Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Information

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

• Vegetables and fruit are low fat foods.

They are also low in protein, and, apart from bananas, have a low calorie and starch content.

• Almost all fruit and veg are good sources of soluble and insoluble fibre (fiber).

  Insoluble fibre adds bulk to stools, keeps food moving through the digestive system, and helps prevent bowel problems like constipation, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome and cancer.

  Soluble fibre in fruits, pulses, and some grains, helps lower cholesterol in blood, and regulates blood sugar levels. It's filling, and can help with weight management, reducing hunger and making it easier to stay off fatty and sugary foods.

• Vegetables and fruit contain a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals. For instance, many are good sources of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, folate and potassium. Leafy green veg contain calcium and iron. The best way to get the complete range of vitamins and minerals available from fruit and veg, is to have at least five servings a day, choose a wide range of different types and colours, and check that you are getting the right size fruit and vegetables servings.

  It's just as important for children to eat lots of fruit and veg, as it is for adults.

• Fruits contain fructose, a natural fruit sugar. As with any other type of sugar, eating too much can cause tooth decay. The risk is highest from fruit juice, which stays contact with teeth for longer. You should only have one serving of fruit juice per day.
• Veg and fruit are major sources of phytochemicals, natural plant chemicals that protect health.
• Fruit and vegetable nutritional information wouldn't be complete without a mention of the all-important antioxidants, nutrients that are good for the heart and circulation, protect the body from premature ageing and support the body's own renewal. Antioxidants protect us from many types of pollutants, including emissions from TVs and computers, UV light, pesticides, additives, burnt and fried foods and stress.

• Fruit and veg which rate well on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, have the highest antioxidant content. Top fruits: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, red grapes, cherries, kiwi. Top veg: kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, beetroot, red peppers, onions.