. Our fruit and vegetables help define our culture.
Consumption
Parents around the world try to cajole their children into eating their greens or snack on fruit rather than junk food. They do so for health reasons. Fruit and vegetables help children grow and support body functions and physical, mental and social well-being. They can help prevent malnutrition, overweight and obesity and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases.
The colours of fruit and vegetables are often linked to the nutrients they contain.
Orange/yellow – contain carotenoids that help keep eyes healthy. For example: carrot, pumpkin, squash. grapefruit, lemon, mango, melon, nectarine, orange, papaya, peach, and pineapple.
Green – phytochemicals with anti-cancer properties. For example: asparagus, green bean, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, peas, spinach, green apple, avocado, green grape, kiwifruit, and lime.
Purple/blue – antioxidant properties that can reduce the risks of cancer, stroke and heart disease. For example: beetroot, red cabbage, eggplant, blackberry, blueberry, purple grape, plum, and passion fruit.
Red – can help lower the risk of cancer and improve heart health. For example: red capsicum, radish, tomato, red apple, cactus pear, cherry, red grape, red and pink grapefruit, red guava, raspberry, strawberry, and watermelon.
Brown/white – phytochemicals with antiviral and antibacterial properties as well as potassium. For example: cauliflower, chive, garlic, ginger, leek, onion, banana, durian, jackfruit, white peach, and brown pear.
Benefits of eating fruit and vegetables
Children’s growth and development – fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamin A, calcium, iron, and folate, which can promote good health, strengthen a child’s immune system and help protect against disease, both now and in the future.
Longer life – people who eat more fruit and vegetables live longer than those who do not, according to a large study in ten European countries.
Better mental health:
Healthy heart – fibre and antioxidants in fruit and vegetables can help prevent cardiovascular disease.
Lower cancer risk – in several dietary studies, consuming fruit and vegetables was found to lower the risk of lung, colon, breast, cervix, oesophagus, oral cavity, stomach, bladder, pancreas, and ovarian cancer.
Lower obesity risk – a number of studies have observed a lowered risk of adiposity and obesity in certain groups who consume fruit and vegetables.
Lower diabetes risk – a systematic review and meta-analysis found higher green leafy vegetable and higher fruit intake was associated with a significant reduction in Type 2 diabetes risk.
Better gut health – a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and other high-fibre, plant-based foods improves gut bacteria diversity and tends to increase bacteria associated with anti-inflammatory compounds linked to improved metabolism. Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables has also been shown to decrease the prevalence of diverticulosis as well as other digestive problems such as gas, constipation and diarrhoea.
Improved immunity – adequate intakes of fruit and vegetables may reduce the severity of some infectious diseases. Though they will not protect you against a virus such as COVID-19, recovery from infectious diseases is better when consuming fruit and vegetables than with diets low in this food group.
Consumption levels – worldwide, we consume far less fruit and vegetables than the minimum total of 400g recommended by WHO for a healthy diet. On average, we consume only about two-thirds of the recommended minimum amounts of fruit and vegetables. Residents of the Caribbean consume the most fruit.
