Everyone knows how important it is to eat your fruits and vegetables – so it shouldn’t be a surprise to know that they help reduce the risks of illnesses, improve our overall health and increase our longevity. However, this Winter, we find ourselves very vulnerable to one of the worst cold and flu seasons yet, which makes it more important than ever to increase our intake of fruit and vegetables.
Here are our Top 7 Reasons to Eat More Fruit & Vegetables this Winter:
- Protection against Cold and Flus
You might have already got your flu shot, but fortifying your immune system this year does not just end at the doctor’s office. Increase your consumption of immune-boosting fruit and vegetables in your Winter diet such as Broccoli, Citrus, Spinach and Apples to help strengthen your body’s natural defense system and keep yourself as healthy as possible.
Did you know? Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables are proven to help boost immunity by helping switch on the body’s antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells to combat free radicals in your body and prevent you from becoming sick.
2. High in Fibre
Many fruits and vegetables are fibre-rich and can help you feel fuller for longer, which helps us to avoid overeating and excess Winter weight gain. Add some super-powered fibre-rich vegetables to your diet this year such as Pumpkin, Green Peas and Cauliflower.
3. Good for your Heart
Along with their great taste and versatility, vegetables and fruit offer a host of heart-healthy nutrients. Lots of fruit and vegetables are particularly rich in Vitamin C and Beta-Carotene, which help reduce your risk of many serious diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
FYI – Vitamin C dynamos include Broccoli, Kiwi and Cantaloupe and some great sources of Beta-Carotene are Carrots, Squash and Spinach.
4. Nutrient-packed
A nutrient-packed diet (one that is high in fruit and vegetables) contributes to better quality of life. They help maintain a healthy body weight, protect the body against infection and reduce your risk of disease and chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some forms of cancer.
5. Healthy Food = Healthy Budget
Purchasing seasonal fruit and vegetables caters for both your health and your wallet. In-season produce is fresher, tastes better, more succulent and perfectly ripe. When fruits and vegetables have been naturally ripened and harvested at the right time, they have so much more flavour and nutrients and are grown more sustainably; economically and environmentally.
Winter seasonal fruit and vegetables currently include Broccoli, Cabbage, Kiwi Fruit, Cauliflower, Pumpkin, Citrus, Spinach and Beans.
6. Versatile and Full of Flavour
Fruits and vegetables offer a plethora of flavour and diversity. Imagine a world without Orange slices after your team sport, a party without a DIY Watermelon drink dispenser, being unable to convince your childs’ imagination that they’re a dinosaur munching on a tree so they eat their broccoli… Imagine the common cold without a homestyle pumpkin soup and toasted buttery soldiers, bangers and mash with no mash, a Sunday roast with no sumptuous roast vegetables! No, nope.
7. Simply Sweet
The healthiest way to satisfy a sweet tooth is by eating more fruit and vegetables! Watermelon, Honeydew and Rockmelon are actually all low in sugar (and is natural) – with low calorie count and high water content – but will curb those sugar cravings! Want some vegetable alternatives? Try some Sugar Snap Peas and Pumpkin or Beetroot chips.
Protect and strengthen the health of yourself and your family this Winter by consuming more nutritious, vitamin filled fruit and vegetables.
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