Not only smoking, obesity and drinking affects your chances of developing cancer. There are certain other life style factors that can play a big role in your cancer prevention. Fruits and veggies is one of them!
Especially in North America we are consuming less and less fruits and vegetables. It is important to consume 5 to 10 servings per day, so make it as easy as possible to consume them! Substitute other (high fat or calorie) snacks with prepared fruits and veggies. If you keep them washed or cut you are more likely to grab the veggies instead of the chips when in a hurry throughout the day. Keeping snackable portions in your fridge, separated in Tupperware boxes makes them available for the entire family. Substituting other popular snacks for (fresh) fruits and veggies also takes care of the weight factor in cancer risk. Stay miles away from canned fruit though; they are low in vitamins and high in sugar, so you are better off just drinking a fruit drink instead. The canned fruits are about as bad as eating candy and not a substitute for fresh fruits!
An easy way of jump staring your fruit intake in the morning is by adding some fresh fruit to your cereal or blend frozen fruits with milk, juice or yogurt for a quick smoothie.
To keep your intake going throughout the day you can also start your meals off with a salad. It will curb your appetite for fatty foods and you are more likely to eat sensible portions of the actual meal.
Photography by Roswitha Schacht
Frozen veggies still have their vitamins and nutrients, so keep a bag in your freezer and add them in your pasta and stir-fry meals.
Consuming enough fruits and vegetables in our rushed society can be hard unless we put in a conscious effort. It really does not take much longer to wash an apple than it takes to open a bag of chips, so our food choices depend largely on availability and mind set. If you force yourself to grab some baby carrots as a quick snack, eventually it will become a habit. You can easily reach your minimum fruit intake and enjoy the benefits of a healthier, leaner and energetic life!
One note of caution though: avoid “fruit products” that contain more sugar than fruits. For example, most commercial fruit juices are packed with sugar or sweetners. Even if it says “no sugar added” the juice could be made from concentrate and have artificially inflated sugar contents. It’s best to buy a cheap blender and frozen fruit, you will not only save money but create fast and tasty juices in your own kitchen!