4000 reasons to increase your vegetables and fruit intake

You may have heard about phytochemicals—a big word for compounds naturally found in vegetables and fruit. Phytochemicals are often responsible for the colour of a vegetable or fruit—red, orange, green, white, purple, yellow and blue.

There have been over 4000 different phytochemicals identified! Phytochemicals have been linked to reduced cancer risk, reduced risk of heart disease or stroke, and eye health. Because the benefits of phytochemicals come from a combination of factors within fruits and vegetables, supplements simply don’t provide the same benefits. So eat a variety of colorful vegetables and fruit everyday to ensure you don’t miss out on the benefits.

Start with what’s available, fresh and low-cost. BC produce in-season for fall includes: beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, red and green cabbage, carrots, leeks, potatoes, turnips, apples and pears to name a few.