Why Fruits and Vegetables Are Vital

If we are what we eat, then many of us must be tripping all over the place due to a lack of balance. That’s because the average American eats about three servings of fruits and vegetables per day — a stark contrast to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new guidelines stating that we should be eating 5 to 13 servings of nature’s best, depending on the number of calories you need.

So if we want to grow to be strong like Popeye, why can’t we just down some supplements instead of devouring a pile of spinach?

Nutrients in fresh fruits and vegetables work together. Kristine Wallerius Cuthrell, MPH, RD, a research nutritionist and senior project coordinator for Hawaii Foods at the Center on the Family at University of Hawaii at Manoa, says that in the past five to 10 years, many large research studies have found that vitamin supplements don’t provide the benefits that foods do. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, created jointly between HHS and USDA and reviewed every five years, say that foods are the best sources of nutrients because they contain naturally occurring ingredients, like carotenoids and flavonoids.

“In addition to the substances we are aware of, there are many present in fruits and vegetables that have yet to be discovered. Food and the nutrients they contain aren’t consumed singly, but with each other. As such, they may act in synergistic ways to promote health,” Cuthrell says. For instance, eating iron-rich plants, like spinach, with an iron-absorbing enhancer, like the vitamin C in orange juice, is great for people who don’t get enough iron (typically young women).

Fruits and vegetables may prevent many illnesses. Eating fruits and vegetables may reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and even some forms of cancer. The Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study examined nearly 110,000 people over the course of 14 years. Part of the study revealed that the more fruits and vegetables people ate daily, the less chance they would develop cardiovascular diseases.

The relationship between fruits and vegetables and cancer prevention has been more difficult to prove. However, recent studies show that some types of produce are associated with lower rates of some types of cancer. For example, the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research suggest that mouth, stomach, and colorectal cancers are less likely with high intakes of non-starchy foods like leafy greens, broccoli, and cabbage. Though studies have been mixed, lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color, may help stave off prostate cancer.

Fruits and vegetables are great for watching your weight. They’re low in fat and calories, and loaded with fiber and water, which create a feeling of fullness. This is particularly helpful for dieters who want more filling calories. Plus, that fiber helps keep you “regular.”

Fruits and Vegetables: Get Your Fill

When adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, remember that variety is the spice of life. It’s important to eat produce of various colors because each fruit or vegetable offers a different nutrient — think of it as nutritional cross-training. Trying new foods can be exciting, and be sure to sample every color in the produce rainbow.

The right number of servings of fruits and vegetables for you all depends on your daily caloric intake needs. A good way to find out how many servings you should be eating is by using the CDC’s online serving calculator. Or make things even simpler by eating a fruit or vegetable at every meal and snack.

Don’t let season, accessibility, or cost affect your fruit- and vegetable-friendly diet. If finding fresh produce is difficult, choose frozen, canned (low-sodium), or dried varieties. Also, 100 percent juice counts toward your servings, though it doesn’t offer the full fiber of whole fruit.

The power of prevention may lie in a salad bowl or a plate of fruit. When we take advantage of produce, our bodies return the favor by reducing our risk of developing various illnesses.

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Managing Hypertension With Diet

People with hypertension are at a greater risk of other serious illnesses. “As blood pressure rises, so does the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease,” explains Lawrence Appel, MD, MPH, professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Hypertension is treatable, however. By following some simple dietary guidelines, you can minimize your high blood pressure and better protect your health.

Diet and Hypertension: How Big Is the Problem?

The American Heart Association estimates that one-third of adults have high blood pressure, and the problem isn’t going away on its own; the rate of death due to hypertension has risen by 25 percent since 1995. But this could be avoided. “Blood pressure, by some estimates, is the most modifiable risk factor out there for death by heart disease,” Dr. Appel says. “When you look at sources of mortality, heart disease just hasn’t caught the attention of public health policy makers.”

Diet and Hypertension: Three Strategies to Focus On

Diet plays a major role in lowering blood pressure. “There are several dietary approaches,” says Appel. Each one targets a different contributor to high blood pressure:

Sodium reduction. “Sodium has been a major focus, and many people think that every other approach revolves around it, that all are indirectly mediated by a change in how the kidneys process sodium,” Appel says. “The problem with sodium is that food supply producers have stacked the deck against us.” Sodium acts as a preservative, so it is often found in excess quantities in processed foods. Read labels carefully. For an individual serving, Appel recommends that you aim for less than 200 mg of sodium, while an entire meal, like a frozen dinner, should not exceed 600 mg of sodium. Of course, the more fresh foods you eat, the less sodium you eat, too.

Weight loss. Overall weight loss seems to have a positive effect on blood pressure. Rapid weight loss followed by rapid regain, on the other hand, can have harmful consequences for your body image and mental health, and may actually contribute to high blood pressure and other physical health problems.

Regulation of alcohol intake. Excessive use of alcohol has a negative impact on blood pressure. One strategy is to limit alcoholic beverages to two drinks per day for men and one for women.

Diet and Hypertension: The DASH Diet

One overall approach that has had much success is the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. DASH changes the way you eat, focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean meats. Although the DASH diet requires multiple dietary changes, the best way to get started is to include fruit and vegetables at every meal and low-fat dairy at most meals.

There is a lot of evidence to support DASH. “Unlike other diets, we know that it can be sustained throughout a lifetime,” says Appel. “Blood pressure slowly rises over time — it starts with infants and continues through life.” While some blood pressure increase is inevitable, DASH is proven to minimize this natural increase. “According to the best available evidence, if you get started with these habits early in life you can keep your blood pressure lower throughout your lifetime,” he says.

Diet and Hypertension: Diet, Medication, or Both?

While dietary changes can be a big help to many people, not everyone will be able to manage their blood pressure using diet alone. Some people will need medication to keep their blood pressure in check. “We shouldn’t demonize medication. There are benefits of drug therapy,” Appel says. “Drug therapy and diet are complementary, not mutually exclusive. The point is lower blood pressure. That’s the goal.”

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Following a Diabetes Diet Away From Home

If you have diabetes, you know that you have to maintain a carefully structured diet to keep blood sugar stable and prevent many of the complications associated with the disease. You may feel more in control of your diabetes at home because social occasions, such as eating in restaurants, at a friend’s house, or at a party or wedding present too many challenges.

But diabetes management doesn’t require you to spend your life as a recluse. You can enjoy getting together with friends and family, as long as you keep in mind a simple set of tips for sticking to your diabetes diet.

Your Diabetes Diet Needs

These diabetes management guidelines are important no matter what type of diabetes you have because controlling your blood sugar levels and eating healthy is important for all three types.

  • Type 1 diabetes: People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin because their bodies no longer can produce this hormone, which helps cells convert blood glucose into energy. Eating smart helps limit the amount of insulin and other diabetes medications you must take.
  • Type 2 diabetes: Resistance to insulin is usually due to poor diet or obesity. A healthy diet can help you lose weight and better control blood sugar levels, perhaps allowing you to limit the amount of diabetes drugs you take and avoid or delay the need to take insulin.
  • Gestational diabetes: This type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy and often just for the length of the pregnancy. Eating smart can protect the baby’s health and keep mom from becoming more vulnerable to full-blown diabetes later on.

Your Diabetes Diet Away From Home

Stick to these strategies whenever you plan to eat out:

  • Eat a small snack beforehand, so you’re less likely to overeat when you’re out.
  • Limit your portion sizes. Split an entrée or sample small amounts of what you like on the buffet table. Don’t feel bad about taking leftovers home.
  • Skip breaded or fried foods. Instead, eat foods that are baked, roasted, broiled, or grilled.
  • Choose fish, poultry, or vegetarian dishes when possible.
  • Avoid heavy sauces or condiments high in fat, such as full-fat salad dressings, tartar sauce, mayonnaise, and sour cream.
  • Ask that salad dressing be served on the side.
  • Pass up the basket of bread or rolls.
  • Limit your alcohol intake to one serving.

Here are more tips for specific social events:

At a restaurant:

  • Choose a restaurant with a varied menu that gives you lots of options.
  • Check to see if the restaurant offers nutritional information about meals either online or at the location.
  • Don’t be shy about asking for substitutions, such as vegetables or a side salad in place of French fries or a baked potato, even if that option isn’t listed on the menu.
  • Choose healthy desserts — fruit or low-fat frozen yogurt.

At a wedding or other celebration:

  • Pick healthy foods, but save a little room on your plate for a small amount of a starchy or sweet favorite.
  • Focus on the people around you rather than the food. Time spent in conversation is time not spent grazing at the buffet.
  • Resist the urge to be jealous over what others are eating. You are eating for your own health and cannot compare your experience with theirs.
  • If you overeat, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on your diabetes diet the very next day.

At a friend’s house:

  • Ask ahead about when you’ll be eating, so you can best time when to take any medications.
  • Ask if you can bring a dish. That way you know you’ll have at least one healthy option available to you.

Following these tips can help you stay on your diabetes management plan while enjoying time spent with loved ones — an important part of a satisfying life.

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7 Ways to Control Your Sugar Cravings

If you think your habit is out of control, take a step back, analyze how you feel, and figure out what’s at the root of your sugar cravings. One way to properly assess your sugar intake is by using a food journal such as My Calorie Counter that calculates the total amount of sugar you’re consuming. Once you’ve done that, Everyday Health nutritionist Kelly MacDonald, MS, RD, LDN, suggests a few easy adjustments that will help you survive the sugar season that begins at Halloween and continues through the end of the year — and help you keep your sugar intake (and the scale) in check year-round:

  1. “Psychoanalyze” your eating habits. Ask yourself why you’re reaching for carbs and soda. Do you really want the food itself, or is it an emotional response triggered by stress or habit? Eating carbs and sugar triggers the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which can make you think you want the sugar when what you really want are the calm, happy feelings it produces.
  2. Switch to whole grains. Compared to white bread and rice, the complex carbs in whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, and oats are packed with filling fiber, which prevents the blood sugar spikes and dips that lead to sugar cravings. Eating whole grains has been linked to a lower diabetes risk and sustained weight loss over time.
  3. Reach for healthier sweet snacks. When sugar cravings hit, try to satisfy them with a healthier option such as whole fresh fruit or nonfat yogurt. Although both contain natural sugar, they also have other healthy nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, protein, and fiber.
  4. Keep sugar out of the house. On Halloween, it’s tempting to fill up on candy for trick-or-treaters or leftovers from your kids’ loot. Avoid temptation by handing out non-sugar options to trick-or-treaters, such as school supplies, small toys, or small bags of nuts.
  5. Plan your meals. As holiday season begins, it’s hard to avoid sugar temptation. Plan ahead to make sure you’re not caught around the office cookie plate on an empty stomach. If you’re throwing or cooking for a holiday party, bring a fresh fruit salad instead of a pecan pie, for example. Chances are, there are other sugar-minded dieters at the party who will thank you for it.
  6. Be honest with yourself. The only way you’ll really stop or prevent a sugar addiction is to constantly keep yourself honest. Use a food journal to keep tabs on your diet. If you’re eating more sugar than usual or find yourself constantly battling cravings, add more fresh produce and whole grains.
  7. Stop after a few bites. Teitelbaum says a little dessert every night is fine, but the key is to limit the portion. Your taste buds are saturated with sugar after just a few bites, so it’s best to have a few spoonfuls of Ben and Jerry’s to satisfy your sweet tooth and put the rest back in the freezer.
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