Environmental Sustainability: Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
Updated: Feb 5, 2020
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Using more fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, lean meats, nuts, and beans, is a safe and healthy way to manage your health and physical well-being. In addition, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fibre, and other substances that are important for good health.
To achieve your desired and healthy weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body uses
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to eat less food. You can create lower-calorie versions of some of your favourite dishes by substituting low-calorie fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients. The water and fibre in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling.
Simple ways to cut calories and eat more fruits and vegetables throughout the day
Breakfast: Start the Day Right
Substitute spinach, onions, or mushrooms for one egg or half the cheese in your morning omelette. The vegetables will add volume and flavour to the dish with fewer calories than the egg or cheese.
Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl to make room for some cut-up bananas, peaches, or strawberries. You can still eat a full bowl, but with fewer calories.
Lighten Up Your Lunch
Substitute vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions for 2 ounces of the cheese and 2 ounces of the meat in your sandwich, wrap, or burrito. The new version will fill you up with fewer calories than the original.
Replace 2 ounces of meat or 1 cup of noodles in broth-based soup with 1 cup of chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, beans, or red peppers. The vegetables will help fill you up, so you won’t miss those extra calories.
Dinner
Add in 1 cup of chopped vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, squash, onions, or peppers, while removing 1 cup of the rice or pasta in your favourite dish. The dish with the vegetables will be just as satisfying but have fewer calories than the same amount of the original version.
Take a good look at your dinner plate. Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains should take up the largest portion of your plate. If they do not, replace some of the meat, cheese, white pasta, or rice with legumes, steamed broccoli, asparagus, greens, or another favourite vegetable. This will reduce the total calories in your meal without reducing the amount of food you eat. BUT remember to use a normal- or small-size plate - not a platter. The total number of calories that you eat counts, even if a good proportion of them come from fruits and vegetables.
Smart Snacks
Most healthy eating plans allow for one or two small snacks a day. Choosing most fruits and vegetables will allow you to eat a snack with only 100 calories.
Instead of a high-calorie snack from a vending machine, bring some cut-up vegetables or fruit from home. A 1-ounce bag of corn chips has as many calories as a small apple, 1 cup of whole strawberries, AND 1 cup of carrots with 1/4 cup of low-calorie dip. Substitute one or two of these options for the chips, and you will have a satisfying snack with fewer calories.
Remember: Substitution is the key
It’s true that fruits and vegetables are lower in calories than many other foods, but they do contain some calories. If you start eating fruits and vegetables in addition to what you usually eat, you are adding calories and may gain weight. The key is substitution. Eat fruits and vegetables instead of some other higher-calorie food.
Bonus Tips
Eat fruits and vegetables the way nature provided- or with fat-free or low-fat cooking techniques.
Try steaming your vegetables, using low-calorie or low-fat dressings, and using herbs and spices to add flavour. Some cooking techniques, such as breading and frying, or using high-fat dressings or sauces will greatly increase the calories and fat in the dish. And eat your fruit raw to enjoy its natural sweetness.
Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options.
Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as the fresh varieties. However, be careful to choose those without added sugar, syrup, cream sauces, or other ingredients that will add calories.
Choose whole fruit over fruit drinks and juices. Fruit juices have lost fibre from the fruit.
It is better to eat the whole fruit because it contains the added fibre that helps you feel full. One 6-ounce serving of orange juice has 85 calories, compared to just 65 calories in a medium orange.
Whole fruit gives you a bigger size snack than the same fruit dried—for the same number of calories.
A small box of raisins (1/4 cup) is about 100 calories. For the same number of calories, you can eat 1 cup of grapes.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/fruits_vegetables.html
Pun Hlaing Veggie Farm
Embracing the spirit of healthy living & lifestyle, organic vegetables and spices would soon be served at Oasis Bistro, Horizons Restaurant and retail at the Country Store located at the estate.
The 652 acre estate is located by the Hlaing and Pan Hlaing rivers, and is a beautifully landscaped oasis of luxury estate villas and serviced apartments, golf course, country club with outdoor pool and tennis courts, culinary experiences, hotel, an international school, a hospital and a wellness day spa. Pun Hlaing Estate is a breath of fresh air away from the city so you can fully relax and enjoy life in Myanmar. Pun Hlaing Estate is developed by awards winning real estate developer Yoma Land.
