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TOP CONTENDERS FOR HEALTH.

VEGETABLES & FRUIT!

Adults need 5 to 10 servings of a variety of vegetables and fruit everyday.

Along with an active lifestyle eating more vegetables and fruits everyday is one of the bestthings you can do to improve your health. Vegetables and fruits are naturally low in

calories, packed full of nutrients, and essentially fat free. Each vegetable or fruit has its

own unique package of health protective nutrients, including vitamins, minerals and fiber.

These nutrients make vegetables and fruits the foods most likely to reduce the risk of

cancer as well as protecting us against heart disease and stroke. Research has recently

shown us that vegetables and fruits are not only packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber,

but also phyto-chemicals and antioxidants, and each of these play an important role in

controlling and/or preventing diseases.

Take the Challengeare you getting enough vegetables and fruit everyday? It is easier

than you think!One serving of a vegetable or fruit is :1 medium sized vegetable or fruit

cup (125 mL) juice

cup (125 mL) raw, cooked, fresh, frozen or canned, vegtables or fruits

1 cup (250 mL) raw, leafy vegetables

cup dried fruit

Research Evidence Promoting Vegetables& Fruit

1. The World Cancer Research Funds international panel of nutrition expertsrecently reviewed the findings of more than 4,500 research studies, concludingthat,

over time, the consumption of five servings or more of a variety of vegetablesand fruits could, by itself, decrease overall cancer incidence by at least 20%.

2. Current epidemiological evidence suggests a strong protective role for fruits and

vegetables on coronary heart disease. Data from 2 large prospective cohort studies

(Nurses; Health Study with 75,596 women and the Health Professionals Follow-

Up Study with 36,683 men) has recently been published in the Journal of the

American Medical Association. After controlling for other risk factors,

individuals in the highest quintile of fruit and vegetable intake (5-6 servings perday) had a relative risk of ischemic stroke of 0.69 compared to individuals in thelowest quintile of fruit and vegetable intake

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.3. A quantitative analysis of the epidemiological data on fruit and vegetable

consumption with relation to heart disease concluded that

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Joshipura et al. 1999. Fruit and vegetable intake in relation to ischemic stroke. Vol 282:1233-9

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an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, equivalent to about a four fold

increase in fruit consumption and a doubling of vegetable consumption is

associated with a decrease in the risk of heart disease of about 15%2

Dietary Evidence Promoting Vegetables & Fruit

DEAN ORNISH DietDiets consisting mostly of vegetables, grains, beans, and fruit, with no animal productsexcept for the occasional non-fat diary product, in combinationwith other lifestyle

changes, were shown to be able to reverse heart disease without the need for other

medications or medical procedures.

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) DietThis diet showed that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces blood pressure both inindividuals with and without hypertension, and combining this fruit and vegetable rich diet

with low-fat diary products, and with reduced saturated and total fat, lowered bloodpressure to a greater extent. The 8-10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables in the DASH

diet are more than double the average intake of Canadians.

LOVE YOUR VEGGIES AND FRUIT!

Although vegetables and fruit are delicious AND nutritious, many of us are eating fewerthan the 5 to 10 servings per day that are recommended in Canadas Food Guide to

Healthy Eating. Try these tips to make sure that you get 5 to 10 servings a day!

Taste:

Vegetables & fruit come in a variety of tastes (sweet, juicy, bitter, sour, starchy) and bytrying a variety we can find the ones we enjoy. Here are a few tips to get you started:

add vegetables to cakes and muffins (zucchini, carrot), soups, stews, spaghettisauce, etc.

add dried fruits to muffins, cookies, and cereals, and add fresh fruits to pancakes,milkshakes, yogurt, and cereal

Time:

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Law, MR and JK Morris. By how much does fruit and vegetable consumption reduce the risk of

ischaemic heart disease? European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1998. 52:549-556.

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Not enough time is another reason why people find it difficult to get at least 5 servings ofvegetables & fruit everyday.

Here are a few tips to get you started: pre-cut vegetables and salad mixes are a terrific 5 to 10 a day time saver grab an apple or orange, a box of raisins, some grapes or carrot sticks or red and

green pepper sticks at snack time

use a microwave to quickly zap vegetables and retain their nutrients drink 100% fruit juice in easy-to-tote boxes or bottles keep vegetables and fruit visible and easily accessible - for example, store cut and

cleaned produce at eye-level in the fridge, or keep a filled fruit bowl on the counter

or table

Cost:

Vegetables & fruit are not as expensive as you might think. When vegetables and fruit arein season, buy fresh. Otherwise, buying frozen or canned types are just as acceptable.

They are nutritionally comparable to fresh.

What to look for when buying FRESH vegetables and fruit:

buy a mix of items some to eat right away (for example, peaches and asparagus)and some that keep well (apples, squash)

buy ONLY what you can eat - even least expensive produce is a waste if you dontget to eat it.

check the flyer from your local supermarket for the weeks best buys buy bruised produce ONLY if you plan to use them right away (for example,

bruised bananas are great for banana breads).

save money by buying apples, potatoes, oranges in pre-packaged bags instead ofindividually. But be sure you will be able to eat them all before they spoil

save money by growing your own if you have the space and time. when you see produce in your fridge that is on its last day, dont despair use it

to make up your own soup or salad.

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When buying Frozen or Canned vegetables & fruit look for:

frozen vegetables in bags are less expensive than frozen vegetables in boxes save by buying no name frozen products compare the price of canned products using the unit pricing to find the best buy do NOT buy damaged or dented cans

For more information on vegetables and fruits go to www.marketfresh.com and

www.5to10aday.com and keep eating those veggies and fruits!