When your mom told you to eat your fruits and vegetables, she may or may not have known the value of her words. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not everyone listened to mom’s advice. One in 10 people do not eat enough vegetables and one in seven adults do not eat enough fruit to meet the RDA (recommended daily allowance).
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends four or five servings EACH of fruits and vegetables. So, why don’t people eat enough foods in these categories? For some, the reason may be that they don’t know how to incorporate fruit and vegetables into their diet-–they don’t know how to cook or prepare them. People with certain health issues may have difficulty digesting produce. Other contributing factors could be the high cost or limited access or availability. And if we’re being really honest, we live in a fast paced world and we’re busy. Therefore we rely more and more on eating options that are quick and convenient. As a society, we’ve become accustomed to the salt, sugar and fat found in highly processed foods, therefore causing fruits and vegetable to seem unappealing or satisfying. Even if you like the taste of fruits and vegetables, you may find that eating the recommended four or five servings per day a daunting task!
Still, we know that whole fruits and vegetables are critical to a healthy diet. There are a multitude of types/varieties of fruits and vegetables and making sure you fill ½ of your plate with fruits and vegetables ensures that you are ingesting essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Adults should be eating AT LEAST 1.5 – 2 cups of fruit and 2 – 3 cups of vegetables every day. But as stated above, only a small fraction of peopleactually meet this minimum requirement and are now turning to fruit and vegetable supplements instead.
Supplements can not give you all the benefits nutritionally found in real, whole foods. They lack the fiber most fruits and vegetables offer. They can not give you a feeling of being full or satisfied the way real, whole foods can. Nor can they replace the taste of biting in to a crisp, sweet apple! But with most of us struggling to get the RDA of these foods, supplements may be the perfect way to increase our nutritional intake and fill in the gaps where real, whole foods are missed.
Fruit and vegetable supplementation has gained popularity due to simplicity, convenience and a desire to feel better by boosting your intake of essential vitamins. Supplements can be found in several forms such as powders, liquids or capsules. Some of the key nutrients found in fruit and vegetable supplements are:
Antioxidants (vitamin C and vitamin E)
To understand the importance of antioxidants, you need to know about oxidation. Oxidation is a process that occurs when a substance comes in to contact with oxygen. Examples of this would be when something develops rust or the browning of an apple once it is sliced. Oxidation produces something called free radicals. Free radicals can be used for good in the body – to kill pathogens and regulate cell growth. But when free radicals overwhelm the body’s ability to regulate them, they can cause cell and tissue damage and are associated with diabetes, cancers and heart disease. Antioxidants can help limit the damaging effect of free radicals on your tissues. Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and carotenoids.
Vitamins and Minerals (not a complete listing)
As mentioned above, fruits and vegetables are crucial to a healthy diet. But do you know what makes them crucial? It makes more sense if you know the important roles vitamins and minerals play in the maintenance of our bodily functions.
Vitamin B: This vitamin helps with the biochemical reactions that cause the release of energy from foods.
Vitamin B9 (also known as folic acid): Folate used in the processes of digestion, brain and nerve function, organ health, DNA, cell function and healthy skin, hair and nails.
Vitamin A: Vitamin A has long been know to play a role in protecting vision.
Vitamin C: C plays a few critical roles in healing and recovery. The body needs vitamin C to produce specific neurotransmitters, as well as collagen and L-carnitine (which helps the body turn fat in to energy). It is also a key part of connective tissue, which is essential for would healing.
Magnesium: This abundant mineral in the body plays several different roles from supporting muscle and nerve function to energy production.
Other
Fiber: Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. In other words, it can not be broken down into sugar molecules and therefore passes through the body undigested. It helps to keep hunger and blood sugar in regulated. Fiber is necessary for digestive function, promoting gut health and regulating bowel movements.Fiber may also help to reduce cardiovascular disease.
Polyphenols: These are naturally occurring compounds found largely in fruits and vegetables. Polyphenols are not classified as essential nutrients (unlike vitamins and minerals). While they are not required by the body to sustain life, they may help with blood glucose, blood pressure and may even support cardiovascular health.
So the key takeaway points are that most people, due to various reasons, are not getting the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables in the diet. Supplements may be able to increase the quantity of vitamins in your blood, but they are not intended to replace “the real thing”. They can indeed fill in the gaps where real, whole foods are missing and can offer a longer shelf life than fresh produce! Supplements are a convenient way to increase your intake of essential vitamins like B, B9, A and C as well as minerals and antioxidants – which we have learned support heart health, digestive function, immunity and healing and healthy skin, hair and nails. As always, check with your healthcare provider before beginning any supplementation and make sure to have a complete list of medications and/or supplements for review by your healthcare provider.