Help reduce your risk of cancer.
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Highlights
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You and your loved one have more in common than the cancer experience – you both need your fruits and veggies. You need them to reduce your own cancer risk and your loved one needs them to be sure of getting key vitamins and minerals, to keep up his or her strength and stamina, and to improve digestion, to mention just a few reasons.
So, what is your fruit and veggie IQ? Read our Q & A and see. Then look at our sample menu for ways to fit more fruits and vegetables into your and your loved one’s diets without much fuss or expense.
Q: What is so important about fruits and vegetables?
A: These foods contain necessary vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. In general, fruits and veggies with the most color – green, red, yellow, and orange – have the most nutrients.
Q: What are phytochemicals?
A: The term phytochemicals refers to a wide range of compounds made by plants. The compounds have either antioxidant or hormone-like actions. Since eating lots of vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of some types of cancer, researchers are looking for the specific components, such as phytochemicals, that might account for this.
Q: Will eating vegetables and fruits really lower one’s risk of getting cancer?
A: Yes. Eating more vegetables and fruits has been linked in most studies with a lower risk of lung, oral, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancer. However, there is not yet evidence that a diet including many vegetables and fruits can reduce the risk of recurrence or improve survival. Still, people with cancer should be encouraged to get at least 5 servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day because of their other health benefits.
Q: Is there a difference in the nutritional value of fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables and fruits?
A: Yes, but they can all be good choices. Fresh foods are usually thought to have the most nutritional value, however, if too much time lapses between harvest and consumption, nutrients can be lost. On the other hand, frozen foods can be more nutritious because they are often picked ripe and then quickly frozen while the nutrients are still intact. Canning is more likely to reduce the heat-sensitive and water-soluble nutrients because of the high temperatures needed in the canning process. The best bet is to choose vegetables and fruits in a variety of forms.
Q: Does cooking affect the nutritional value of vegetables?
A: Boiling vegetables, especially for long periods, can leach out their water-soluble vitamins. Microwaving and steaming are the best ways to preserve the nutritional content of vegetables.
Q: Should I be juicing my vegetables and fruits?
A: Juicing can add variety to the diet and can be a good way to get vegetables and fruits, especially for those who have trouble chewing or swallowing. Juicing also helps the body absorb some of the nutrients in vegetables and fruits. But juices may be less filling than whole vegetables and fruits and contain less fiber. Fruit juice, in particular, can add excess calories to one's diet if large amounts are consumed. Commercial juice products should be 100% vegetable or fruit juices and should be pasteurized to remove harmful germs. This is true for the general population, but is of special concern for people who may have weak immune systems, such as cancer patients getting chemotherapy.
Sample menu:
Eat at least 5 servings each day of fruits & veggies.
It’s not as hard as you may think. Here are a few serving samples:
- 1/2 cup of fruit
- 1 medium piece of fruit
- 1/4 cup of dried fruit
- 3/4 cup (6 ounces) of 100% fruit or vegetable juice
- 1 cup of leafy vegetables
- 1/2 cup of cooked or raw vegetables
Fruit and vegetable serving sizes are smaller than most people imagine, which makes them easy additions to a meal or snack. A banana here and a salad there can add up throughout the day and get you to your 5-a-day-or-more goal quickly.
Breakfast: Slice a medium or half a large banana on top of your cereal. Your morning juice counts, too. Just 4 ounces of 100% fruit juice or vegetable juice is equal to one serving. With 2 servings at breakfast, you’re on your way.
Midmorning snack: Snack time is a great time to work in another serving of fruits or vegetables. An individual-sized container of applesauce, 5-6 baby carrots, or a small handful (1/4 cup) of dried fruit will add 1 more serving. It’s only the middle of your morning, and you’ve already had 3 servings!
Lunch: When you need a quick lunch, try ordering a pita sandwich or wrap loaded with vegetables, or a cup of hearty vegetable soup. Either of these gives you 1 more serving. Add a small side salad with low-fat dressing, and your count just jumped to 5 servings for the day so far.
Dinner: Even if you only have 5 minutes, dinner veggies are easy and delicious. Heat canned or frozen peas or cauliflower in the microwave for a quick side dish. Or make a meal out of a microwave-cooked sweet potato with 1 teaspoon of butter, a splash of apple juice or squeeze of lemon, and a light sprinkling of cinnamon and brown sugar. Any one of these will add 1 more serving to your day, and now you’re up to 6 servings.
Dessert: Savor a frozen treat made from 100% juice or place 1⁄2 cup of berries, peaches, or other favorite fruit on low-fat frozen yogurt and you have added another serving to your day – bringing your daily total to 7 servings.
In order to encourage Americans to add more fruits and vegetables to their diets, the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have launched a new public health initiative: Fruits and Veggies – More Matters™. Click here to visit their site.
Click here visualize serving sizes.
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= 1 medium apple or orange
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= 1 cup of vegetables or fruit
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= 1 medium potato
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= 1 cup of lettuce
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Click here for 2 must-have recipes for you and your loved one. »
Blender Cream Soup
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour (gravy and sauce flour works well)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper (as tolerated)
Mix all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. This is the base you can use for a variety of vegetable soups. Blend with asparagus, broccoli, or other vegetables, such as mashed potatoes, peas, or carrots. Heat until thickened and serve.
Makes 4 servings. Each serving of the base only is 130 calories and 5 grams of protein (calculated with reduced-fat milk). To increase calories, use whole milk or half-and-half.
Variations:
Asparagus: 1 cup cooked asparagus, 3/4 teaspoon sugar, plus the soup base. Blend in a blender and then heat until thickened and serve.
Broccoli: 1 cup cooked broccoli, 1 tablespoon diced and cooked onion, plus the base. Blend in a blender and then heat until thickened and serve.
Fruit Shake
2 cups juice (apple, apricot, grape, peach), chilled
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Crushed ice made from about 4 cubes
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
Put all ingredients into a 1-quart plastic container with lid. Shake vigorously and serve. Alternatively, put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend.
Makes 2 servings. Each serving is 260 calories and 5 grams of protein (calculated with apple juice).
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