Food is an integral part of our life. There is no doubt that fruits and vegetables are the most natural food for a person and have the most beneficial effect on his body. Natural food can prevent the development of diseases, including blood vessels and heart.
Vegetables and fruits
Vegetables and fruits have long been an integral part of our life. Every day we eat them raw and boiled, drink them in the form of juices and add them to dishes in the form of seasonings. Fruits make our lives better. They are sweet, refreshing, and delicious.
The benefits of fruits for the body
All fruits have their own beneficial properties. You can eat whatever you like, but be aware that brightly colored fruits are usually just overflowing with vitamins and minerals. Bright yellows, oranges and reds like papaya, mango, apricot, peach, orange, watermelon and cantaloupe are especially nutritious. These "superstars" of vegetarian diets are especially rich in vitamins A, C, as well as various micro and macro elements.
- Try to eat more fruits. Eat at least the equivalent of two large chunks of fresh fruit every day.
- Canned or processed fruits and fruit juices are also fine. Fresh fruits, meanwhile, tend to contain more fiber.
- Whenever possible, buy fruit grown in your area and at your time of year. As with vegetables, they are more likely to be freshly harvested, without the consequences of long transportation (and therefore loss of useful properties).
- If you're decorating your plate with slices of fruit, make them an edible part of your meal. Place some slices of apple, pear, orange, kiwi, or melon around the edge of the plate, or add a small bunch of grapes to the dish.
- Keep a vase full of fresh fruit on your counter or counter. If the fruit starts to spoil before you eat it whole, use it in all sorts of salads or desserts. Peel the overripe banana and store it in an airtight plastic bag or container in the freezer. Then you can use it later for making sweet sauce or baked goods.
- Keep a supply of fresh chopped fruit in an airtight container on the top shelf of your refrigerator. Do you remember how as a child it was much more interesting to eat fruits when your mother cut them for you? The principle is the same here. You are much more likely to want to eat them if they are already sliced and ready to eat.
It is impossible to remain silent about the benefits of fruits while dieting. For example, fruits such as: apple, pear, all citrus fruits (especially grapefruit) help the body to dull the feeling of hunger, besides, some of them, in addition, are good fat burners. However, one should not forget that during a diet, you should not overuse fruits with a high protein content (bananas), otherwise you can feel the harm of fruits on your own figure.
Some fruits are a good remedy for depression, here are the most important and famous ones: banana, melon, pineapple. Their constant use helps the body stay in good shape and maintain a good mood. In addition to all of the above, the following can be said about the benefits of fruits: fruits remain healthy until you start to consume them in too large quantities. Otherwise, you can fully feel the harm of fruits on yourself. After all, the abuse of citrus fruits can lead to the destruction of tooth enamel and damage to the digestive organs (intestines, stomach).
Vitamin C:
The main fruits with vitamin C are kiwi, strawberries, lemon. Vitamin is also contained in vegetables. The record holders for its content are bell peppers, cabbage, herbs (parsley). Berries are also useful with a lack of this beneficial substance. They are rich in rosehip, sea buckthorn, blackberry.
A little exotic
What vitamins are not contained in fruits and all of them, of course, are invaluable to the human body.
Lychee
Lychee or "Chinese plum" has a little more than 66 kcal per 100 g of pulp, which allows it to be used in nutrition. In some countries (for example, India), this lychee is used as an aphrodisiac. Vitamin and mineral composition of lychee - pectins, copper, iodine, proteins, phosphorus, iron, potassium, vitamins C, B, K, E, H and this is not the whole list.
Mango
The ripe mango fruit is valuable for the body. Mango is a fruit, the benefits of which lie in a vast supply of nutrients, it is just recommended to eat for people with vision problems, weak immunity, diseases of the urinary and nervous systems, and diabetes.
Carambola is a plant that has spicy, juicy, fleshy and mouth-watering fruits. The size of the carambola fruit is slightly larger than a chicken egg, but smaller than an orange. Its distinctive feature is the ribbed shape, which is formed as a result of the formation of growths on the surface of the fruit. Ripe carambola fruit acquires a golden color.
In cross-section, the carambola resembles a five-pointed star. Due to this feature, the fruit is called a star, tropical star, star fruit. They eat not only the pulp of carambola, but also the peel, which in taste is no different from the pulp itself, which can be sweet and sour-sweet.
The addition of carambola to food normalizes the functioning of the digestive organs. It helps to improve the digestion process, prevents the formation of constipation. Carambola fruits are able to normalize blood pressure, have a positive effect on the work of the cardiovascular system. The composition of carambola fruits contains a significant amount of antioxidants and phenolic compounds. These substances are used as a prophylaxis against malignant neoplasms, they help to strengthen the protective properties of the body.
Vegetables
Rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, vegetables are vital components of a balanced diet. Since there are hundreds of varieties to choose from and many cooking methods, there is a vegetable to suit all tastes. The shops offer a huge selection and introduce us to all new, often exotic, vegetables. Tomatoes, potatoes and beans from local small-scale producers are usually tastier than mass-produced ones. If you have a vegetable garden, grow your own vegetables, then they will come to your table as fresh as possible.
The most delicious and freshest vegetables in their season, besides, their prices are lower. A general rule of thumb is to choose dense vegetables with a bright color, no spots or wilted leaves. Small vegetables are usually sweeter and more tender. Whenever possible, avoid buying packaged vegetables as their quality is more difficult to determine.
Most vegetables will grow better when placed in the coldest compartment of the refrigerator - usually the bottom shelf or salad drawer - in a loose, sealed paper or plastic bag. Do not seal the bag tightly, as drops may form on the surface of the vegetables during the condensation process, and this will accelerate spoilage. Store potatoes, onions, garlic, and winter squash in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place. The rule of thumb for most vegetables is that the sooner you use them, the tastier and more nutritious they will be.
Vitamins
Vegetables are the main source of vitamin C for the human body (cauliflower and white cabbage, parsley, onions, tomatoes, spinach and dill). They supply us with provitamin A (carrots, pumpkin, lettuce, spinach and celery), vitamin P (chillies, lettuce, tomatoes), and B vitamins (peas, spinach, cabbage, beets and carrots). Folic acid (vitamin B9) is found in spinach and Brussels sprouts, while niacin (vitamin B3) is found in peas.
In addition to vitamins, vegetables provide us with vitamin-like substances such as inositol and beta-carotene. Yellow and orange vegetables, as well as leafy vegetables (lettuce, celery and parsley) are rich in beta-carotene.
Minerals
Vegetables are the richest foods in terms of mineral content. This is easy to explain, because unlike fruits and berries, which are saturated with the sun, vegetables (most of which are root crops) receive minerals from the bowels of the earth. Moreover, vegetable crops provide the body with minerals much better than animal products.
Calcium is found in celery, onions and rhubarb, parsley and celery are rich in potassium. Phosphorus can be found in beets, Brussels sprouts, peas and spinach, and most iron is found in green onions, peas, radishes and all kinds of green vegetables. In addition to these mineral compounds, vegetables contain chromium and zinc, nickel and copper, iodine and silver.
Cellulose
Vegetables boast a high fiber content (10% to 50%). There is only more water in them. At the same time, the largest amount of fiber is found in lentils, pumpkin, broccoli, potatoes and tomatoes.
Useful properties of vegetables
Provide the body with nutrients
Vegetables have the most balanced nutrient profile. It is these food products that are the main suppliers of vitamins and minerals to our body, and therefore eating vegetables every day, you can easily maintain the health of the body, fill it with strength and energy.
Strengthens the immune system
Replenishment of nutrients necessary for the body, combined with an improvement in their absorption, perfectly strengthens the immune system. It is especially useful to eat vegetables in the autumn-winter period, when, due to a meager diet and a minimum of sunlight, the body is deficient in nutrients, and the immune system begins to weaken.
Cleanse the body
Vegetables are high in indigestible fiber. Valuable dietary fibers, like a brush, "sweep" harmful waste and toxins from the body. Thanks to this, metabolic processes are improved in the body, the process of burning fat is more active, and a person remains slim and fit.
Improves the functioning of the digestive system
Vegetables contain many substances that stimulate the production of gastric juice and promote better digestion of food. The fiber found in vegetables helps move food through the intestines, thereby helping to prevent constipation, it also mechanically stimulates the walls of the large intestine, thereby preventing the development of malignant neoplasms.
Helps in weight loss
Vegetables are rightfully considered dietary products, which means that people who are thinking about losing weight or wanting to maintain their weight normally need to add vegetables to their daily diet.
The listing of numerous nutrients clearly demonstrates the benefits of fruits and vegetables. Regular consumption of plant-based products, even in small quantities, is the key to health and well-being!
