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fruits and vegetables at pike place market

 

A diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables contributes to a healthy body and healthy weight. Fruits and vegetables contain unique compounds that help ward off chronic disease. Fresh produce can also provide you with energy to fuel your days without saturated fats, sodium, added sugars or trans fats. The American Heart Association recommends consuming at least 4½ cups of fruits and vegetables daily. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, MyPyramid recommends even more as a minimum, with 1½ cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables daily.

 

fruits and vegs3

 

Fruits and vegetables, when eaten as part of an overall healthy diet, can reduce your risk of developing stroke, coronary artery disease and Type 2 diabetes. The antioxidants and fiber in fruits and vegetables can help lower your risk of mouth, stomach and colon cancer. Fiber is also instrumental in digestive health and in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Eating fruits and vegetables helps you meet your daily potassium needs, which can help regulate your blood pressure, reduce your risk of kidney stones and prevent bone loss. Vitamin A, found in many orange-colored vegetables and fruits, supports vision health. Vitamin C, found in fruits and some vegetables, supports immunity and tissue repair. Fruits and vegetables are also a source of folate, a B vitamin essential to red blood cell function. Folate also helps promote healthy fetal development. Whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are the healthiest sources of these vitamins and minerals -- as opposed to supplements.

 

Weight Control:

 

Most fruits and vegetables are low in calories. They contain large amounts of water and fiber, which can help you feel full. Replacing higher-calorie foods, such as chips, candy and refined carbohydrates with lower-calorie vegetables and fruits can help save you calories and promote weight loss.

 

Optimal Choices:

Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables exposes you to a myriad of nutrients. The USDA recommends eating more dark green, orange and red vegetables. Include peas and beans in your diet, as they provide protein and fiber without saturated fat. Although fruit juice and canned fruit count towards your daily servings of fruits, they do not offer as much fiber as whole fruits.  Some say that we are what we eat and certainly what we eat can be helpful in our illnesses.  Here is a list of properties of some of the vegetables and fruits that we can enjoy as natural cures:

 

Green Tea for Acne

 

Green Tee is good for the immunological system and helps eliminate cholesterol eliminating the accumulation of grease in the veins and arteries.  It is also good for reducing weight and appetite.

 

honey as cure

 

Natural honey is good for insomnia as it is a tranquilizer and sedater.  It can help allergies and hey fever especially if the honey comes from a different geographical area where you get the allergies. 

 

Related:   Natural Cures of Honey and Cinnamon

Remedies Using Onions

 

Eating a lot of onions is helpful to those who suffer of Asthma and it helps clear bronchial compression.  Slices of onions placed on your chest may give you some comfort and help alleviate respiratory ailments.

 

Red Fruits

 

Out of all the fruits, kiwis are the most nutritionally dense. They can supply your little one with an entire day's worth of vitamin C. The fuzzy exterior may put off some kids, so peel and cut them prior to serving. Make them more appetizing by serving with slices of star fruit, apples and oranges. Interest your kids with familiar favorites and then entice them to try the new fruits.

 fruits-vegetables-milk-and-yogurt

 

Berries have phytonutrients, which are naturally occurring compounds-like vitamin E, vitamin C and folate found in plants that help kids maintain healthy bodies. Any berry will be full of antioxidants, so buy the ones your kid likes in bulk and blend them into yummy smoothies or sprinkle them on cereals or salads.

 

Red Blood Oranges

 

The dark orange vegetable family supplies us with vitamin A, needed for eye health. Here are some dark orange veggies besides sweet potatoes: Pumpkin; Carrots; Squash; and Orange Bell Peppers.

 

Related:  Home Remedies and Cures

 


fisdh_as_healthy_food

 

Fish is a high-protein, low-fat food that provides a range of health benefits. White-fleshed fish, in particular, is lower in fat than any other source of animal protein, and oily fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, or the "good" fats. Since the human body can't make significant amounts of these essential nutrients, fish are an important part of the diet. Also, fish are low in the "bad" fats commonly found in red meat, called omega-6 fatty acids.   A growing body of evidence indicates that omega-3 fatty acids provide a number of health benefits:

 

 

 

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Salmon

 

The omega-3s found in fish (EPA and DHA) appear to provide the greatest health benefits. Fish that are high in omega-3s, low in environmental contaminants and eco friendly include:  Wild Salmon from Alaska (fresh, frozen and canned); Arctic char; Atlantic mackerel; Sardines; Sable fish; Anchovies; Farmed oysters; Farmed Rainbow Trout, and: Albacore Tuna from the U.S. and Canada.

 

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Trout

 

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