Today on The VedaFoods Health Show with Dr. Jay Apte, we talk all about Fruits and Vegetables.
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Fruits and Veggies
Healthy foods consist of macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients we need in large quantity and micronutrients in very small quantity.
Micronutrients in Fruits and vegetables mainly provide vitamins, minerals, and natural disease and cancer fighting chemicals called phyto-chemicals. So, we need have to incorporate plenty of vegetables and fruits in our meals.
Here are some examples of phyto-chemicals and their health benefits:
- Ellagic Acid – found in fruits and vegetables, mainly strawberries, grapes and raspberries. This acid counteracts the effect of carcinogens.
- Isothiocynates – found in brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and alfalfa sprouts have Isothiocynates. These stimulate production of anti-cancerous enzymes. They also aid the body’s natural ability to resist cancer.
- Saponins – found in soybeans, lentils, navy beans and chickpeas. Saponins interfere with DNA replication by preventing cancer cells from multiplying.
- Lycopene – found in tomatoes. Lycopene may lower the risk of digestive tract and prostate cancer.
About Dr. Jay Apte:
Dr. Jay Apte is a very experienced, India trained Ayurveda practitioner in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. She has an integrated degree in Allopathic and Ayurvedic Medicine from Pune University in India. In addition, she also has a Master’s degree in bio-medical sciences (Pharmacology) and has completed coursework for a Masters degree in Nutritional sciences from University of California at Berkley.
After graduating in 1973, she worked as a Gynecologist in India for 9 years before migrating to the U.S. She has practiced Ayurveda for more than 35 years, nearly 30 years in the US, first in Dallas, Texas and now in Mountain View, California. Her sole focus is on providing the very best Ayurvedic (holistic) health care, including Panchakarma treatments, by bringing eastern wisdom and western knowledge together. She has helped thousands of clients suffering from a variety of illnesses such as Allergies, Asthma, Arthritis, Digestive Problems, Skin Conditions, Women’s Issues, Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Eczema, Psoriasis, Children suffering from ADD, Autism and many more.
She is currently a board member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and a past president of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine (CAAM). She is an entrepreneur and has started various Ayurvedic businesses including Ayurvedic wellness center, Ayurveda academies (to teach Ayurvedic medicine around the U.S.), Herbal Care – first company to manufacture Ayurvedic Herbal supplements in the U.S. and AyurFoods – world’s first manufacturer of delicious and tasty, holistic and healthy Ayurvedic foods. She is a gifted teacher and has given seminars and lectures in various forums around the U.S. Dr. Jay enjoys nature walks and is very passionate about Ayurveda.
Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are full of nutrients. Using more fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean meats, nuts, and beans is a safe and healthy way to manage healthy weight. General recommendation is to eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. If you eat a fruit during snack time in the midmorning and afternoon and add varieties of vegetables with your lunch and dinner, you get enough quantities of these food groups. Remember: potato chips and tomato ketchup are not substitutes for eating vegetables.
Why kids dislike vegetables is because they do not taste good by themselves. When you add all the six tastes in right amount as Ayurveda recommends, vegetables become delicious and nutritious. Instead of adding cheese, heavy cream or salt in the veggies, learn to add spices which also have many healing properties along with flavors.
Here are few ideas about adding vegetables in your meals:
- In pasta, add onions, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, and or spinach.
- Instead of a hamburger, eat a veggie burger. Prepare veggie patty with beans, potatoes, beet root, carrots, cabbage and many other vegetables.
- Make a burrito with plenty of veggies – bell pepper, asparagus, carrots, cabbage, and or cauliflower.
- In an egg omelet, add tomatoes, onions, spinach, and or leafy greens.
For the VIDEO VERSION:
Direct Link to the Video in case embed is not cooperating:
https://vimeo.com/130486169
Eat seasonal vegetables – during summer season, eat more leafy greens. Since they are cooling, they balance the heat in the body. During fall and winter eat root vegetables. They being heavy are grounding and reduce coldness in the body.
Buy local when available – Fruits and vegetables which are grown in your own environment are more healing as they are exposed to similar temperatures and humidity. Farmers’ markets are best places to buy your produce.
Try not to peel the fruits and veggies. Buy organic and wash them thoroughly before use. Peels have many healing properties. They help make our skin lustrous, give good tone to the body and help prevent many diseases.
Instead of combining fruits with meals it is a good idea to eat a fruit in between meals.
Instead of drinking a fruit juice, eat a whole fruit. Chew it thoroughly and enjoy the flavor. One fruit will satisfy you more and will not raise your blood sugar quickly. We end up gulping the juice so fast, that we do not notice the taste of the fruit and it may spike the blood sugar.
Fruits have sugars and they too raise our blood sugar. Most of the fruits have medium GI (glycemic index) (56-70), except fruits like melons, pineapples, juices from the concentrates which are in the high GI category, so we have to be choosy.
Fruits and veggies are also classified as acidic or alkaline. Many of the diseases happen because of the acidic foods as they increase inflammation in the body. Many acid/alkaline food lists are available on the internet.
For the AUDIO-PODCAST VERSION:
Direct Link to the Podcast in case embed is not cooperating:
http://www.spreaker.com/user/carlyalyssathorne/fruits-and-vegetable-w-dr-jay-apte
If you have any questions you would like answered on the show, please email us at: healthshowguest@vedafoods.com
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Medical Disclaimer:
All of the information shared on “The VedaFoods Health Show” or VedaFoods website, webinars, blogs, podcasts, videos either presented by Dr. Jay Apte or guests are from their own personal experience, research, education, and experience with their clients.
Every person is an individual and as such we recommend that everyone seek counsel from their own personal doctor before starting any exercise program or health regimen of any kind.