Immune System

We are all told from a young age we must ensure we get our 5 a day. But why?

In this blog we will discuss the benefits of fruit and vegetables, what they are good for and the best ways to integrate them into your diet.

Fruit and Vegetables

There are many benefits to introducing more fruit and Veg into your diet and the results are often a lot more drastic then you realize. Here are 4 of the most significant reasons for introducing them to your diet:

1. Fruits and Vegetables contain key Vitamins and Minerals – Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Vitamins A, C and K are just a few of the key nutrients you will benefit from when eating fresh fruit and veg.
2. Fruit and Vegetables are rich in Fiber –  Fiber has many important effect for the body. It keeps the digestive system working correctly, creates the feeling of fullness and prevents numerous heart and vascular health conditions arising.
3. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals  – These types of nutrients reduce inflammation which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The antioxidants found in fruit and veg also help to slow down the aging process. They also ensure the digestive system works correctly and by absorbing the nutrients from the fruit the toxins are pushed through to the intestines to be released.
4. Fruits and Vegetables help with weight loss – due to their natural lack in calories regardless of them being rich in fiber and nutrients, you are able to consume enough to be full, but not enough to gain excessive weight.

How do I get the most out of my Fruit and Veg?

There are certain conditions that would impact the nutritional benefits you gain when eating fruit and veg, but these are easily avoidable. In order to get the most out of your daily intact insure the following things:

1. Always aim to eat fresh fruit and veg, they are the most nutritional when they are fresh. The next best thing would be frozen. If you are trying to loose weight avoid canned fruit at all costs!
2. Remember dried fruits sugar contents is significantly higher then fresh fruit. This means its calorie contents is higher. so if you are choosing dried fruit, make sure our portion servings are at least half the size.
3. when selecting fruit juices, avoid added sugar, 100% natural fruit juice is our goal. We want to stay away from juice made from concentrate all together as this is purely sugar and has a huge calorie contents.
4. For those who suffer from carbohydrate metabolism conditions such as Diabetes or PCOS you have to remember that fruit especially is high in sugar. You can still incorporate fruit into your diet but you must ensure that it is in small portions and this doesn’t cause any sugar imbalance for you.

What are the hidden benefits in Fruit and Veg?

You would be surprised to see all the hidden nutritional benefits you could gain from the most commonly eaten fruit and veg. Below are the most commonly eaten types of fruit and veg eaten in the UK and their nutritional benefits:

Fruits –

1. Strawberries (85%) – Excellent source for Vitamin C, Magnesium, Folate and Potassium. They are also rich in antioxidants which benefit heart health and blood sugar control
2. Red Grapes (83%) – Contain antioxidants that help with the cardiovascular system, they are also excellent for reducing inflammation. Did you know they also reduce the clotting factors of platelets as much as an aspirin!
3. Green Grapes (81%) – Green grapes help to lower blood pressure, and like red grapes help regulate a healthy cardiovascular system.
4. Bananas (80%) – Bananas are high in Potassium, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. Potassium can help lower blood pressure and this in turn helps boost heart health.
5. Pineapples (77%) – These are high in Vitamin B6, Copper, Thiamin, Folate, Potassium, Magnesium, Niacin and Iron.
6. Tangerines (77%) – These have an abundance of Vitamin C, they also contain levels of Vitamin A.
7. Clementine’s (74%) – Surprisingly these contain the highest levels of Vitamin C. 1 clementine provides 40% of your daily Vitamin C needs. they also contain Folate and Thiamine.
8. Black Grapes (73%) – Rich in Vitamin C, K and A these along with levels of flavoids and minerals help boost immunity and relieve constipation and liver problems.
9. Peaches (72%) – These contain 6% of your daily Vitamin A needs and 15% of your daily Vitamin C needs. these also contain high levels of Vitamin E and K.
10. Pears (70&) – Pears are extremely high in fiber, they are also packed full of fat free, cholesterol free nutrients which are great for weight loss.

Vegetables –

1. Potatoes (72%) – High in Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin C and vitamin B6, these all support heart health.
2. Carrots (66%) – The high fiber contents of a carrot helps keep blood sugar levels under control, they are loaded with Vitamin A, they help strengthen bones, contain Vitamin K and calcium.
3. Tomatoes (65%) – Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, they reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. they are also a great source of Vitamin C, Potassium, Folate and Vitamin K.
4. Onions (65%) – Helps to reduce Cholesterol levels and help to break down blood clots, they lower risks of heart disease and strokes.
5. Peas (62%) – A good source of Vitamins A, B, C, E, Zinc and other antioxidants that help to boost the immune system. Help reduce inflammation and the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.
6. Broccoli (52%) – High source of Fiber, Vitamin C, reduce the risks of cancer and can help to reduce inflammation.
7. Peppers (47%) – High in Vitamin C, K1, E, A, Folate and Potassium.
8. Sweetcorn (47%) -High Fiber contents this aids digestion. decreases the risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
9. Green Beans (30%) – Contain Vitamins such as A, C, K, B6, B9. High in Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Copper.
10. Cabbage (29%) – Contains high levels of Vitamin C, Fiber, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin A and K.

If you struggle to get all of these fruits and veg into your diet but still want all the added benefits, we have lots of products you can take to help improve your vitamin and mineral levels.

We have many recipes on our website which can help you to integrate these nutritional foods into your daily diet, these can be used for weight loss, weight gain and just for generally improving your overall health.