Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, dried and juices) are excellent for our diet. They are full of healthy vitamins, antioxidants and fiber, which make us feel full and that our digestive system is healthy, and they are low in calories. By eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, you'll get a variety of the important nutrients they contain. According to the Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 30.6 million), older Americans generally don't eat enough fruit.
Adding more fruit to your diet can have significant benefits for overall health. Fruits, such as vegetables, contain carbohydrates and provide additional fiber that helps keep the digestive system moving. For even more fiber, eat fruits with skin on them, just make sure you wash them thoroughly before eating them. While 100% fruit juice also counts for this category, at least half of the fruits you consume should be whole fruits.
When buying frozen, canned, or dried fruit, choose the options that have the least added sugar. Foods are grouped together because they provide similar amounts of key nutrients. For example, the key nutrients in the milk group, yogurt, cheese and alternatives include calcium and protein, while the fruit group is a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. Fresh, canned, dried and frozen fruits provide a large amount of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C and potassium.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps control infections and helps the body produce collagen, a substance needed for healthy bones, teeth and blood vessels. This vitamin also helps neutralize free radicals, which can reduce the risk of certain diseases and ailments. Potassium is an essential mineral for heart and muscle health. It also helps the body maintain a healthy fluid balance.
Your healthy eating plan should include a variety of nutritious foods from each of the five food groups identified by the United States Department of Agriculture. The plant food group includes dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, and legumes (beans and peas). Eating a lot of junk food makes your skin look dull, while, on the other hand, eating fruits and vegetables will give your face a natural glow. The daily intake amounts listed in cups or ounces may not actually translate into cups or ounces of the food you are eating.
In addition, choosing a variety of foods will help make your meals interesting, so you don't get bored with your diet. Eating a variety of foods from the 5 main food groups provides a variety of nutrients to the body, promotes good health and can help reduce the risk of diseases, in addition to maintaining an interesting diet with different flavors and textures. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. External link describes how many servings you and your family need each day and the standard serving sizes of food and beverages.
Because vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, make sure you go outside (your body gets vitamin D from the sun) and that you eat plenty of foods that contain vitamin D in your diet, such as oily fish and fortified cereals. They are based on the best available scientific data on the types and quantities of foods and dietary patterns that are believed to promote health and well-being and reduce the risk of suffering from diet-related conditions and chronic diseases. Your body depends on proteins for each of the functions it performs and for producing energy from the food you eat. These foods are called “discretionary options” (sometimes referred to as “junk food”) and should only be eaten from time to time.
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, are also healthy sources of phosphorus, and milk provides a good amount of vitamin D. It is important not to consume too many foods in this group, since they provide a lot of energy from calories, but not much nutrition.
