Why Eat Fruits and Vegetables?

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Molly Charles
6 years ago
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that act like antioxidants saponins - plant chemicals that have a bitter taste

isothiocyanates - sulfur-containing compounds several types of dietary fiber

help maintain optimum health and weight.

2 Why Eat Fruits and Vegetables? Fruits and Vegetables Provide: vitamins minerals flavonoids - plant chemicals that act like antioxidants saponins - plant chemicals that have a bitter taste phenols - organic compounds in foods carotenoids - vitamin A-like compounds isothiocyanates - sulfur-containing compounds several types of dietary fiber Fruits and vegetables not only prevent malnutrition and some disease, but also help maintain optimum health and weight. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests a minimum of five servings per day of fruits and vegetables. Iowa State University. The Health Value of Fruits and Vegetables

3 What is Organic? Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than using chemical weed killers, organic farmers conduct sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic foods to meet strict government standards.

4 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic foods to meet strict government standards. These standards regulate how such foods are grown, handled and processed. Products certified 95 percent or more organic display this USDA sticker.

5 Levels of Organic 100 percent organic. Products that are completely organic or made of all organic ingredients. Organic. Products that are at least 95 percent organic. Made with organic ingredients. These are products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The organic seal can't be used on these packages.

6 Why Does Organic Matter? There is growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood when exposures can have long lasting effects years- increase in pesticides in urine.

7 Conventional vs. Organic Conventional Apply chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth Organic Apply natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, to feed soil and plants. Spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease. Use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease. Use chemical herbicides to manage weeds. Give animals antibiotics, growth hormone and medications to prevent disease and spur growth. Rotate crops, till, hand weed or mulch to manage weeds. Give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors. Use preventive measures such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing to help minimize disease.

8 What is the Best Choice? #1 Organic and Locally Grown #2 Organic #3 Conventional and Locally Grown #4 Conventional Nestle, Marion. What to Eat

9 Nutrition Things to Consider Cost Environment

10 The Environmental Issue Synthetic pesticides and herbicides not only leave toxic residues on food but also kill soil microbes and create top soil loss. Conventional growing disrupts natural ecosystems around the farms. Chemical fertilizers also cause much of the pollution in lakes, ponds, rivers and groundwater. Organic farming is shown to leave the soil healthier and use energy more efficiently.

11 What are Pesticides doing to your body? pesticides offer many benefits, including preventing illness and death by controlling the insect vectors of diseases such as malaria, and West Nile virus 20,110 cases of acute pesticide poisonings in the general population. The EPA estimates that 10,000-20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide poisonings occur each year among approximately 3,380,000 U.S. agricultural workers. Short-term exposure to high levels of pesticides may cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, allergic, or neurologic symptoms. Long-term exposure may be associated with neurologic diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers.

12 Top Twenty Worst Produce to buy Conventionally Rank Fruit or Veggie Rank Peaches 100 (highest pesticide load) Apples 89 Sweet Bell Peppers 86 Celery 85 Nectarines 84 Strawberries 82 Cherries 75 Pears 65 Grapes- Imported 65 Spinach 60 Lettuce 59 Potatoes 58 Carrots 57 Green Beans 53 Hot Peppers 53 Cucumbers 52 Raspberries 47 Plums 45 Grapes- Domestic 43 Oranges 42

If you're concerned about pesticides, peel your fruits and vegetables and trim outer leaves of leafy

13 Shopping Tips Don't confuse natural foods with organic foods. Buy fruits and vegetables in season to ensure the highest quality. If you're concerned about pesticides, peel your fruits and vegetables and trim outer leaves of leafy vegetables in addition to washing them thoroughly. Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly with running water to reduce the amount of dirt and bacteria.

14 Hormones Cows are able to produce 10 to 20 percent more milk if they are injected with GH. Udder infections force dairy farmers to use antibiotics Increases the insulin-like growth factor(igf- 1 ) in cows milk. Nestle, Marion. What to Eat

15 Meat Meat industries are especially skilled at keeping costs down by encouraging the production of cheap feed, avoiding responsibility for cleaning up pollution, hiring low-wage workers, and cutting corners on food safety. Nestle, Marion. What to Eat

Fish Excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. Predatory fish of impressive large size are loaded with toxic chemicals.

16 Fish Excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. Predatory fish of impressive large size are loaded with toxic chemicals. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Farmed fish have more quantities of PCBs than those in the wild, but the number of fish in the ocean is declining rapidly. Nestle, Marion. What to Eat

17 Genetically Modified Foods Benefits Crops Enhanced taste and quality Reduced maturation time Increased nutrients, yields, and stress tolerance Improved resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides New products and growing techniques Animals Increased resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency Better yields of meat, eggs, and milk Improved animal health and diagnostic methods Environment "Friendly" bioherbicides and bioinsecticides Bioprocessing for forestry products Better natural waste management More efficient processing

18 Genetically Modified Foods Cons Safety Potential human health impact: allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance markers Potential environmental impact: unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on other organisms (e.g., soil microbes), and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity Access and Intellectual Property Domination of world food production by a few companies Increasing dependence on Industrialized nations by developing countries Biopiracy foreign exploitation of natural resources Ethics Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species Stress for animal

19 Tap Water Local governments add chlorine to kill infectious organisms. Tap water has less microbes than bottled water. The EPA has identified about a thousand chemicals in tap water, and sets allowable limits for about eighty of them. Nestle, Marion. What to Eat

Bottled Water Produces unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, even in areas where perfectly good drinking water is available on tap.

20 Bottled Water Produces unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, even in areas where perfectly good drinking water is available on tap. Often no healthier than tap water, but it can be 10,000 times more expensive. Does not have to be tested as rigorously as tap waters or disinfected to the same extent. Wastes large amounts of fuel to ship water from places like Norway, Figi, and the Persian Gulf. Nestle, Marion. What to Eat.

21 Food Pyramid

Organic Foods: Understanding Organic Food Labels, Benefits, and Claims

Organic Foods: Understanding Organic Food Labels, Benefits, and Claims Organic food has become very popular. But navigating the maze of organic food labels, benefits, and claims can be confusing. Is organic