I am a strong advocate of the all-round health benefits of a varied diet of vegetables and fruit, and I am not surprised that researchers have found that in the case of fruit and veg, “more is more”. Intensive farming methods and long food miles mean that vegetables and fruits often contain far fewer nutrients now compared to 40-50 years ago. For example, iron in watercress is 80% lower, calcium in broccoli is 50% and the same for pineapples; the vitamin C in cauliflower is 40% less and sweet peppers are 30% lower. So we now need to eat far more of these to achieve the same nutritional intake as previously.
As well as all round health benefits, perhaps you also have a particular concern about healthy hair, skin and nails? In which case, think about trying to widen your diet and include the following fruit and vegetables regularly:
For Hair, Skin & Nail Health
|
Naturally found in these Vegetables and Fruit:
|
Biotin
|
Swiss Chard, Carrot, Cauliflower, Onion, Strawberries, Raspberries
|
Zinc
|
Palm Heart, Sun-dried Tomato, Peas, Sweetcorn
|
Iodine
|
Seaweed, Baked Potato Skin, Prune, Bananas
|
Riboflavin (B2)
|
Mushroom, Spinach, Asparagus
|
Niacin (B3)
|
Avocado, Pea, Sweet Potatoe, Parsnips
|
Vitamin C
|
Bell Pepper, Guava, Kale, Kiwi, Broccoli, Blueberries, Orange
|
Lycopene
|
Tomato, Papaya, Watermelon, Pink Grapefruit
|
Copper
|
Dried Apricot, Currant, Raisins
|
Selenium
|
Brazil Nut, Cashew, Mushrooms
|
Vitamin E
|
Spinach, Kale, Avocado, Butternut Squash, Pumpkin
|
Vitamin D
|
Mushroom (with a little fat)
|
Folic Acid (B9)
|
Pak Choi, Savoy Cabbage, Lettuce, Pomegranate, Kiwi,
Orange
|
Magnesium
|
Kale, Swiss Chard, Banana, Dried Dates, Dried Figs
|
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
|
Raw: Onion, Bell Peppers, Radish, Spinach
|
Co Q10
|
Spinach, Broccoli, Cauliflower,
|
Essential Fatty Acids
|
Seaweed, Winter Squash, Honeydew Melon, Kale, Mango, Kumquat
|
Vitamin B12 is also important but is not commonly found in
fruit and vegetables. Sources include
dairy food, eggs and oily fish.
Personally, I love lots of vegetables in my meals, and fruit
is just so easy to add as snack during the day.
What about you – do you get 7-a-day or even 5-a-day – apparently less
than a third of us do!
Interesting post Dips. thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks Phree, I don't struggle to achieve 5-a-day, as I love my veggies and always pack them in, but not sure that hand on heart I could say that I ate 0.5kg of fruit and veg a day (which is roughly the equivalent of 7 portions),
ReplyDelete