RABBIT food — do we need it, should we eat it, and is there really any value to
it? For many people, vegetables and fruit are not daily menu items. For some
the closest they get to eating anything fresh is the limp lettuce garnish on a
hamburger. This certainly is not good enough.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides some interesting facts on fruit
and vegetable consumption; they estimate that up to 2.7-million lives could be
saved annually with sufficient fruit and vegetable consumption. They also say
that a low fruit and vegetable intake is among the top 10 selected risk factors
for global mortality. Worldwide, that low intake is estimated to cause about
19% of gastrointestinal cancer, about 31% of ischaemic heart disease and 11% of
stroke.

Could something so simple be so beneficial? The short and straight answer is
yes.

Should South Africans be concerned? Well, the South African Food Based Dietary
guidelines report that most South Africans do not meet the recommended intake
of five more portions of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

This equates to an amount of 400g daily. A serving of fruit is equivalent to
one piece of fruit that can fit into your hand, or a cup of chopped fresh
fruit. A serving of vegetables is equivalent to half a cup of cooked vegetables
or one cup raw vegetables or salad.

The WHO reports that we should consider an inadequate intake of fresh fruit and
vegetables as a high-risk dietary practice associated with an increased risk
for chronic lifestyle diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and
cancer. This means that eating too little in the way of fresh fruit and
vegetables is as risky as eating too much saturated fat, sugar or
kilojoule-dense foods.

So what do fruit and vegetables have to offer?

* Better weight control

For a start they tend to be lower in kilojoule density than many other food
choices. For example, a piece of fruit as a snack can provide a mere 340 kj,
while a chocolate bar from the vending machine can provide as much as 1200kj.
Diets that include an adequate amount of fresh produce tend to be lower in
kilojoules, and as a result promote better weight regulation.

Full story: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=86804