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Eat healthier by eating more fruits and vegetables

Recent changes in food guidelines have meant an increase in the recommended daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.  That is because eating nutrient rich, low calorie, low fat foods such as fruits and vegetables, has been shown to have a strong impact on overall health.

In addition, high levels of fruits and vegetables in the diet has even been shown to help provide protection from a number of diseases and chronic conditions.  There are ongoing studies on the relationship between a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and prevention of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other conditions.  While there may not yet be conclusive proof of a link between fruits and vegetables and lower risk of disease, there is ample anecdotal evidence to suggest that a healthy diet leads to a healthy body.

One reason for the strong health benefits of fruits and vegetables is their strong antioxidant qualities.  Many fruits and vegetables are high in important antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin A.  In addition, fruits and vegetables contain lots of other nutrients and trace elements that are important to the proper function of the body.

Choosing the best fruits and vegetables is important, both to your health and the health of your food budget.  We all have limited food budgets, and getting the best in terms of both taste and nutrition, is very important.

One way to get maximum value and maximum nutrition is to choose fresh, in season fruits and vegetables.  That is because fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables tend to be less expensive than their shipped counterparts.

If you have a farmers market or produce stand nearby, it can be an excellent source of the highest quality, lowest cost fruits and vegetables.  Summer produce stands are excellent sources of delicious and nutritious fruits and vegetables.

In addition, buying fruits and vegetables as they come into season will instantly provide you with variety.  There are literally hundreds of different varieties of fruits and vegetables at the average grocery store, and they all have different growing season.  Buying the fresh in season fruits and vegetables is a great way to introduce yourself to some varieties you may never have tried before.

Of course there will be times when your favorite fruits and vegetables are not available locally.  In those cases, frozen and canned varieties can do just fine.  Just about every popular fruit and vegetable is available canned or frozen, and these can make wonderful, fast fruit salads or quick snacks.

It is important to choose fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors, and not only for ascetic reasons.  Different colored fruits and vegetables contain different types of nutrients, and different levels of nutrients, so eating a good variety of green, gold, orange and purple is the best way to ensure adequate levels of nutrition.

How you cook the vegetables you buy is important as well.  Over cooking can destroy many of the nutrients that make vegetables so healthy.  Fortunately, most vegetables can be cooked by quickly steaming them in the microwave or on the stovetop.

How those cooked vegetables are served can also have a significant impact on their healthiness.  Adding butter, margarine, oils or other fats to vegetables can quickly negate their health benefits.  Better choices for seasoning cooked vegetables include fruit juices and low fat yogurt.

Most nutrition experts recommend that everyone eat from 5 to 9 servings of fruits or vegetables every day.  While that may seem like an impossible goal, it is easier when you understand just what a serving consists of.  One serving of a fruit or vegetable can be one medium sized piece of fruit, one slice of melon, two small pieces of fruit, one cup of strawberries, one cup of grapes, one half cup of canned fruit, one half cup of fruit salad, one side salad or one half cup of fresh fruit juice.

With all these choices to choose from, it is easy to see why fruits and vegetables are such a popular part of a healthy diet.  No matter what your reason for pursuing healthy eating, fruits and vegetables are a healthy addition to any diet.

Best foods to eat to boost your immune system

Hello-

If you want to boost your immune system, what are some of the best foods to eat?

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is good for us.  It gives us energy, and it keeps our immune systems in good shape.  But there are certain foods that are especially good for our immune systems.  When we eat these immunity boosters on a regular basis, we have an easier time avoiding illness.  We can also fight it off more quickly when it does occur.  Here are some of the best immune system boosting foods to eat.

* Citrus fruits – When it comes to boosting our immune systems, one of the most important vitamins is Vitamin C.  Long hailed as our immune system’s best friend, it is crucial that we get an adequate amount of it each day.  Citrus fruits are the most recognizable food source of Vitamin C, and they have lots of it.  Lemons, oranges, and tangerines are some citrus fruits that are great for our immune systems.

* Raw vegetables – Vegetables have a number of nutrients that boost our immune systems.  These include Vitamin E and Beta Carotene.  But did you know that vegetables provide far greater benefits when eaten raw?  Cooking tends to leech the nutrients out of them.  If you can’t bear the thought of eating a particular vegetable raw, lightly steaming it will keep most of the nutrients intact.  The best vegetables for our immune systems are dark green and orange ones such as spinach, greens, sweet potatoes and carrots.

* Nuts and seeds – These make tasty snacks, and they have great nutritional value.  Sunflower seeds and almonds are great sources of Vitamin E.  A daily serving of Brazil nuts gives us more than enough selenium.  And a number of nuts and seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to increase the activity of white blood cells and speed up healing.

* Water – Water is a drink, not a food, but getting enough of it is very important to our immune systems.  Water cleanses our bodies of impurities, allowing our immune systems to concentrate on fighting off germs.  It is very important, however, to make sure that the water you are drinking is of high quality.  Certain substances that are often found in water can actually be harmful to our immune systems.

* Herbs – There are a number of herbs that are good for our immune systems.  Some of them, such as garlic, are tasty as seasonings.  Some make a nice tea.  Others do not taste as good, but can be consumed in pill form.  Some of the best herbs for the immune system include the aforementioned garlic, astragalus, goldenseal, and olive leaf extract.

The immune system is crucial to our good health, so it is very important to take good care of it.  By including these foods in your diet on a regular basis, you can help keep your immune system running smoothly.