The truth about fruits and veggies

[naidu]

How many of us even know that we need to get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables? How many of us get at least 3? Do we even know that when we eat the required amount of fruit and veggies, we get protection against cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis, and even make your skin look better!

You might think that getting about 5 servings of fruit and vegetables will make you feel like you are eating all day long. But it doesn't have to be that way - here are some neat ideas:

Add fruit to your cereal or yoghurt at break fast.
When you order pizza make some roasted veggies or a nice salad to go with it.
Stuff a bread with fresh chopped up cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.
Snack on fresh or dried fruit.
Eat a salad every day.
Add vegetables to omelettes
Add some peas into your regular rice
Make a quick stir fry for dinner.

[RunningJim]

Fresh fruit is definetly better than dried fruit in the means that dried fruit has tons of extra additives and preservatives in it to keep in good for a longer period of time. In fact I was at the grocery store a couple of days ago and was checking out some of the dried fruit and looked at the ingredients and it said that for a preservative it included Sulfur!!

Sulfur is one of those elements you can never forget. It is bright yellow in color and it has a really bad smell (like rotten eggs).

Sulfur is also a cause of bad breath.

Stick with fresh fruits if at all possible.
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Salads can be very nutritious however it is very common that the salad dressing is what destroys the salad's nutritional value, be sure to check the ingredient label before dumping it on your next bowl of green leafy salad.

[moor2k6]

fruits and vegetables r natural which i love eating them ,I was interested in any suggestion on what supplemental vitamins and nutrients I need in order to prevent injuries and promote or improve indurance. I am currently taking l-carnitine and q10 along with a multi-vitamin. Any other recommendations will be appreciated.

[Barbie]

Salads are good if made with dark greens, like spinach or romaine lettuce. Iceburg lettuce has very little nutritional value. The darker the greens the more nutrition they have. But like RunningJim said salad dressings can add bad things to the salad, like fat. So use low fat or zero fat dressings.

One company, I forget who, now has a salad dressing spritzer out. It's salad dressing in a spray. So you can just lightly coat your salad. I don't know how much it cost. Probably expensive.

[moor2k6]

The carbs in fruit are of two types: sugar and starch. The starch in fruit converts to sugar with ripening. For example:
- a green banana with some yellow is 80% starch and 7% sugar.
- a mostly yellow banana is 25% starch and 65% sugar.
- a spotted and specked banana is 5% starch and 90% sugar.
The sugar in fruit is neither unhealthful nor evil. Unlike refined white sugar, fruit sugar is accompanied by a plethora of health-protective nutrients: vitamin C, folate, potassium, fiber, and phytochemicals that improve healing, aid in recovery after exercise, and reduce the risk of high blood pressure, cancer and constipation. You should eat more fruit, not try to stay away from it!

[CoachLevi]

One company, I forget who, now has a salad dressing spritzer out. It's salad dressing in a spray. So you can just lightly coat your salad. I don't know how much it cost. Probably expensive.

I saw this a couple days ago. It's like "one calorie per spritz" or something, lol.

[Danielle]

Fresh fruit is definetly better than dried fruit in the means that dried fruit has tons of extra additives and preservatives in it to keep in good for a longer period of time. In fact I was at the grocery store a couple of days ago and was checking out some of the dried fruit and looked at the ingredients and it said that for a preservative it included Sulfur!!



Sulfur is also a cause of bad breath.

Stick with fresh fruits if at all possible.
--------------------
Salads can be very nutritious however it is very common that the salad dressing is what destroys the salad's nutritional value, be sure to check the ingredient label before dumping it on your next bowl of green leafy salad.

Ooh, didn't know about the sulfur in dried fruits. My toddler loves them as a snack and I put them in my salads. Time for fresh fruit!

Another thing about salad dressing I learned is that the dressing should have some fat in it. Otherwise, some of the nutrients in the salad won't get absorbed properly.

[eneagirl]

As we have entered the hot summer months it gets so much easier to squeeze in some other simple ideas to get those needed fruit servings. Here are some additional ideas:

1) slice up a watermelon, invite some friends over and swim some laps. Seedless is definitely the choice this summer!
2) wash up some delicious cherries and jump in the hot tub to relax those muscles after a refreshing run around the neighborhood
3) Get out the blender and blend your favorite melons for a great summer time melon drink.

Eating 5 servings a day can be fun, healthy, and increase your social life as well.

[Danielle]

eneagirl, you brought up an important point in your #2: wash the fruit (and veggies) before eating.

[snake]

As we have entered the hot summer months it gets so much easier to squeeze in some other simple ideas to get those needed fruit servings. Here are some additional ideas:

1) slice up a watermelon, invite some friends over and swim some laps. Seedless is definitely the choice this summer!
2) wash up some delicious cherries and jump in the hot tub to relax those muscles after a refreshing run around the neighborhood
3) Get out the blender and blend your favorite melons for a great summer time melon drink.

Eating 5 servings a day can be fun, healthy, and increase your social life as well.

Hey--can I get in a serving or two of grains if I add vodka to my fruit blender drink?? I'll even throw in some freshly ground flax seed. :D

[eneagirl]

I could go for a blended vodka drink Snake. But, might I suggest rum for those summer melon drinks?

[snake]

Thank you, eneagirl! I am a big beer drinker--have no clue what to mix with fruit. Rum sounds very tasty. I do know that it will look good with a little umbrella though.:D

[eneagirl]

Snake, you could even add another slice of fruit with that ubrella. Pinapple slices, orange slices, or even Marichino cheries are excellent garnishes for those great mixed drinks and it brings us right back to that idea of adding in more fruit servings throughout our day!

So everyone, bring back the idea of happy hour... its yet another way to get another serving or two of fruit and vegetables into your day!

[snake]

I just got an email from a friend. It's long, but good:

Bananas

After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!


Bananas, containing three natural sugars -- sucrose, fructose and glucose ,
combined with fiber, give an instant, sustained and substantial boost of
energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy

for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one
fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a
banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a
substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add
to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people
suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana.
This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body
converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and
generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates
blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in
the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium
yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much
so, the

US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to
make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood
pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped
through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and
lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the
potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore
normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to
laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana
milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the
help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk
soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you
suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood
sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the
affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it
amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria
found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate
and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most
obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.
The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to
control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods
every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders
because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that
can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes
over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit
that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant
mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure
their baby is born with a cool temperature.


Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because
they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6,
B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help
the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends
oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are
stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.
These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.


Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine,"
eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by
strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare
it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates,
three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice
the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of
the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known
phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

[Danielle]

snake, do you by chance work for the banana industry? :)

[snake]

LOL!! In fact, my daughter just read your post and cracked up too. I do not like bananas at all. YUCK. :eek: I will eat a half, when they are put out at a race, and only because I know they are supposed to be good for me. Now that I REALLY know, I shall have to try to eat a whole one someday. They do fill you up, so I can see how that would be a good diet food--more filling than celery and carrots anyway.:)

[sbarber77]

I try to make different salads for lunch every day so we don't get bored with them. I always scour internet recipe sites for good salad recipes and have quite a collection of ones that we enjoy. My favorite summer salad is a spinach salad with strawberries, oranges, pecans and a nice red wine vinegar dressing!

[taiarain]

Frozen produce is actually often better for you than fresh. It is frozen soon after harvest and the vitamins don't have time to degrade.

Taia

[eneagirl]

Lloheegi iaraintaegi.... t'sleegi epkeegi hersotegi essingguegi rfoegi hileawegi ngerloegi...

iegi vernegi ewknegi dingcoegi uldcoegi ebegi osegi chmuegi nfuegi. Iegi nwiegi intspoegi rfoegi ginalityoregi ghtriegi?

[snake]

haaegi!!!! iegi maegi noegi otegi uyoegi. tiegi oktoegi emegi aegi ilewhegi.....
ownegi iegi vehaegi otegi ndfiegi atthegi herotegi ssagemeegi atthegi uyoegi otewregi.

[eneagirl]

haaegi!!!! iegi maegi noegi otegi uyoegi. tiegi oktoegi emegi aegi ilewhegi.....
ownegi iegi vehaegi otegi ndfiegi atthegi herotegi ssagemeegi atthegi uyoegi otewregi.

Right on snake, my riddled friend! You decoded the message. Here is a great slithery one for ya. There is a message in there, but I warn you, this is a much more difficult cross fire puzzle to untaggled. Good luck and have fun!

July 27, 2006 (egp2)
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