FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Episode 3
Description
Yaya loves fruit, but some vegetables are a little hit and miss with her. Some of them look strange, and she isn’t sure if she likes the or not. Sometimes you need to taste and try them first before you can make a decision on whether you like something or not.
Why are fruits and vegetables so important in our diet? They contain high sources of vitamins, fibre and minerals, which help our bodies to grow. These nutrients help our bodies to function properly and aid in our digestive system. They can also prevent diseases which can affect our bodies later in life, such as our hearts.
We should eat a minimum of five fruits and or vegetables a day to stay healthy.
What is a fruit? Fruits are sweet, juicy and develop from a seed. They usually have a pip or a number of pips inside. We get all kinds of fruits such as:
- Common Fruits – Apples and pears
- Citrus Fruits – oranges, grapefruits, mandarins and lemons
- Stone fruits – nectarines, apricots, peaches and plums
- Tropical and exotic fruits – bananas and mangoes
- Berries – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwifruit and passionfruit
- Melons – watermelons, rock melons and honeydew melons
Did you know that tomatoes and avocado pears are also fruits? Fruits are so yummy eaten on their own, with yogurt, in your favourite dessert or pudding, or even in cakes. What is your favourite fruit?
Vegetables also come in different groups which include:
- Leafy greens – lettuce and spinach
- Cruciferous – cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and broccoli
- Marrows – pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini
- Roots – potato, sweet potato and yam
- Celery and asparagus are edible root systems, as you actually eating the root as the good part.
- Allium vegetables are your onions, garlic and shallots.
Vegetables can be eaten fresh, frozen or even from a tin! Try a new vegetable today, you may just like it!
Fruits and vegetables can be added to crunchy salads, quiches and pies. Some can be eaten cooked and some even tastier raw. When you feel like a healthy snack, why not grab an apple or a carrot it’s a much healthier snack option than biscuits and sweets. Always give your fruit and vegetable a wash under the tap before eating, as when they are growing on the farms, the farmers spray pesticides on them to keep the insects away. This can be harmful to us. Eat your fruits and veggies, and grow strong healthy bones and teeth! Don’t forget to eat all your fruits and vegetable to get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to grow!
