Ms. Fruit

Hi all, Welcome to MrandMsCooking.com—a website created by a community of cooking enthusiasts with the goal of providing books for novice cooks featuring the best recipes, at the most affordable prices, and valuable gifts. Hats off to you for believing and trying out “Hello! 90 Kiwi Recipes”. I would like to congratulate you for taking the first step to a healthier life. I know that you are not just here to read about the different fruit and vegetable recipes, but also to learn on how to be healthy. Since all of us want to have good health and a meaningful life, I have written a variety of recipes for fruits and vegetables that you can prepare daily. In this series, I have made the process exciting for you and I’m sure that you will change the way you think about eating fruits and vegetables. Let this be a good start to a healthy life! I. How nutritious are fruits and vegetables? It’s a known fact that fruits and vegetables contain a good amount of natural vitamins and minerals which are very essential to our health. They are not just a good source of energy and nutrients, but also helps us to prevent many dreaded diseases. Here are some of the nutrients that fruits and vegetables have and their corresponding benefits. 1. Vitamins and Minerals These include antioxidants like Vitamins A, C, E and selenium. Most foods have the essential vitamins and minerals, but fruits and vegetables are excellent sources, which help the body improve its metabolic processes. a. Vitamin A - Benefits: Improves immunity, prevents cell damage from free radicals, enhances resistance to infection, maintains skin tissue and respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts - Sources: apricots, carrots, greens, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, watercress, and yellow squash b. Vitamin C - Benefits: Prevents cell damage from free radicals, promotes healthy gums, helps heal infections and bruising, improves immunity and resistance to disease, aids in iron absorption - Sources: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, currants, green leafy vegetables, kiwi, mangos, papaya, parsley, peppers, pineapple, strawberries, and tomatoes 2. Phytonutrients Certain phytochemicals have been studied and the results have been made well-known. Substances in plants are mostly antioxidants. a. Lutein – found in dark green leafy vegetables; protects against some eye-related diseases b. Lycopene – found in tomatoes; protection against prostate disease c. Proanthocyanidins – found in cranberries; may prevent urinary tract infections 3. Fiber Promotes a healthy digestive process by slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates and promotes satiety. II. Why should I eat lots of fruits and vegetables? These are some of the health benefits and why we should eat nutrient rich fruits and vegetables. 1. Good for the heart Harvard studied and monitored the eating habits of around 100,000 men and women in the United States for 14 years. Based on the study, people who ate more fruits and vegetables had lower risk of heart disease and stroke compared to those who ate little or none at all in their daily diet. All types of fruits and vegetables have important contributions in protecting our overall health such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, citrus fruits (including their juices), green leafy vegetables and a lot more. One of the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke is high blood pressure. To lower blood pressure, a good diet is a great tool. Patients having a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products (limited in saturated fat and total fat) have shown good results in lowering blood pressure. Thus, people with high blood pressure can use the diet provided by researchers to regulate their blood pressure. 2. Cancer prevention Some fruits and vegetables have cancer fighting properties which can help protect the body from cancer. It has been reported by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research that some fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, garlic, lettuce, onions, spinach and other leafy vegetables can protect the body against certain types of cancers, including esophagus, larynx, lung, mouth, stomach and throat cancer. One good example is lycopene, which makes up the red color of tomatoes, can help protect men against prostate cancer. Increased consumption of tomato products and other foods containing lycopene, especially cooked tomato products, can reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer based on studies. Studies have shown that carotenoids like lycopene which are found in dark fruits and vegetables can protect the body against certain cancers like lung, mouth, throat, etc. 3. Aids digestion Fiber is one of the great ingredients of fruits and vegetables. There are two types: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber consists of pectin, pentozan and mucilaginous substance, which are found in rice bran, beans, peanut, apple peel, corn, white peony of grapefruits and oranges, grape peel and many others. Insoluble fiber, including cellulose and hemicellulose, are found in green fruits, vegetables, and bamboo shoots. Soluble fiber is essential in lipid, glucid, and lipoprotein metabolism. It lessens the time it takes for food to remain in the digestive tract, making it less prone to food stress in terms of mass and biochemical aspects. On the other hand, insoluble fibers have shown evidence in preventing constipation and gastrointestinal cancers (especially colorectal cancer). When the insoluble fiber is in the intestine, it hatches and softens the stool, stimulates the intestinal walls, increases the motility of the intestines and promotes better bowel movements. Fiber also absorbs toxins in the digestive system, heightens the immune system and activity of the gut bacteria, which in turn reduces the risk of gastrointestinal infection. The gut bacteria frequently affect the intestinal wall, restricts cell division, and prevents the development and growth of abnormal cysts on the intestinal wall. Additionally, fiber also provides an environment against oxidants when fermented in the intestines. Oxidants and toxins are in the colon during the processing of food metabolism. 4. Promotes good eyesight Plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet will provide the essential vitamins to your body and maintain good eyesight. Prevent macular degeneration of your eyes by consuming Vitamins A, C and E. Vitamin A helps to avoid night blindness, Vitamin C maintains eye health, while Vitamin E helps in preventing cataracts and delaying their growth. Therefore, it is very clear that fruits and vegetables are vital in our daily diet. Anyone can reap the benefits by eating more fruits and vegetables. It is important to eat different kinds of fruits and vegetables to get all the nutrients your body needs. Consume 2 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables each day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are more recipes for fruits and vegetables in this series such as: • Beans And Peas • Fruits • Mushrooms • Vegetables • ... You have reached the end of the article. Thank you for your support and for choosing “Hello! 90 Kiwi Recipes”. Let this be an inspiration when preparing food in your kitchen. Please leave your story about cooking with fruits and vegetables in the comment sections below.