Ever been told to always eat fruits and vegetables by mom and dad? Surely, everyone has heard this said over and over again. Parents don't say this so that the items bought in the grocery are consumed. The real reason is that both fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and nutrients that are needed for daily living.

Is this true? The answer is yes. According to one group of researchers, people who eat vegetables very often can reduce the risk of cataracts, cancers and other diseases. This can also make the person have more energy in doing certain things which is much better than eating candy.

When this is combined with exercise and rest, this can also lower the person's risk of diabetes, boost the antioxidant level and strengthen the immune system like diseases such as the common cold.

Another benefit of eating fruits and vegetables is that this can help retain memory function and help those who are aging. This makes people at the age of 40 or 50 feel young than those who don't and are at risk of things such as Alzheimer's disease.

A few examples of vegetables that are high in antioxidants are asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, squash, red peppers, onion and garlic. Fruits that have the same or higher levels are apples, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwifruits and grapes.

Doctors that conducted another research believe that people should at least have portions of either fruits and vegetables at least 5 times a day. An example of a complete day are as follows;

A perfect breakfast at six in the morning can be composed of some sliced fruit such as banana mixed with some cereals. The person can use skimmed milk instead of regular milk for a more creamy consistency. As a refreshment, the individual can squeeze some oranges or just pour this from a carton.

The person could get tired after working for a couple of hours before lunch. Should this happen, there are some snacks that can be purchase from the grocery store such as carrot batons, raisins, dried apricots or grapes instead of chips or chocolate. An apple or a banana can also work for those who are in a rush.

Lunch can start with a salad composed of some tomatoes, cucumber and leaves. The person can use low calorie dressing together with a sandwich and some hot soup.

The evening can be light just like lunch. The person can add some meat or chicken together with some sliced vegetable and fruit salad for dessert.

Knowing the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables can really do a lot for the person. These are better than taking multivitamins and other supplements which cost a lot more even if these can be bought at bulk.

Fruits and vegetables come in different colors. The person can find these in blue, red, yellow, white and green. The individual can vary these in each meal to be able to maximize the benefits of each. Given the benefits, the person can either buy these from the supermarket or plant or harvest these at home.

The items to be healthy are all there. It is up to the person whether to take on this opportunity or wait till one falls ill before making some lifestyle changes.