The evidence for the benefit of eating plant foods is strong: the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phyto-nutrients they contain can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. People who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk for certain cancers, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Being low in calories and high in fiber, fruits and vegetables are also a key component in healthy weight maintenance. As good as raw foods are for you, it's important to also eat cooked vegetables especially for vegetarians. Cooking your vegetables can lead to better iron absorption, especially important for vegetarians. Fifty percent cooked foods and fifty percent uncooked foods are a healthful ratio for most people.
Nutrition science is proving that active chemicals in plants are contained in the pigments, different chemicals being associated with different colors. For example, green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. It is also seen that some vegetables look alike the organs of the body where they produce beneficial effects. For example, a sliced carrot looks like a human eye, the pupil, iris and the radiating lines. It is known that carrots greatly enhance the blood flow and function of the eyes. When a tomato is cut into half, we can see the four chambers just like the four chambers of the heart. Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, which is indeed a heart and blood food. Sweet potatoes looks like pancreas and balance the glycemic index of diabetics. Onions look like body cells. It is seen that onions help to clear the waste material from the body cells. They produce tears and wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic also helps clear body waste and dangerous free radicals from the body.
Why not just take a supplement? Food and supplement manufacturers take the latest research and create pills and “functional foods” that contain high levels of isolated nutrients. However, these products are not a substitute for real food. A fortified food contains a nutrient in an amount greater than what is typically found in that food. Time and again the fad of the day will be proven not to be effective or even to be harmful in large doses. Moderation is probably the favorite word of most dietitians and is applicable in this situation as well. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to get their health protective benefits instead of taking pills or consuming manufactured food products. How do you know if you are getting enough? The simplest way: look at your plate; it should be 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 lean protein, and 1/4 starch/grain.
Are you short of time to cook vegetables because you are always working? I have become a big fan of frozen fruits and vegetables. They get ready in less time. Another advantage is that frozen fruits and veggies actually have more nutrients than their fresh counterparts in the produce section. This is because frozen produce is frozen immediately after harvest, preserving their nutrients, whereas fresh fruits and vegetables, ironically enough, experience a delay of up to several days before they hit your plate. During that time, they begin to lose valuable vitamins as well as flavor.
Do you want your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables? They’ll do it if they see you doing it. Now comes the good part: make your veggies tasty! Once you have mastered a few techniques, you can serve any vegetable and they will taste great. Roasting, sautéing, and braising will result in concentrated flavors, which taste great with garlic, onions, crushed pepper, tomatoes, or herbs. Enhance the flavor further by finishing the dish with a squeeze of lemon or a few drops of vinegar. Experiment, have fun and enjoy your food.
