×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Just got to eat them!

Last Updated 26 September 2014, 17:16 IST

There is no escaping fruits and vegetables if you want to lead a healthy life, writes Dr Keith Randolph.

Research from around the world shows that a fruit-and-vegetable-rich diet is linked to many health benefits. In fact, fruit and vegetable intake is so important that the World Health Organization has set minimum intake recommendations for adults to 400g per day, or at least five servings of fruits and vegetables.

A research on the amount and variety of fruit and vegetable consumption, in thirteen regions around the world, conducted by Amway and the Nutrilite Health Institute, has shown that three out of four adults worldwide do not meet these minimum recommendations. The research, published in the September issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, finds that the majority of adults worldwide would have to at least double their current consumption of fruits and vegetables to meet WHO’s minimum recommendation per day! 

However, eating the recommended quantity of fruits and vegetables – as well as a variety – is challenging for many people around the world. Busy lives, varied accessibility and availability of fruits and vegetables, cost, poor soil quality, and lack of taste are all just a few of the things that contribute to this shortfall. Prolonged fruit and vegetable gaps in diets can result in severe health consequences. Adequate amount and variety of fruits and vegetables in one’s diet is important as these foods are healthy sources of vitamins, minerals, fibre and unique organic compounds known as ‘phyto-nutrients’. All these work together to promote a healthy life. 

Phytonutrients are nutrients naturally and uniquely present in fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and teas. Some phytonutrients are responsible for the vibrant colour of many fruits and vegetables and are recognised for their role in healthy ageing. While specific recommendations for phytonutrient consumption levels have not yet been established uniformly worldwide, a growing body of research suggests that eating a diet rich in phytonutrients may provide a range of health benefits, from promoting eye, bone and heart health, to supporting immune and brain function.

Therefore, it is essential that we make conscious efforts to eat all that we’re supposed to. Hitting the gym alone won’t keep you fit; your diet, too, plays a big role in fitness. Consume wholesome fruits and vegetables as often as possible, and if you hate eating them as they are, you could consume them in the form of sugarless juices or shakes. But you’ve just got to consume them; there’s no escaping that!
(The writer is a nutrition technology strategist, Nutrilite Health Institute, Amway) 

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 26 September 2014, 17:16 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT