Whats so great about fruit and Veg?

More and more research shows that a diet which is high in fibre, low in fat and in particular high in fruit and vegetables may significantly reduce the risk of many illnesses and prolong a healthy life. The risk of Heart Disease, high blood pressure, obesity and over weight are all reduced in people that have a high fibre diet which includes 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. A high intake of fruit and vegetables has also been shown to reduce some forms of cancer, in particular bowel cancer. Fruit and Vegetables also help to maintain blood sugar control in diabetes by helping prevent weight gain and slow down the release of sugar into the blood stream.
It is important to remember that there is no one food or one nutrient that will give your body everything that it needs, therefore the better variety in the diet the more likely you are to get all the nutrients needed for health and here are just some of the benefits of a diet rich in a variety of different fruits and vegetables.

Fibre
All fruit and vegetables are a rich source of soluble fibre, which helps promote a healthy digestive system. People who eat a high intake of fruit and vegetables on a regular basis are less like to suffer symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and wind. The other benefit of the high fibre content is that these foods are also quite slowly digested which keeps people satisfied for longer and therefore less likely to snack on higher calorie foods which can help to maintain a healthy weight or promote weight loss in someone trying to lose weight. A high fibre diet can also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Antioxidants
They work by mopping up free radicals in the blood and in doing so prevent damage to the walls of arteries, therefore reducing the risk of developing blockages caused by plaque in the heart or other blood vessels. Vitamin C, E, beta-carotene and copper are all examples of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables.

What foods are good sources of antioxidants?

Antioxidant:Vitamin C

Food Source:Oranges, lemons, grapefruit, blackcurrants, are the best sources. Kiwi, melon, cherries, peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, potatoes and tomatoes and salad vegetables are also good sources.
Remember Vitamin C is not just a good antioxidant it also helps to absorb iron from the diet

Antioxidant: Vitamin E

Food Source:Vegetable oils are the best sources but you will also find some in dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli

Antioxidant:Beta -carotene

Food Source:Cabbage, spinach, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, melons, apricots, peaches, oranges

Antioxidant:Copper

Food Source:Also found in green vegetables.

Flavanoids and Phenols
These nutrients have also been show to play a role in protecting against heart disease and reducing the risk of some cancers. These nutrients are found in: berries, cherries, grapes, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, apples, onions and broccoli.

Low Glycaemic Index
In recent times there has been a lot of attention on the role of glycaemic index in our diets, there is some evidence to suggest that a low glycaemic index diet can help with weight loss, protect against cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Glycaemic Index (GI) is a way of ranking carbohydrate foods based on the rate at which they raise blood glucose levels. Foods that are digested quickly will raise blood glucose levels quickly and therefore are given a high GI value, while foods that have a more gradual effect on blood glucose levels will have a medium or low GI value.

Everyone with diabetes is aiming for this slow gradual rise in blood sugars rather than a sudden peak, therefore avoiding high sugar foods will prevent the peaks of high blood sugars while choosing low GI foods can help with keeping hunger a bay and help with blood glucose control.Even cooking can affect the GI value, for example raw carrot will have a lower GI value than cooked carrots.

Low GI	Vegetables Medium GI	High GI
Green peas, sweet corn, sweet potato, carrots, salad vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber, peppers, onion	New canned potatoes, new potatoes, beetroot	Baked potatoes, pumpkin, parsnip, tinned peas, baked beans, lentils
Low GI	Fruit Medium GI	High GI
Cherries, plums, grapefruit, peaches, apples, pears, dried apricots, grapes, kiwi fruit, oranges, jam	Mango, paw paw, sultanas, bananas (just ripe), raisins, rockmelon, pineapple, fresh apricots, canned fruit in syrup	watermelon, very ripe “medium fruits”. dates

What does role does GI play in weight loss?
Firstly remember that all fruits and vegetables will be low in calories, high in fibre and full of vitamins and minerals so choosing any fruit or vegetables will always be a healthy choice. If you want the added benefit of ones that are more filling and therefore more satisfying then go for the low or medium GI ones. Any attempts at weight loss must always include low fat foods, reduced portions and as much physical activity as possible. GI only plays as small part in the over all plan for weight loss.

What role does GI play in Diabetes?
Again remember that all fruit and vegetables will be low in calories, high in fibre and full of vitamins and minerals so choosing these instead of high sugar, high fat snacks such as biscuits, crisps etc will always be the better option. People with diabetes do need to remember that all fruit contains fructose which is a natural fruit sugar so while all fruits are suitable for those with diabetes, you just need to pay attention to how much you have at one time. One portion of fruit is enough at one time. See table with portion sizes.

All vegetables are suitable for diabetes and will have little or no affect on blood sugar readings (with the exception of those listed in the high GI section). This doesn’t mean that people with diabetes shouldn’t include fruit and vegetables with a high GI they simply should be aware that these particular fruits and vegetables will raise the blood sugars quicker than other fruit and vegetables. This might explain the unexpected high blood sugar ready you might sometimes get if you had watermelon for dessert, or a very ripe banana.

Also somebody that has for example grilled salmon with pasta with peppers, onion and salad for dinner today might have very much lower blood sugars compared to the day they have potatoes with processed peas and grilled salmon. The Pasta and salad will have a lower GI and therefore a more gradual affect on blood sugars than the potatoes and processed peas which will have a high GI.

What is a portion?
Aim to have 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day

Fruit
1 apple	1 orange	1 pear
1 peach	1 small banana	Handful of cherries
8 small strawberries	3 rings of pineapple	10 grapes
2 plums	3 dessertspoons of cooked fruit	4 prunes
1/2 mango	2 kiwi	1 slice of watermelon
small bow of raisins	small glass of unsweetened fruit juice
Vetetables
Small bowl of homemade soup 3 dessertspoons of salad 3 dessert spoons of most cooked vegetables Note if counting Carbohydrates then a portion (15g CHO) is: 120g parsnip 100g sugar free processed peas 60g canned sweet corn

Tips

Note for healthy eating peas, beans and lentils are included as protein foods and not counted as vegetables, likewise potatoes are included as carbohydrate food and also not counted as vegetables.
One small glass of fruit juice is counted towards fruit intake per day, but the other portions of fruit should come from the fruit itself and not juice to make sure to get the benefits of the fibre.
Juices and smoothies while they may contain more than one fruit also only count as one serving per day. For those of you counting carbohydrates fruit juices will contain on average 10g CHO per 100ml, while milk based smoothies will contain 15g CHO per 100ml.

Liz Kirby, Dietician and Southern Regional Development Officer, Diabetes Federation of Ireland

APP/KOL/AC 04/07/2008

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Volume 6 Issue 2 Summer 08 Diabetes Ireland Magazine

Last updated: July 2008