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| home : how we can help : prevention, screening, & diagnostics : answers to cancer : diet & nutrition
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It is summer and what a perfect time to increase your intake of vegetables. With the abundance of fresh vegetables available from local farmers, getting those veggies in is a little more interesting and fun.
Three to five vegetables a day sounds like a lot to many people. Most Americans aren't used to eating this many vegetables on a regular basis. Yet in many countries around the world this would not seem like much. Surveys have shown that less than 20% of Americans get the recommended 5-A-Day of fruits and vegetables. Research continues to show the benefit of eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables to reduce risk of several types of cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases. In fact, it is estimated that cancer could be reduced by 20% in the population if Americans ate their 5 fruits and vegetables a day. (By the way, that is a combined total of 5)
Does it matter which vegetables you choose to eat? Are some healthier than others? If I only like two vegetables, is it O.K. to eat only these? These questions are often raised. And the answer always is variety. Vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. Yet these substances are in different combinations in different vegetables. To get the widest range of helpful components in your diet, it is best to choose many different kinds of vegetables.
Some vegetables can be grouped together because their nutrient content tends to be similar. Dark green leafy vegetables are abundant in Vitamin A, in the form of carotenes, and are high in vitamin C. They also contain many other nutrients, including riboflavin, folate, iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. The deep yellow vegetables supply vitamin A in the form of carotenes. The starchy vegetables such as corn, potatoes, peas, and lima beans provide different amounts of vitamins and minerals, such as niacin, vitamin B6, zinc, and potassium.
Vegetables are packed with nutrients, but one thing they don't supply much of is fat. They have little or no fat and zero cholesterol. Of course some vegetables do end up on the high fat list because of the way they are prepared. French fries, onion rings, salads with heavy dressing and cheese-laden vegetables come to mind, just to name a few. Visit us on Friday for a lowfat vegetable recipe.
Remember a serving of vegetables equals the following. . . . . .
1/2 cup chopped raw or cooked vegetables, nonleafy
1 cup of leafy, raw vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbage)
1 small baked potato (3 ounces)
3/4 cup vegetable juice
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