In the early days, living conditions were harsh and most families live in poverty, vegetables and fruits formed the staple food of the people. Meat, poultry and seafood were hardly consumed except on special occasions, festivals and during religious ceremonies. Although life was hard, the people were tough and they survived.

With the world getting more affluent, people cast aside the fruits and vegetables and change to having more meat products in their diet. The number of patients with serious ailments also increased.

In recent years, people have started to look at fruits and vegetables again in a different light. Research has found that these food contain antioxidants. Antioxidants can fight and remove free radicals from our body. Free radicals can damage our normal cells and give us wrinkles, poor vision, dull skin, lack luster hair, etc. If left unchecked, it can give rise to more serious illnesses.

The United States Department of Agriculture has recently conducted some research projects on the Development of Accurate and Representative Food Composition Data for the U.S. Food Supply. The result on one of the reports on citrus fruits published on June 6, 2006 states that consumption of citrus fruits may be associated with lower risk of colorectal, esophageal, and stomach cancers and may also improve blood profiles.

The Produce for Better Health Foundation, along with the National Cancer Institute, spearheaded the 5 A Day for Better Health program to improve public health through increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. They classified fruits and vegetables into 5 color groups, namely, 1) Blue/purple, 2) Green, 3) White 4) Yellow/orange and 5) Red.

The different color fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of health-promoting vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Research on these phytochemicals, found predominately in fruits and vegetables, indicated that they may help to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer, promote lung health and protect against asthma as well as lower the risk of age-related eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Therefore, including plenty of fruits and vegetables in our daily meals will help to improve our health and ward off illnesses. Chef Nicholas Zhou, in his Healthy Chinese Recipe Cookbook, also highlighted the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and having a balanced diet.

So, remember to eat your fruits and vegetables and add color to your life!

If you are interested in Chef Zhou's recipes, please go to http://www.buypycnogenol.com/recipes