Fruity Facts

Friday, 25 June 2010

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5 Reasons to get fruity!

• Fruits and vegetables contain nutrients such as dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (including antioxidants) that help keep your digestive and immune systems healthy.
• The WCRF/AICR Second Expert Report (2007) showed that having at least 5 servings of fruits (and vegetables) a day helps prevent cancers of the mouth and throat, oesophagus, stomach, lung, colorectum and prostate. (Please refer to the table below for more details)
• There is good evidence that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables helps to lower the risk of heart disease. Fruits and vegetables can also help to protect against stroke and high blood pressure, and help manage diabetes. (Please refer to the table below for more details)
• Fruits (and vegetables) contain water and dietary fibre that fill you up for longer. They are low in energy density (with a few exceptions). They are a healthy and tasty alternative to energy-dense snacks like cakes, biscuits, pastries and crisps and can help you maintain a healthy body weight.
• Fruit is a natural, healthy “fast food” because it is ready to eat.

Fruit portion guide to achieve the “5-a-day” goal

WCRF HK recommends at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day to help prevent cancer and other chronic diseases.

One portion of fruit is equal to

• ½ cup of diced melon or pineapple
• 1 medium piece of apple or banana
• 2 pieces of plums or peaches
• ½ cup of raspberries or grapes
• 1 glass (150 ml) of 100% fruit juice* (no added sugar)
• 1½ tablespoon of non-sweetened dried fruit

One portion of vegetables is equal to

• ½ bowl of cooked vegetables
• 1 bowl of raw vegetables

* No matter how much fruit juice you drink in a day, it always counts as 1 portion.

Follow the Rainbow Rule!

Fruits and vegetables are not magic pills to protect you from cancers and other chronic diseases. Not all fruits and vegetables contain the same mix of phytochemicals. To get the best out of your fruits and vegetables, WCRF HK recommends that you follow the Rainbow Rule. The Rule guides you to eat a mix of colourful fruits and vegetables like strawberries (red), carrots (orange), lemon (yellow), cucumber (green), blueberries (purple) and turnips (white). This not only makes your meals look more appetising, but also provides you with a great variety of nutrients.

Why not try to create a colourful rainbow on your plate today?

What you eat, what you get!

Food sources	Nutrients	Health benefits
Leek, garlic, chives, onions	Allyl sulphides	Controls cholesterol levels Helps prevent colorectal cancer
Cooked tomatoes, watermelon, lychee, pink grapefruit, papaya	Lycopene	Helps prevent prostate cancer
All fruits and vegetables especially cranberries, papaya, pumpkin, guava	Dietary fibre	Helps prevent colorectal cancer and oesophageal cancer
Dark green vegetables – spinach, broccoli	Folate	Reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects or cleft palate in the infant Helps reduce risk of pancreatic cancer
Guava, orange, lemon, kiwi fruit, strawberries, bell pepper	Vitamin C	Prevents scurvy Enhances iron absorption Helps prevent cancers of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, colon, or lung
Carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, apricots	Beta-carotene	Converts to vitamin A that is essential for vision, growth and cell differentiation
Soybean and other soy products	Isoflavones and genistein	Controls cholesterol levels Helps relieve menopausal symptoms
Cranberry juice	-	Helps prevent urinary tract infection and H. Pylori infection (causes stomach ulcer)

Sign up for Fruity Friday now to enjoy the many benefits of a fruity diet!

Join our Move More Day too on 30 June to be more physically active and motivated in your office!

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