Fruits and vegetables are essential for good health!

Doctor Jean-Michel Lecerf (Nutrition & Physical Activity Department, Centre Prévention Santé Longévité - Institut Pasteur de Lille), Ambassador of Agir pour le Cœur des femmes, explains all the good reasons to eat more fruit and vegetables to stay healthy.

Fruits and vegetables are a very important family of foods in terms of nutrition, dietary balance and health.

1- What do they contain?
What they have in common is that they are low in calories, rich in water and dietary fiber, and contain a whole range of vitamins (C, B9, E, etc.), provitamin A (beta-carotene), and essential minerals and trace elements (potassium, magnesium, etc.). They also contain a variety of phytoconstituents (polyphenols, sulfur compounds, carotenoids) that are highly beneficial to health.
However, they are not all exactly alike, so you really need to vary them according to the season.
On the other hand, they contain very little protein or fat (except for fats added for cooking or seasoning).

2- What is their place in a balanced diet?
It's essential, but of course not exclusive, as you need foods from other families for a balanced diet.
The first tip is to vary them.
The second is a benchmark that everyone knows, but which is still not applied enough: 5 portions of (different) fruit and vegetables every day. Specialists have calculated that this represents around 400 to 500 g/d. To be more concrete, we recommend that vegetables occupy around half a plate.
The third is to alternate between fresh, canned, frozen, raw and cooked to benefit from culinary diversity and all the flavors.

3- What are their effects on health?
By contributing to a balanced diet and due to their low energy content (calories), they help reduce the risk of weight gain.
What's more, studies show that people who consume more of them (whatever their origin and growing habits) have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), diabetes, and certain cancers.
Finally, they have a positive effect on neuropsychological health, eye health and digestive health.

4- Why is that?
First and foremost, it's due to the effects of their constituents (micronutrients and phytoconstituents), which exert so-called "antioxidant", "anti-inflammatory" effects that are protective against aging processes in particular. Thanks to their varied fibers and polyphenols, they have a favorable effect on the intestinal microbiota, so important for health.
They should therefore be part of a healthy diet for everyone.

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