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Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Vol. 8, Issue 3 (2019)

Defensive function of fruits and vegetables

Author(s):

Neerja Rana, Arti Ghabru and Devina Vaidya

Abstract:
Vegetables and fruit are low fat foods. They are also low in protein, and apart from bananas, have a low calorie and starch content. Fruits contain fructose, a natural fruit sugar. Almost all fruit and vegetables are good sources of soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fibre adds bulk to stools, keeps food moving through the digestive system, and helps in preventing bowel problems like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and cancer. Soluble fibre in fruits, pulses, and some grains, helps lower cholesterol in blood and regulates blood sugar levels. Vegetables and fruit contain a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals. For instance, many are good sources of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, folate and potassium. Leafy green vegetables contain calcium and iron. The best way to get the complete range of vitamins and minerals available from fruit and vegetables is to have at least five servings a day. Vegetables and fruit are major sources of phytochemicals, natural plant chemicals that protect health. Nutritional information wouldn't be complete without a mention of the all-important antioxidants, which protect us from many types of pollutants, including emissions from TVs and computers, UV light, pesticides, additives, burnt and fried foods and stress. Top fruits: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, red grapes, cherries, kiwi. Top vegetables: kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, alfalfa, broccoli, beetroot, red peppers and onions.

Pages: 1872-1877  |  7538 Views  6001 Downloads


Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry
How to cite this article:
Neerja Rana, Arti Ghabru and Devina Vaidya. Defensive function of fruits and vegetables. J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2019;8(3):1872-1877.

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