Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

Have you ever wondered what the benefits of fruits and vegetables in our diet is?  Especially in this day and age of over the counter supplements.  Supplements that make claims of curing disease, quick weight loss and so much more are not what you may think.  And I hate to break it to you, but there is no quick fix for anything. There is no wonder potion/drug that we can take and all of a sudden we lose weight.  (If it does, it is likely the results are only temporary) There is nothing on the market that can 100% prevent diseases, cancer, or chronic illness. And with our “fresh” fruits and veggies not providing the nutritional punch that they once did, we really need to pay attention to what we eat.

The Truth about the Produce Department

I love growing my own vegetables in the summer.  I can’t grow everything, but I grow a lot of my “greens” (spinach, kale, spring mix, etc.) herbs, tomatoes and more.  The difference in the taste, is amazing!  But it makes me realize exactly what I purchase in the produce department at my local grocery store lacks.  If you did not know, most of a fruits and vegetables nutritional value is provided in the last 10 days on the vine. What this means is that if the produce is picked prior to that 10 days, then the nutritional value is reduced, significantly.   So to get “fresh” produce to the grocery store, it is picked well before it is ripe so that it can be packed and shipped to stores across the country.  Because of this, there is less nutritional value.  And don’t even get me started on GMO modified foods!

Nutritional Benefits

Fruits and vegetables are beneficial as they provide numerous nutrients.  They also provide phyto-nutrients that cannot be found in man made supplements. Having a diet that does not include fresh fruits and vegetables can result in significant health consequences.  Organic or not, the produce in the grocery stores is picked much too early due to packing and shipping needs to provide the nutrients that our bodies need.  We need to eat two to three times the normal servings recommend to get our daily nutritional needs met.

Nutrient Deficiencies

Avoiding fruits and veggies can contribute to mineral and vitamin deficiencies.  Vitamin C, A, calcium, iron, potassium and so much more are found in produce.   These are all vital nutrients we need to survive.  And as I have ended up in the emergency room due to low potassium, I can assure you, it is an unpleasant and expensive experience!  Having severely low potassium levels can mimic the symptoms of a heart, muscle cramping and more. You have more Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables by eating them than not.

Acidic vs Alkaline

Sufficient fruit and veggie consumption assists in the creating of an alkaline environment in the body.  What I mean by this is, when your body is an alkaline state, you are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases.  This is done naturally by our bodies.  The foods and beverages we consume each day directly impacts the acid/alkaline balance in our bodies.  The more acid in our body, the higher the chance for chronic and viral diseases to occur.  I know it is important to me to stay healthy as both my husband and I are self employed.  So if we can’t work due to sickness, we don’t make money!  So I am all about prevention of disease, rather than treatment! Unfortunately, western medicine is all about the treatment of disease rather than the prevention of.  Imagine if we were able to prevent chronic diseases?  Wouldn’t that be awesome?

What Produce Helps More than Others?

Foods to Eat in Abundance!

• All vegetables, preferably raw
• Leafy greens, I grow kale and spinach on my Tower Garden.  And they are amazing!
• All fruits.  Blueberries, raspberries, red grapes, apples, etc.  The more variety in color the better.  Meaning, eat fruits of all colors like bananas, plums, apples, blueberries, raspberries, etc.
• Sweet potatoes rock!  And even pumpkin or acorn squash!  These all contribute to an alkaline environment in your body!
• All kinds of FRESH beans.
• Onions, garlic (a favorite of mine!) and leeks.  Did you know onions have an enzyme that helps fight cancer?

Foods to reduce or eliminate!

• Red meat, shellfish
• Sugar, sugar, sugar! If it does not come naturally from the foods you eat, don’t add it!
• Artificial sweeteners
• Processed foods
• Tobacco products
• Anything with preservatives
• Soda, alcohol
• Dairy products.  I am not going to tell you not to eat dairy products because I LOVE cheese, but definitely try to reduce the intake!

Ways to Increase a Healthy Environment!

• Drink half your body weight in ounces of water.  So if you weigh 150 lbs, drink 75 ounces of water a day.  Add a lemon for an even more health benefits!  Look for infused water bottles on Amazon to give your water some variety!
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.  Incorporate a “rainbow” when eating them.  Meaning, eat all colors or fruits and veggies.  Blueberries, bananas, apples, yellow squash, zucchini, etc.  Eating a broad variety assists in getting a variety of nutrients!  Making protein smoothies can assist you in accomplishing this too!
• Hopefully this is an obvious suggestion, eat non-GMO foods and eat organic.  If possible.  When farmers markets are in season, that is the best way to go for organic fruits and vegetables at a reasonable price.  We have a natural grocery store called Sprouts in our community and it has the best prices on fruits and veggies all year round!
• We have a salad either as a meal or a side dish everyday.  If you are really serious about getting healthy, makes salads a daily routine.  I use raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, dried figs, cranberries, sunflower seeds and more in our salads.
• And if you really want to get yourself or family on the path to good health, you can take a fruit and veggie supplement.  My family and I have been taking Juice Plus+ for over 14 years and it has changed our health for the better!  All because it assists in creating an alkaline environment in our bodies.  Our immune system is solid, we rarely get colds or viruses.  My arthritis and allergies are just about non-existent!  It is rare that I have an allergy flare up and I have not had issues with my arthritis in years.

In Conclusion

I hope you found some great information and value from my Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables!  I am not a medical professional, but I am a certified wellness coach and there is tons of research to back up the importance of eating fruits and veggies.  And many diseases are preventable with proper nutrition!  So why not bridge the gap to better nutrition with quality foods and products?  Because no one wants to be sick!

Please reach out if you have questions or would like more information on the Juice Plus+ products I mentioned! Juice Plus+ has a fabulous Children’s Research program that provides FREE products to kids for each paying adult!

This is still the best product on the market (in my opinion!) for strengthening your immune system naturally!

These water bottles allow you to put fruit in your water and allows the flavors of the fruits to penetrate the water!  Purchase from AMAZON!

*This post may contain affiliate links! That means; I may get a commission at no additional cost to you!  I do not recommend any products/services that I don’t use and love myself!

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