While there are many questions asked pertaining to weight loss and weight management: perhaps the most common is fruits or vegetables? The answer is surprisingly simple: both! Both fruits and vegetables are equally important and effective in their own way. The problem is many individuals experience difficulty in getting in any type of vegetable that is not fried and fruits that contain excessive amounts of sugars. The American CDC* recommends that adults consume on a daily basis a minimum of 5 cups of fruits and or vegetables a day, and there is certainly nothing wrong with consuming more. The key is variety and balance.
A daily diet of fruits and vegetables should be just as colorful as the rainbow. There are over 200 varieties of vegetables and fruits, and they come in an array of different colors; and no one fruit or vegetable contains enough of the essential nutrients for a healthy diet. So in order to have a healthy balanced diet a wide assortment of different fruits and vegetables is needed. As an added bonus having a selection of colorful fruit and vegetable choices is more satisfying then eating the same things over and over.
Fruit enthusiasts will consume more fruits, and the same goes for vegetable enthusiasts. However as with anything there needs to be a balance; by eating both fruits and vegetables it is much easier to maintain a healthy balanced diet. Relying only on fruits might mean a diet high in vitamins A and C but it also means a diet high in sugar. Having only vegetables may mean a diet high in fiber but with a lot of starch from vegetables like potatoes and corn. By balancing your fruits and vegetables it is easier to get the best of both without overdoing the sugars. Remember 5 cups: 3 fruits + 2 vegetables = 5, the same goes for 3 vegetables and 2 fruits.
In the end it does not matter if the produce is fresh, frozen, or canned** they all hold the same benefits, it is simply getting in 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day that is the key. So, the next time you are at the grocery store or find yourself going for a bag of chips, think of the colors in the rainbow and grab for a colorful piece of fruit or vegetable instead.
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* Center for Disease Control: www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/index.html
** When preparing canned fruits and vegetables they should be washed thoroughly and or soaked in water to remove any excess salt or sugar used in the canning process.
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