Chic & Health

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Fruits and vegetables are important to our health for many reasons; certainly because they contain fibre in the whole food, and they contain phytonutrients, which are plant based nutrients in the numbers of 20,000 or more, all of which work together to ensure our health.

Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables is the simple “5 A Day” message, and a smart strategy for better health. Vegetables are virtually fat free and contain no cholesterol.

Using herbs or seasoning instead of butter or fat could make vegetables more distinctive. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed. But certainly the acid test or taste of the good cook will be in the preparation of vegetables.

The idea of using raw vegetables is the most desirable for any menu, and especially for the low-fat menus and raw food diets, since many of the vital vitamins and minerals in vegetables may be destroyed by cooking.

As very positive shows on raw foods diet, vegetables becomes the most important ingredient as it can be combined with cottage cheese, or gelatin recipes. Use raw vegetables almost exclusively, since the vitamin value is at peak this way, and the crispness of the vegetables is most appetizing.

Along with vegetables, fruits also contain virtually no fat and are entirely free of any cholesterol. When fresh fruits are not in season, use dried, canned, or frozen fruits. There is no much restriction on the use of fruits, which are also certainly ideal for desserts, except avocado and coconut, which are both very high in fat content and thus should be avoided.

Salads are often served before a main course, however in low fat or raw food diet, a well-constructed vegetable or fruits salad can be served as a meal all alone.

Using fruit juices instead of water in gelatin salads will bring special favorites to many. Aspic salads are excellent when prepared with vegetables or vegetable juices. For more protein and “body” results, cottage cheese is a great ingredient for gelatin and aspic salads.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.