These days, it can be difficult to balance a healthy diet with a healthy lifestyle. Most of us work nine to five and getting a sandwich, a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar at lunch seems a lot easier than trying to grab our five-a-day. However, it doesn't have to be a struggle, five potions may seem a lot, but even a handful of grapes count!
In the UK, an estimated one in four eleven to fifteen year olds are overweight or obese - and the problem is growing every year. However, it's not just children's health that is a big concern; The World Health Organization predicts there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world by 2015 and more than 700 million of them will be obese. Figures for 2005 show 1.6 billion adults were overweight and 400 million were obese.
So, instead of reaching for that last biscuit, why not read on and discover why fruit and veg are so important within our diets.
Fruit and vegetables are busting with vitamins, minerals and fibre, plus they're low in calories so, they are great for a healthy, balanced diet. There are so many benefits to fruit and veg and with such a range to choose from you're bound to find a few that you like, or even get hooked on!
Why Five-a-Day?
Scientific studies have shown that people who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables may have a lower risk of getting illnesses, such as heart disease and some cancers. For this reason, health authorities recommend that you eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day - and it doesn't matter whether they're fresh, tinned, frozen, cooked, juiced or dried, everything counts!
Colour is Key to Healthy Food
Colour is everything when it comes to fruit and veg, recent studies have found that depending on the colour, different benefits apply.
Red Foods
Eat: strawberries, cranberries, red apples, red onions, tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon and pomegranates.
Benefits: a rich source of antioxidants, they protect against heart disease, cancer and urinary infection. Tomatoes and watermelon also contain lycopene, a pigment that helps to reduce prostate cancer.
Green Foods
Eat: spinach, watercress, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, green peppers, peas, sprouts, cauliflower, apples and kiwi.
Benefits: green food boosts the immune system by providing vitamin C and keeping the digestive system healthy. Healthy eyes and skin, as well as protecting against cancer and heart disease are other benefits. Kale, spinach and peas are rich in lutein, a pigment in the eye that filters UV rays.
Orange and Yellow Foods
Eat: carrots, mangoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, oranges and peppers.
Benefits: prevents cancer and heart disease, as well as giving you healthy skin and strong immunity. These foods are rich in alphas, which boost your defences and contain plenty of vitamin A and C.
Purple/Blue/Black Foods
Eat: blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, raisins, prunes, black/purple grapes, raspberries, plums, aubergines and cherries.
Benefits: rich in fibre and contains anthocyanins, a powerful disease-fighting substance. Also helps with healthy skin and may have an anti-ageing effect on the brain.
White Foods
Eat: onions, garlic, shallots, chives, leeks, bananas, cucumber, celery, fennel and mushrooms.
Benefits: source of potassium, which reduces blood pressure and also helps to lower cholesterol, while also detoxing the body. Bananas contain vitamin B6, for healthy hair and skin.
With an array of choice over which fruit and veg to eat, there really is nothing stopping you apart from yourself, and hopefully this article has provided you with good reasons to start trading in that packet of crisps, for a fruit or veg based snack.
So, start getting in those potions and you'll soon see the different on the outside and feel the difference on the inside!
